Buttermilk Biscuits

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The hockey pucks that many restaurants and fast food chains try to pass off as biscuits give real southern buttermilk biscuits a bad name.  And don’t get me started on the peel and pop variety that you get in the refrigerator case of most grocery stores.  Real buttermilk biscuits are light and flaky, have many layers created by the butter and lard, and have a soft texture with a crisp outer crust.  They also have flavor – something that I’ve never experienced with the store bought or mass produced varieties.

The best thing about making homemade buttermilk biscuits is how easy they are to throw together.  A few simple ingredients, most of which you already have in your pantry, and you are well on your way.

Before I share this recipe, I want to cover three very important things:

1. Not all fats are created equal.  This recipe calls for 2 fats – butter and lard.  Both are animal fats, are completely natural and bring a lot to the party.  Butter in parts flavor, but because of the water content it also brings steam which helps those layers to rise and puff.  The lard adds to the soft texture of the biscuit, and in a pinch you can use shortening or even solid bacon drippings or tallow.  You can not substitute coconut oil, more butter, or any liquid fats.  You won’t get the right texture and your dough may not come together as you had hoped.
2. Buttermilk is not the same thing as soured milk.  Buttermilk that you purchase in the store is cultured and thick almost yogurt like.  It will give you the best flavor for your biscuits.  If you have to do a substitution, soured milk (1Tbsp of white vinegar, and then fill the measuring cup with the milk) will do, but you will miss out on some of the flavor.  Some websites recommend substituting yogurt or even sour cream when you don’t have buttermilk on hand – it doesn’t work with this recipe as the dough would be too dry.
3. Use regular white all purpose flour.  Yup, plain white flour.  Don’t get fancy with the whole wheat or whole grain.  You’ll have hockey pucks.  Ask me how I know.  I made an oops last August and made my biscuits for the fair with a whole grain flour.  It didn’t end well.  Our family does not cook nor eat a specifically gluten free diet, therefore I do not know how this recipe will work or if it will even work with gluten free flour.  Making a flour substitution and having a bad result is not a reflection on the recipe, but rather on the substitution that was made.

Now that we cleared that up …

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups of AP flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp lard (solid bacon drippings will work in a pinch for savory biscuits)
1 cup buttermilk (or milk soured with 1 Tbsp of white vinegar)

Preheat your oven to 450°.

In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, or 2 knives, cut in the butter & lard until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

Make a well in the center, and mix in the cold buttermilk. Stir just until everything is incorporated. The dough will be very sticky.

Lightly flour your work surface. Turn out the dough, and fold it over itself 3-4 times (not kneading, but fold the dough in half, press it out, and repeat). Press the dough out by hand until its about an inch thick.

Cut out your biscuits using a floured 2″ biscuit cutter or a drinking glass. Place your biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet so that the edges touch. Press the scrap dough back into a round, and cut the remaining biscuits. Keep going until you use up all of the dough.

Bake at 450° for 15-20 minutes until golden on top.

Serve warm with butter, jam, honey, gravy, or just about anything.

My favorite way to have biscuits is split in half and topped  with sausage gravy.  My children enjoy them with jam for breakfast, but my husband eats them absolutely plain enjoying the natural flavors bite by bite.

How do you like your biscuits?

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Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 cups of AP flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp lard solid bacon drippings will work in a pinch for savory biscuits
• 1 cup buttermilk or milk soured with 1 Tbsp of white vinegar

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450°.
2. In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, or 2 knives, cut in the butter & lard until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
3. Make a well in the center, and mix in the cold buttermilk. Stir just until everything is incorporated. The dough will be very sticky.
4. Lightly flour your work surface. Turn out the dough, and fold it over itself 3-4 times (not kneading, but fold the dough in half, press it out, and repeat). Press the dough out by hand until its about an inch thick.
5. Cut out your biscuits using a floured 2″ biscuit cutter or a drinking glass. Place your biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet so that the edges touch. Press the scrap dough back into a round, and cut the remaining biscuits. Keep going until you use up all of the dough.
6. Bake at 450° for 15-20 minutes until golden on top.
7. Serve warm with butter, jam, honey, gravy, or just about anything.