Papa Joe's Biscuits 'n Gravy Recipe

Preheat and arrange

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly flour a baking sheet. Keep a round biscuit cutter (about 2.5 - 3 inches) or a glass ready.

Dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tbs granulated sugar until evenly combined.

Cut in the butter

Add 0.75 cups very cold unsalted butter (grated or cut into small cubes) to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with some pea-sized butter bits remaining.

Add scallions and gochugaru

Stir in the thinly sliced whites and greens of 3 scallions and 1.5 tsp gochugaru so they are evenly distributed through the dry mixture.

Wet ingredients

Whisk together 1 cup cold buttermilk and 1 large egg in a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk/egg mixture. Using a fork or rubber spatula, fold gently until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix; it should be shaggy and slightly sticky. If dough is very dry, add up to 2 tbs additional buttermilk, 1 tbs at a time.

Shape and cut

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Fold the dough over itself 2 times (this helps create layers), then pat again to 1-inch thickness. Use a floured 2.5–3 inch cutter to stamp out biscuits, pressing straight down (do not twist). Gather scraps and repeat until you have 8 to 10 biscuits.

Bake

Place biscuits close together on the prepared baking sheet so sides touch (this yields taller biscuits). Brush the tops with 2 tbs melted butter for extra browning, if desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown on top and cooked through. Remove from oven and brush with remaining melted butter if using. Let rest for 5 minutes before splitting.

Cook aromatics and beef

While biscuits bake (or in a separate skillet), heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 0.5 cup finely diced yellow onion and cook until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add 1 lb ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes, and drain excess fat if more than 2 tbs remain, leaving a tablespoon for flavor.

Season and thicken

Sprinkle 3 tbs all-purpose flour over the browned beef and stir to coat. Cook the flour for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw taste and form a roux with the beef fat and pan fond.

Add liquids and seasonings

Gradually whisk in 2 cups beef broth until smooth and combined, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 0.5 cup whole milk, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp soy sauce, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika, 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 0.75 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, and 1 tsp brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Simmer to desired thickness

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens to a silky, coat-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency, about 6–10 minutes. If gravy becomes too thick, whisk in up to 2–4 tbs additional milk or broth to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a pinch more brown sugar if needed.

Finish

If you prefer a slightly smoother gravy, you can press it through a coarse strainer or use an immersion blender briefly to break up larger beef pieces (optional). Keep the gravy warm over the lowest heat while biscuits finish chilling for 2–3 minutes after baking.

Split warm biscuits in half horizontally. Spoon a generous ladle of the spiced beef gravy over the bottom half of each biscuit, then top with the biscuit top.

Garnish with additional sliced scallions, a light sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper to taste, and an optional drizzle of melted butter.

Serve immediately while biscuits are warm and gravy is hot. Leftover gravy can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently, adding a splash of milk if needed.