Sunday Morning Biscuits

Some of my favorite memories growing up on our farm are of those big farm breakfasts. Fresh eggs scrambled, farm fresh whole hog sausage patties, fresh cold milk with maybe a few specks of cream still floating on the top. And who can forget those big flaky buttermilk biscuits dripping with that home churned sweet cream butter. Maybe topped with some of mama's fig preserves, or strawberry, mayhaw, or maybe huckleberry jam. I remember my mother had this big tin potato chip container that she kept her flour in. She sifted it with an old tin sifter.  Inside the flour canister was a big tin measuring cup. I am so glad I saved these after she died. It's amazing the little things that bring back such memories.

The flour was sifted into her wooden biscuit bowl. Hand carved by her cousin and given as a wedding gift.  In that same bowl I now make biscuits for her great grandchildren.

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 stick frozen margarine or butter
1 1/2 to 2 cups cold buttermilk

Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease cookie sheet or old pizza pan with shortening, margarine or spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder,  and cream of tartar. Mix well. I use Robin Hood flour as that is what is readily available in my area.

Take frozen stick of margarine and grate into flour mixture. Mix well.

Pour buttermilk into flour and butter mixture and mix well. Dough will have consistency of maybe a thick cottage cheese. This will make a very moist dough! Do not over mix.

More or less buttermilk may be used. You want enough buttermilk to absorb all your flour mixture.

 Remember the consistency should be of a thick cottage cheese.

Flour surface and turn dough onto flour and knead 5 or 6 times. Again do not over knead. Biscuits take a very light hand. Shape dough into rectangle about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Use floured biscuit cutter or glass to cut into round biscuit shapes.

Notice I just put a small hand full of flour on counter and knead right on counter.

You can see the small flecks of frozen margarine in the dough. This is what helps to make your biscuits light and flaky.

When you use your cutter go straight down, do not turn the cutter. If you turn it will make the sides tough. You can reshape and use the extra dough just remember not to work the dough too much.


Place on greased cookie sheet or pizza pan almost touching and brush tops with melted butter.

(When I was a kid my mother kept a tin of strained bacon grease next to the stove. She topped her biscuits with that bacon grease to help with browning . Sometimes she even used that solid bacon grease to make her biscuits instead of margarine or butter. Waste not want not  : )

 Place in HOT oven  and bake until golden brown. Watch carefully because in that hot of an oven they will burn quickly.

A few biscuit making tips:

* Use a light hand and don't overwork your dough or you will make it tough

* Bake quickly in a very hot oven

* When cutting bring the cutter straight down in to the dough do not turn the cutter or you will make the edges tough.

* How much liquid you use can vary from winter to summer and even by the type and quality of flour used. These measurements are a guideline only. Remember practice makes perfect. Once you make these biscuits often you will find the right measurements for your flour. Practice really does make perfect.

* Try the frozen margarine trick with your pie crusts too. It works great !

And how do you serve these biscuits? With just about everything. Tonight I am going to have breaded baked pork chops, au gratin potatoes, wilted spinach salad and buttermilk biscuits.

O Wise One's favorite way to eat these biscuits is split and drizzled with milk gravy. It's our quick supper after a long day working around the place or a Sunday morning treat.  

 As for me I love them split and served with butter and my homemade cherry jam.

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter