The South According to Varmint

[Varmint]

Biscuits. There are few things that are more comforting than a warm, fluffy biscuit that's just come out of the oven. They're also incredibly diverse, served sweet or savory, as the main attraction, a sandwich-like vehicle, a topping for cobbler, or can be re-used in a pudding. I like mine with a slice of country ham, or with bacon, eggs AND grits, fig preserves, or just good butter. Breakfast biscuit sandwiches are now ubiquitous across the country. As a special treat, we melt some good cheese and serve it on split biscuits. A hearty, vegetable-laden chicken or beef stew is improved when poured over biscuits. A good berry cobbler demands a rich patchwork of biscuits atop the bubbling fruit.

There are many different ways to make biscuits, but a soft, low-gluten flour is generally preferable. You can make biscuits with lard, butter, vegetable shortening, or any combination. I used to be an advocate of the all butter approach (as lard is unfortunately not a staple in our house), but I've started using a half butter, half shortening approach with great success. Baking powder, salt, a touch of baking soda round out the dry ingredients. The required liquids are buttermilk and cream -- biscuits are not health food, so one should not skimp on the fat.

I make my biscuits by hand. I've found the food processor too rough and results in an overly tough biscuit. I gently knead the dough 4 or 5 times to develop discrete layers. Not kneading may result in a lighter, fluffier biscuit, but it's almost too cake like. Many of the biscuits you find in southern chain restaurants have this type of crumb. It's a good biscuit, but it's just not right.

I like to crowd the biscuits on my pan, sometimes making them in a greased cast iron skillet. They develop a bit of a crunch on the bottom this way. I'll brush them with melted butter when they come out, to take them really over the top with decadence. They're southern, they're addictive, and the L'il Varmints will ask for them on the weekends, even before they request the Krispy Kreme sugar bombs.

We've talked about biscuits before, but let's revive this discussion.

[Zeb A]

Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen in Raleigh. Good biscuits.

Biscuit King in Durham. Great biscuits.

My dad made biscuits per the recipe on the back of the Bisquick box when we were kids--they were actually really good. (I know, I know--I was also raised on potato buds and other strange items)

[hjshorter]

I'll blow my own horn here...I make excellent biscuits. I use half shortening and half butter, and buttermilk. The come out about 2-3 inches tall, golden and perfect. It's one of my few skills.

I also make a killer blueberry cobbler, with lemon zest, blueberries, sugar, a touch of nutmeg, and the same biscuits on top brushed with milk and sprinkled with sugar.

My shortcake biscuit is a little different, I add a little more sugar and drop it onto the baking sheet instead of rolling and cutting. Split, add strawberries macerated with a little sugar, and freshly whipped cream - I cannot wait for strawberry season here.

[Random Alias]

The problem with making biscuits in the morning is that morning generally occurs too early in the day.

I am not a morning person. That last time I made biscuits for breakfast my sleep addled brain switched the baking powder with the baking soda. Have you ever done that? The final product really doesn't look much different, and you can even eat a bite or two before that bitter taste hits you.

Anyone know if biscuit dough will keep in the refrigerator overnight?

[mcdowell]

Biscuits in the morning are one of the great joys of life, and Varmint's cooking in a cast iron pan is something I've done from time to time to nice effect.

Being a Texan, and not a Southerner, I like a creamy white peppery gravy with my biscuits; sometimes with a good crumbly sausage mixed in, sometimes not.

I spent a few years in Columbia, South Carolina and never understood this passion for grits in the morning (and grits in the evening, and grits around supper time..), or eating at places with names like "Lizard's Thicket".

[mcdowell]

Anyone know if biscuit dough will keep in the refrigerator overnight?

Don't know if biscuit dough will keep overnight, but we've taken to using frozen biscuits for during the work week.

Best brand out there is something called Mary B's from a company called Hom/Ade. I find it at Albertson's. Second place is Pillsbury Homestyle biscuits. You can find them pretty much anywhere. I don't like the butter flavored ones, but rather the southern style.

Avoid that canned "biscuit" stuff at all costs.

[fifi]

Aaah... Biscuits. I am not much of a baker but that is one thing I will do on a late Sunday morning for a brunch treat.

Have any of you tried the cream biscuits from Cooks Illustrated? They are becoming a favorite from my kitchen. I like to knead the dough into one round and slice into wedges (one of the suggested methods). They look really nifty. With some added sugar they would make a killer strawberry shortcake.

