Southern Biscuits and Gravy Recipe

About This Recipe

Biscuits and gravy is the heartland of Southern American breakfast food. The biscuits must be tall and layered — achieved by cold butter and a folding technique. The gravy is a simple white country gravy (béchamel-style) enriched with crumbled pork sausage and lots of black pepper. The combination is greater than the sum of its parts.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 280 gplain flour(for biscuits)
• 1 tbspbaking powder
• 0.5 tspbicarbonate of soda
• 1 tspsalt
• 115 gcold unsalted butter(cubed)
• 240 mlcold buttermilk
• 350 gpork sausage meat(for gravy)
• 3 tbspplain flour(for gravy)
• 600 mlwhole milk(for gravy)
• 1 tspblack pepper(for gravy, use generously)
• 0.5 tspsalt(for gravy)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the biscuit dough

   Whisk flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture looks like rough crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Pour in buttermilk and stir just until a shaggy dough forms.

   Cold butter is non-negotiable — it steams in the oven, creating layers.

2. 2

   Fold and cut biscuits

   Turn dough onto a floured surface. Fold it over itself 5–6 times (like folding a letter) — this creates flaky layers. Pat to 2.5cm / 1 inch thick. Cut with a 6cm round cutter, pressing straight down (no twisting). Place on a baking tray.

3. 3

   Bake biscuits

   Bake at 230°C / 450°F for 12–14 minutes until tall and golden. Meanwhile, make the gravy.

4. 4

   Cook the sausage gravy

   Brown sausage meat in a skillet, breaking it up. Don't drain the fat — it flavours the gravy. Sprinkle flour over the meat and stir 1 minute. Gradually pour in milk, stirring constantly. Simmer until thick, about 5–7 minutes. Season generously with black pepper and salt.

5. 5

   Serve

   Split warm biscuits and ladle gravy generously over the top.

Variations

• •

  Vegetarian gravy: skip the sausage, brown mushrooms and use vegetable stock instead of milk for a lighter version.

• •

  Cheddar biscuits: add 80g grated sharp cheddar and a pinch of garlic powder to the biscuit dough.

Storage

Biscuits are best fresh but keep for 2 days. The gravy refrigerates for 3 days — reheat with a splash of milk, stirring, to restore consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions