quick biscuits and bacon gravy
Biscuits and gravy are a staple in the South. When I first had it, my mind was blown! At first, I didn’t understand the concept but after eating an entire plate, there was nothing to explain. Biscuits are surprisingly easy, so easy that my friend Ali Clarke and I made it together for a live class on Instagram. No matter where you are, you can enjoy this plate of southern comfort!
quick biscuits and bacon gravy
Prep time: 20 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes
Yields: 10 biscuits
Ingredients:
2 cups 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder*
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
2 3/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg, beaten
6 slices bacon, roughly chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add the 2 cups flour, baking powder, sugar and fine salt. Whisk until combined. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter cubes into the dry flour mixture. Working with your hands, rub the butter cubes into the flour until well combined. Continue to do so with the remaining butter. The flour should have pea size pieces of butter mixed in. Pour in 3/4 cup of milk into the mixture and gently stir with a rubber spatula until a loose dough forms. Try not to overwork the dough too much otherwise the biscuits will become tough.
Lightly dust a cleaned counter with flour and place the loose dough on top. Form a dough into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds, like a business letter. If you would like a flakier biscuits, fold again for the second time. Reshape the the dough into a 5 X 8-inch rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Use a 3-inch round or pastry cutter or drinking glass** to make 7 biscuits. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Regather the scraps of dough and punch out 4 more biscuits. Add remaining biscuits to the baking sheet.
Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Generously brush the tops of each biscuit.
Transfer to biscuits to an oven and bake until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until most of the fat has rendered out and crispy, about minutes. Stirring occasionally.
Remove skillet from heat. Transfer the crispy bacon bits to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon. Return the skillet back on low heat. Sprinkle in the remaining flour. Whisk until flour and fat and combined and forms a light golden brown roux. Continuing to whisk, slowly add the remaining milk. Adjust heat to medium-low and simmer until gravy thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in half the bacon bits. Season with salt and pepper.
When ready to serve, cut 2 biscuits crosswise and transfer to a plate. Pour desired amount of gravy and sprinkle remaining crisp bacon bits. Enjoy while hot.
Cook’s Note
No baking powder?*
You can substitute with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and add a 1/2 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar. The white distilled vinegar will active the baking soda.
Drinking glass as a round pastry cutter**
Invert a drinking glass, dunk into flour and punch out biscuits rounds.
Why cold butter?
This is the secret to delicious biscuits! You want to cut the stick of butter into small cubes. Then add it into the flour mixture. Squishing the butter cubes into pea size pieces. The cold cubed butter in the dough creates steam as it melts in a hot oven. Steam helps with the expansion between the layers which means a hot buttery, flaky biscuit!