[Jaymes]

Anyone know if biscuit dough will keep in the refrigerator overnight?

I'm no food chemist, and not much of a baker either, but my grandmother always kept a big batch of biscuit dough in the fridge.

When you got up in the morning, or afternoon, or whenever, you'd just pinch off a hank o' dough, and bake up however many you wanted.

But - I don't know exactly which type of dough/batter she made for those particular biscuits. I imagine that some types of dough undoubtedly hold better than others. She made all types of biscuits but the ones that she always kept in the fridge were called 'Angel Biscuits.' To tell the truth, it's been so long ago that I can't exactly remember which type of biscuit they were.

Except that they were darn good.

[Random Alias]

This thread inspired me to try my hand at biscuits again this weekend.

2nd time ever making them from scratch (as opposed to using Bisquik / Pioneer / etc.)

This time I got my baking soda / baking powder issues straightened out. The biscuits were about half again taller and needless to say, didn't taste like baking soda. I used buttermilk this time, whereas last time I used half cream / half milk. I think I will go with the latter next time, or at least not full buttermilk as they were a touch too sour for my taste.

I used this recipe.

Next step is to brave some country ham on 'em. Any suggestions as to where to buy some decent country ham by the slice? I see it in the grocery store, but it sometimes looks a little strange.

As to frozen biscuits, I have tried the Pilsbury brand several times. I'll keep an eye out for Mary B's brand.

As easy as biscuits were to make, there's still no way making them could ever become a regular part of my morning.

Edited May 19, 2003 by Random Alias (log)

[kpurvis]

Anyone know if biscuit dough will keep in the refrigerator overnight?

There's a biscuit just for that purpose, called angel biscuits. The dough will keep about a week. Hang on and I'll track it down and post it.

[Jaymes]

Anyone know if biscuit dough will keep in the refrigerator overnight?

There's a biscuit just for that purpose, called angel biscuits.

So now that's TWO recommendations for Angel Biscuits - this one and mine posted above where I mentioned that my grandmother always had the dough available in the fridge.

KPurvis - I hope you are able to track down a recipe. I had my grandmother's, but have lost it through the years.

[pogophiles]

If I remember correctly, angel biscuits involve the addition of yeast...

[claire797]

If I remember correctly, angel biscuits involve the addition of yeast...

Yes. Angel biscuits have yeast. They're my favorite! I'm sure lots of Southern grannies out there consider it cheating, but the yeast really makes the biscuits light and airy. They're still thick like biscuits, but the yeast keeps them from becoming hockey pucks.

[kpurvis]

OK, I'll almost certainly screw this up. I think there's some form for posting recipes, and I probably need to fill up a space requisition notice in triplicate. But I've never been much of one for following the rules. So here's an angel biscuit, from a story I did on biscuits a couple of years ago. I've also seen them called Bride's Biscuits, because they are allegedly foolproof:

ANGEL BISCUITS

Angel Biscuit dough can be made in advance and held in the refrigerator for several days until you need it - a guardian angel for busy cooks. This version was adapted from "A Gracious Plenty," a collection of community cookbook recipes, by John T. Edge (Putnam, 1999). Makes about 2 dozen biscuits.

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

5 cups self-rising, low-protein flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup shortening or lard

2 cups buttermilk

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water and let stand several minutes, until foamy. In a large bowl, sift together flour and baking soda. Cut in the shortening with your fingertips until mixture resembles fine meal. Combine the dissolved yeast and the buttermilk, then stir into flour mixture, just until all the flour is moistened.

Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface. Flour hands lightly and knead dough lightly, about 10 strokes. Divide dough into three parts. Wrap each part in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (Dough can remain refrigerated for several days.)

When ready to bake, remove one section of dough. Flour hands lightly and pat out dough on a floured surface, about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a round cutter dipped in flour. (You can also pinch off sections of dough and shape it with your hands.) Place on an ungreased baking sheet. (For higher, fluffier biscuits, place dough so that it's touching; for crisper, flatter biscuits, place it about 2 inches apart.) Bake at 425 degrees until lightly browned, about 14 to 18 minutes. Serve hot.

[pogophiles]

I'll probably be branded a heathen for this, but I don't like high, fluffy biscuits. The biscuits I prefer are essentially two crusts with a small pocket of bread between. If the biscuit has sides distinct from the crust, then it has risen too much for me...