Variations on the Southern Biscuit

Submitted by Ann Draughon - added 5/1/24

Ingredients

• Basic Biscuit:
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2/3 cup milk
• Sour Cream Biscuit:
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 2 cups sour cream
• Combo Basic and Sour Cream Biscuits – large batch:
• 4 cups self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 cups sour cream
• 2/3 cup milk

Instructions

1. Basic Biscuit:
2. Preheat oven to 400º F. Work the shortening into the flour by hand until the shortening is mixed into a small pebble size texture. Gradually mix in the milk. Dough will be sticky. Roll out on a floured surface. Fold the sheet of dough in half and then in fourth to create layers. Do a final roll out to ~ 3/4 to 1-in thickness. Use a biscuit cutter to cut the dough into individual biscuits and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for ~15 minutes on the middle rack on the oven until light golden on top.
3. Sour Cream Biscuit:
4. Mix. Dough will be very sticky. May need extra flour, but not too much. Roll out following directions above. Bake at 400º F for 15 minutes.
5. Combo Basic and Sour Cream Biscuits – large batch:
6. Dough is not as sticky but is still light and fluffy. Follow directions above. Bake at 400º F for ~ 15 minutes.
7. Eat biscuits while hot with butter, jelly, jam or with gravy- milk gravy ((usually made from drippings of bacon or sausage), corn gravy or red-eyed gravy (made from drippings of fried ham).
8. ** How to make self-rising flour from regular flour:
9. For every 1 cup of regular flour, add 1 1/2 - 2 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt. Mix well.