Biscuits and Gravy Recipe

This Biscuits and Gravy Recipe is a flaky and savory breakfast classic, which uses frozen butter to create tall layers and savory pork breakfast sausage for a rich sauce. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready to serve in about 40 minutes.

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Biscuits and Gravy Ingredients

For the Biscuits:

• 2 sticks Unsalted Butter, divided: You will freeze 12 tablespoons (1.5 sticks) for the dough and melt the remaining 4 tablespoons for brushing the tops.
• 1 cup Cold Buttermilk: The acidity activates the baking soda and tenderizes the gluten.
• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour: Spooned and leveled.
• 2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder: For lift.
• 2 tsp Sugar: Adds a hint of sweetness and helps with browning.
• 1 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt: Essential for flavor.
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda: Reacts with the buttermilk.

For the Sausage Gravy:

• 1 lb Pork Breakfast Sausage: Use a ground sausage with plenty of fat (like Jimmy Dean).
• 1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour: This acts as the thickener (the roux).
• 3 cups Whole Milk: Provides the creamy texture. Skim milk will result in a watery gravy.
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper: Freshly cracked is best for that signature speckled look.
• 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt: Season to taste.
• Hot Sauce (optional): A dash adds acidity and depth.

How To Make Biscuits and Gravy

1. Freeze the Fat: Stick 12 tablespoons of the butter in the freezer. Leave it until solid. The colder it is, the flakier your biscuits will be—this prevents the fat from melting into the flour before baking.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a big bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Grate the frozen butter directly into the flour using a box grater. Toss gently with a fork just to coat the butter shards.
3. Form the Dough: Pour in the cold buttermilk. Mix until the dough just holds together (it will look shaggy). Turn it out onto a surface and knead softly. Laminating Step: Stack the dough, press it out, and repeat this folding process 2-3 times to create layers.
4. Cut and Chill: Pat the dough into a rectangle and cut out 6 large biscuits (do not twist the cutter). Place them on a baking sheet and freeze them for 10 minutes to re-solidify the butter.
5. Bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush the tops of the cold biscuits with the remaining melted butter. Bake for 20–25 minutes until they are golden brown and tall.
6. Make the Gravy: While biscuits bake, cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned and a little crisp. Do not drain the fat.
7. Create the Roux: Sprinkle the flour over the cooked sausage. Stir for a minute to cook off the raw flour taste.
8. Thicken: Pour in the milk slowly, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Let it simmer and thicken to your desired consistency.
9. Season: Stir in the black pepper, kosher salt, and a dash of hot sauce.
10. Serve: Split the warm biscuits open and smother them with the hot sausage gravy.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t Twist the Cutter: When cutting your biscuits, press the cutter straight down and pull it straight up. If you twist, you seal the edges of the dough layers together, preventing the biscuit from rising to its full potential.
• The “Stack” Technique: The instruction to “stack the dough” is a form of lamination (like puff pastry). By folding the dough over itself, you create distinct layers of butter and flour that steam apart in the oven, creating flakes.
• Gravy Consistency: If your gravy gets too thick while sitting, whisk in a splash of milk to loosen it up. If it’s too thin, just let it simmer longer—it thickens as the water evaporates.
• Sausage Fat is Key: You need the rendered fat from the sausage to mix with the flour to make the roux. If your sausage is very lean and there isn’t much grease in the pan, add a tablespoon of butter or oil before sprinkling in the flour.

What To Serve With Biscuits and Gravy

• Scrambled Eggs: Soft eggs pair perfectly with the texture of the biscuits.
• Fruit Salad: Something fresh and acidic cuts through the heavy dairy and carbs.
• Hash Browns: Crispy potatoes add a nice textural contrast.
• Coffee: A strong cup of black coffee is the traditional beverage.

How To Store Biscuits and Gravy

• Storage: Store the biscuits and the gravy in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. They will last for 3-4 days.
• Reheating: Reheat the biscuits in the oven or toaster oven to crisp them up. Reheat the gravy on the stovetop or microwave, adding a splash of milk as it will solidify in the fridge.
• Freezing: You can freeze the unbaked cut biscuits for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen (add 5 minutes to cook time).

Biscuits and Gravy Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 650 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Fat: 42g
• Protein: 18g
• Sugar: 6g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving (1 biscuit + gravy).

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