Paula Dean’s Biscuits and Gravy

PAULA DEAN’S BISCUITS AND GRAVY

Biscuits

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
Milk gravy, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in the shortening with a fork until it looks like cornmeal. Add the milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly until well mixed.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly two or three times. Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin to 12-inch thickness. Cut with a 2-inch cutter.

Place the biscuits in a greased iron skillet. Gently press down top of biscuits. Brush the biscuits with half the melted butter. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the hot biscuits with the remaining butter. Split the biscuits in half and ladle milk gravy over the hot biscuits.

Milk Gravy:

1/4 cup bacon grease
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk warm
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoons pepper
2 tablespoons melted butter

Heat bacon grease in a cast iron skillet. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly about 1 minute. Add the warm milk slowly and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and stir, until thickened, about 5 minutes, adding milk as necessary to control the thickness. Season the gravy with salt and pepper. Serve hot over biscuits.

Haylee’s Note:
My sophomore year in college my roommates and I had biscuits and gravy every other Saturday. We had a “breakfast club” and we took turns making Saturday morning breakfast with another apartment. Each time it was our turn we would make things like crepes, waffles, omelets, etc., and everytime it was the “Southern Boys” turn to cook they made biscuits and gravy. I actually think theirs were even better than this recipe. (I didn’t follow this recipe closely so I am sure it is better than what we had. For the original recipe click here.