Ingredients:
Serves 12
Biscuits;
2 1/2 C self-rising flour (or 2 1/2 C all-purpose flour, 3 1/4 tsp baking powder, and 3/8 tsp salt,
if you don’t have self-rising flour)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp vegetable shortening
4 Tbsp butter (chilled)
1 C buttermilk, chilled
Gravy;
1 lb sage pork sausage
1/4 C yellow onion, finely chopped
1/3 C flour
4 C whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper, plus extra, to taste
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 F degrees. Prepare a floured work surface.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar, and salt.
Use a fork, or pastry blender, to cut in shortening and butter. Work quickly, to turn the mixture into a coarse, crumbly meal.
Do not handle directly with your hands, to avoid warming butter and shortening.
Make a well in flour mixture. Pour in buttermilk. Stir until liquid is absorbed, and dough starts to pull away from the sides.
Add an additional Tbsp or two, of buttermilk, if dough is too dry. You want the dough to be tacky.
Using floured hands, turn dough onto floured work surface. Fold it over onto itself 2 or 3 times.
Roll to 3/4" thick.
Use a 2 inch biscuit cutter, or an inverted drinking glass, to cut biscuits. Press straight down, and do not twist.
Place biscuits on a baking sheet so they barely touch.
Reshape dough scraps and continue cutting until all dough is used.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
In a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, crumble sausage and brown for 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
Break sausage into smaller pieces and cook through.
Stir in onions. Cook until transparent.
Sprinkle in half the flour (gravy portion) and stir to combine.
Stir and cook for 1-1 1/2 minutes. Pour in milk, stirring constantly.
Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Sprinkle in salt, pepper, nutmeg, poultry seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper.
Continue cooking until desired thickness is reached. If too thick, add 1/4-1/2 C milk.
Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.
Serve over biscuits.
