Dad's Biscuits & Gravy Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease. Keep cold ingredients cold until ready to mix.

In a large bowl whisk together 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly distributed.

Cut 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces of butter remaining (about the size of peas). Work quickly to keep butter cold.

Make a well in the center and pour in 1 cup cold buttermilk. Stir gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. If dough feels very dry, add up to 2 tablespoons more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time — you want a slightly sticky but workable dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over itself 3 to 4 times to create layers, pressing gently. Pat to a 3/4-inch to 1-inch thickness. Do not overwork.

Use a 2 1/2- to 3-inch round biscuit cutter to stamp out biscuits without twisting the cutter. Gently press scraps together once and re-cut to make two biscuits. You should have 2 large biscuits per plate (recipe yields 8 biscuits total).

Place biscuits on prepared baking sheet spaced about 1 inch apart. Brush the tops lightly with 2 tablespoons heavy cream for color.

Bake in preheated oven for 12–15 minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked through. Remove to a wire rack and keep warm. For serving as plated stacks, reheat slightly before plating if needed.

Divide 12 oz bulk breakfast sausage into eight equal portions (about 1.5 oz each) and form into thin patties slightly wider than biscuits. Press center lightly to keep shape while cooking. Season patties with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper if desired.

Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties (work in batches if needed) and cook 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply browned and cooked through (internal temp 160°F / 71°C). Transfer cooked patties to a plate and keep warm. Reserve pan drippings for the gravy section — wipe out excess oil if there is too much, leaving about 1 tablespoon flavorful fat.

In the same skillet used for patties, add 8 oz crumbled pork sausage (this may be additional sausage or chop/dice leftover patties) and cook over medium heat until browned and crispy, breaking up with a spatula. If the pan is very dry, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Drain off excess fat if more than 3 tablespoons remain, leaving roughly 1–2 tablespoons of fat in the pan for flavor.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup all-purpose flour over the browned sausage and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until the flour cooks and turns a little golden (this eliminates raw flour taste).

Slowly whisk in 2 1/2 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream, adding a little at a time to avoid lumps. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat while whisking constantly. The gravy will thicken as it heats; simmer 4–6 minutes until it reaches a thick, ladleable consistency. Add more milk by 1/4-cup increments if it becomes too thick.

Season gravy with 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt (taste and adjust), and 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce if using. Simmer 1–2 more minutes for flavors to meld. Keep gravy warm on the lowest heat, stirring occasionally to prevent skin forming.

Crisp bacon: If you haven't already, cook 3 slices bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels and chop into small bacon bits. Slice 2 spring onions thinly on the bias for garnish.

To assemble each plated serving: place one warm biscuit on the plate. Top with one warm sausage patty. Stack the second biscuit on top of the patty. Place a second sausage patty on top of the stack (so the plated stack is: biscuit, patty, biscuit, patty).

Ladle a double helping (about 3/4 to 1 cup) of the hot farmer's sausage cream gravy generously over the stacked biscuits and patties so it runs down the sides.

Sprinkle chopped bacon bits over the gravy, then scatter sliced spring (green) onions on top as garnish.

Serve immediately with knife and fork. Leftover gravy can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently, adding a splash of milk to loosen if needed.