Buttermilk Biscuits with Sausage Gravy

I'll be the first to admit this isn't much of a looker but if you can get past the monotone beige it's a damn fine start to the day.

Back as a teenager I was very much like I am now, always ordering the strangest looking thing on the menu.  Unlike now though, where chances are very slim that it's not going down the gullet, this frequently ended up with me leaving my dinner.  My dad was pretty wise to this though so when I tried to order biscuits with gravy in an Orlando Denny's (c.1988) it was met with a swift no. I was annoyed that I didn't get my own way but soon perked up when a plate of pancakes, bacon, sausage, hash brown and eggs - sunny side up - were placed before me.

The desire for this intriguingly named (to an English ear anyway) dish never left me though and now I'm a big fan but with a distinct lack of restaurants around here serving it (does anyone in London do it?) I have to make it at home.  The savoury gravy - a white sauce really - studded with chunks of sausage meat and served over hot biscuits - scones really - is proper comfort food of a morning, needing not a lot of chewing and setting you up nicely for the day ahead. 

Thanks to the acid of the buttermilk the biscuits rise really well, making a light and flaky base for the gravy.  They take minutes to knock up - you want to work the dough as little as possible to keep them light - and the 12 minutes in the oven is more than enough time to make the sausage gravy and some eggs -  well it wouldn't be a cooked breakfast without eggs would it. 

Buttermilk Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Sausage Gravy, serves 2

4 sausages, something plain

1 TB oil

2 TB flour

400ml milk

S&P and Tabasco

Buttermilk Biscuits, makes 4, 2 each

150gr plain flour

90ml buttermilk

35gr butter

1 ts baking powder

1/2 ts bicarbonate soda

1/2 ts sugar

Pinch of salt

Method

First off get the oven heating to 220.  This is going to take longer than the prep.

Once the oven is hot get going on the biscuits.  Quickly rub the butter into the dry ingredients then add the buttermilk and briefly work into a dough.  The less you work it the nicer they will be.  Give the dough a 10-15 knead then place on a floured surface and pat out to a circle about 1.5cm thick.  Cut into quarters and place 1cm apart on a greased baking tray.  Cook for 10-12 minutes till well risen and golden.

Whilst they are cooking heat the oil in a frying pan then skin the sausages and add their meat.  Fry, breaking them down with a back of a spoon as you go, you're aiming for pieces no bigger than a centimetre or so.  Once lightly coloured add the flour and stir well, cook for a couple of minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.  Add the milk and bring to the boil, scraping the pan as you go till all the stuck on bits are in the sauce.  Turn the heat down and simmer till the biscuits are ready. 

Before serving season the gravy with salt, pepper and Tabasco.

Comments

[Paul]

Biscuits rock! Pure and simple, really good with burgers as well.

[Lizzie]

I'd be tempted to throw some kind of colour in there, but it sounds intruiging - is it not a total stodgefest?

[Su-Lin]

LOVE biscuits and gravy. I wish the McDonalds here sold biscuits at breakfast time... :P

[Joshua Armstrong]

Paul - not thought of them with burgers, may have to give it a try

Lizzie - it is a bit beige, not sure what colour I'd add though. The gravy is good on fried chicken and chicken fried steak too, sausages bits optional. It's not too stodgy as the biscuits are quite light and fluffy, they rose a good 3 times in height so a good bit of air in their to lighten it up and the fat content (at maybe 25% of flour weight) is a less than an English scone.

Su-Lin - you are a lady of taste. I'd forgot about biscuits in McDonalds, now you mention it remember having them with the McDs sausage pattie in, don't think I've had them with the gravy though

[Joshua Armstrong]

Lizzie - the weekend gone had the sausage gravy with grits and scrambled eggs too which I think I prefer, that's real easy eating as you just use a spoon. Thought it was a bit similar to the pork chop, grits and egg to blog though so knocked some biscuits up for on here.

[The Grubworm]

Oh my God, i LOVE biscuits and gravy. I first had it on my Granddad's Virginia farm and, like you an English kid abroad - I didn't know what to expect. It was salty, fatty heaven on a plate.

The best I've had recently are in The Flying Biscuit in Atlanta. If you ever find any in London please let me know, I'll be there. I'm kinda surprised that places like The Breakfast Club in Islington don't do them.

[Helen]

Well I've never even heard of this dish until now. I'd definitely scarf it down but you're right, it ain't got a lot going for it in the looks department.

[Joshua Armstrong]

Grubworm - Breakfast Club would be an ideal candidate. Will keep my eyes peeled.

Helen - Give it a go, it's very simple to do and a bit different.