TASTY TUESDAY, MAY 11, 2021 – NATIONAL BUTTERMILK BISCUIT DAY
National Buttermilk Biscuit Day is coming up on May 14th! ONE of MY MOST FAVORITE foods is a homemade buttermilk biscuit, fresh and hot from the oven! Served with butter and honey, jam of any kind, or especially with a hot milk gravy! MMMMMM GOOD!!
Did I ever say I love to eat? I love to cook, bake, and eat! No wonder my Great Uncle Oscar used to call me “little Butterball.” I do love good food. We need it to nourish us, make and keep us healthy and I also need it, as I like to say, “kitchen therapy” – time spent in the kitchen cooking and baking. I enjoy coming up with recipes and I enjoy making them. It’s fun for me. And since we have to eat anyway, it’s double the goodness!
This Buttermilk Biscuit recipe is an oldie – originated from my great grandfather’s brother who owned and cooked in his own café in a little town in southeastern Colorado back in the early 1900’s. His secrets were: 1) Use a good baking powder (double acting) 2) Use a light touch, do not overwork the dough or they will be tough, best biscuits are fluffy 3) Cut them thick and place touching so they will “climb” up, not spread out. So, might I suggest you give these a try. I guarantee they will become one of your favorites to make often!
BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
Ingredients
3 cups All-Purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 Tablespoons Crisco shortening
3 Tablespoons melted margarine
¾ cup buttermilk (see Chef’s Notes for substitute)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Sift together the dry ingredients.
- Cut the shortening into flour mixture until mealy.
- Add the melted cooled margarine and the buttermilk. Stir together (until JUST together, not too dry, not too wet) and turn out on to a lightly floured board.
- Knead a FEW times, lightly. Just to bring it together.
- Pat it into a sheet about ½” – ¾” thick.
- Cut with a floured cutter (or you can cut into squares) and place on a cookie sheet – if you want tall biscuits place touching. If you want them to spread out, place apart. I like to brush a little melted margarine on top of the biscuits before baking for taste and appearance.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes and check – they should be lightly browned and done in the middle – and they should SMELL awesome! ???? TASTE: DELICIOUS!
CHEF’S NOTES:
I mentioned double acting baking powder – remember this recipe originated a long time ago and back then they didn’t sell only double acting baking powder. But when you purchase a can or package of baking powder today – it is double acting.
Buttermilk substitute: A little kitchen secret is if you don’t have buttermilk, you can use regular milk (whole is best, but any percent of fat works), add 1-2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice and stir. Let set 2-3 minutes and it should thicken like a buttermilk. Works equally well for cooking and baking.
Handle them as little as possible. Biscuits are BEST when tender and flakey. MMMM good. So, do not over work.
And like I said, place touching to get them to rise up, not out.
They are ok and good warmed up but are BEST hot fresh from the oven. So, try to time the baking time. Depends a little on how large you actually make the biscuits as to how long it will take to bake until done. Just watch – and notice the aroma – I cook and bake a lot with my nose! If it smells delicious, chances are whatever I’m preparing is about done.
These ingredients might be on hand in your pantry – so they are not expensive to make and special to enjoy!
Please treat yourself, your family and guests soon and enjoy this delicious quick bread.
Bon Appetite’ with love,
To download this recipe, click here.