Yeast Biscuits and Country Gravy

Yeast Biscuits and Country Gravy. When I am at my normal post, you will not see biscuits and gravy at the inn… until today.

Today, the gravy was made with fresh herbs. Today, the biscuits were light and fluffy and moist. Today was lovely.

Yeast Biscuits and Country Gravy

Serves about 10 people with leftover biscuits to have later – you know, warmed with butter and honey.

Yeast Biscuits

Preheat oven to 400°F degrees.

• 2 1/4 teaspoons (or one packet) yeast
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 cups buttermilk (or almost 2 cups of milk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar stirred into it to create buttermilk)

Place yeast and warm water in a small bowl. Swirl around and let sit in a warm place while preparing the remaining ingredients.

Place sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and shortening in a large bowl and blend together using a pastry cutter or a fork until shortening is about the size of peas.

Stir buttermilk and yeast mixture into the flour mixture.

There are a couple of ways to form the biscuits:

1. Place a little flour on the counter and roll out about 1-inch thick, depending on how thick you’d like the biscuits to be. Dust off excess flour and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Drop biscuits onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper using a spoon – about 1/2 cup per biscuit for a large size.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until light golden brown and done in the middle.

Enjoy with butter & strawberry jam or honey butter or gravy or any way you like. These are the moistest biscuits you’ve ever had and they keep very well. 

Sausage Gravy

• Grease from sausage plus enough bacon grease, olive oil, or butter to add up to a total of about 1/2 cup of fat
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 pound country sausage
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 cups milk
• 1/3 cup sour cream (optional)
• 6 ounces white cheddar cheese, grated (optional)
• Fresh, chopped herbs such as sage, thyme, rosemary (optional)
• Sea salt
• Coarse ground pepper

In a very large frying pan over medium heat, place the bacon grease and onion and cook until the onion is translucent. Crumble and add the sausage. Cook until the sausage is done cooking.

Sprinkle in flour to create the gravy roux. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Stir and cook for at least a few minutes (important because the raw flour taste cooks out during this process). It’s okay if it looks crumbly… it’s supposed to look that way. The flour might also look like it has disappeared, but it’s just waiting to do its magic.

Pour in the milk and stir and cook. Gravy will thicken when the milk comes to a boil.

After gravy has thickened, reduce the heat to medium.

Stir in fresh herbs, sour cream, and cheese – all optional, but with them, your country gravy will never be the same. Cook until the cheese and sour cream have melted.

Add salt and pepper a little at a time until you reach the perfect level for yourself. Your gravy shouldn’t end up tasting like salt. The salt is there to enhance all the other lovely flavors that are hiding. Gravy is ready to serve.

Cut biscuits in half and place them on a plate. Cover with about 1 to 1 1/2 cups gravy. If desired, serve with a fried egg on top.

Great served with fresh fruit or berries on the side. You know, to lighten things up.