Email to Cat      

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits (with five variations)

Source of Recipe


From "The Heritage of Southern Cooking"






List of Ingredients



• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
  
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
  
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 6 Tbsp lard or solid vegetable shortening
  
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
  






Instructions



1. Sift the dry ingredients into a roomy bowl. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture has the texture of coarse corn meal. Add the buttermilk and mix with your hand, lightly but thoroughly. Add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky. Knead for 1 minute. Wrap in wax paper or foil and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 20 minutes.
   
   
2. Preheat oven to 450º F.
   
   
3. Roll the dough out 1/2-inch thick on a lightly floured surface or pastry cloth. (Always roll from the center out for tender, crisp biscuits.) Cut the dough into the desired size biscuits. Place the biscuits on a dark baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
   
   Makes 25 to 30 biscuits.
   
   ----------------------------
   
   CHEESE BISCUITS: Work 1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly grated sharp Cheddar or Parmesan cheese into the dough before rolling it out 3/8-inch thick. Cut into small biscuits and bake in a preheated 375º to 400º F oven. Serve with salad for luncheons, or for cocktails.
   
   ROSEMARY BISCUITS: Work 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary into the dough before rolling it out 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 2- to 2-1/4-inch biscuits. Serve with sausage, pork or lamb. Especially delicious as small biscuits served with smoked country sausage for a wintertime hors d'oeuvre or a Sunday brunch.
   
   WATERCRESS BISCUITS: Work 1/2 cup chopped watercress lightly into the dough before rolling the dough out very thin. Cut into 2-inch rounds. Make sandwiches of the rounds, using more whole watercress leaves as the filling. Press the biscuit halves together firmly to form a whole biscuit with the inner layer of watercress. Bake in a preheated 450º F oven. If the biscuits are baked at once, the watercress will remain bright and green. Delicious with chicken or seafood salads, ham, veal, baked or broiled chicken, pheasant or quail.
   
   HEARTY BISCUITS: Use 5 teaspoons baking powder. Roll the dough out 1/2-inch thick or thicker, and bake in a preheated 450º F oven. This ultimate tender and crisp biscuit is at its best when served with broiled or fried chicken, broiled or sauteed ham, country ham or chicken salad.
   
   THE ULTIMATE EXTRA-FLAKY BISCUIT: Make up the Southern Buttermilk Biscuit dough. Cover with wax paper or foil and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 20 minutes. Roll the dough out into a rectangle 1/2-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Dot with 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter. Fold one-third of the dough over the center. Then fold the remaining third over the top to make 3 layers. Roll out the dough 1/2-inch thick. (The butter will smear some. Do not worry, but be careful to keep the dough and the butter cold.) Preheat the oven to 450º F. Cut the dough into biscuits. Place them on a dark baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.