In Search of a Better Quick Biscuit

[TentHunteR]

At the "Fall Gathering" Tommy (TMB) requested Biscuits & Gravy and Pam was happy to oblige... and trust me none of the rest of us had any complaints! 

Long story short: A box of baking mix & milk for the biscuits, but no measuring cups. Pam has to wing it and adds extra milk. The dough's a little gloopy... no problem!  Pam forms them on the pan and we just baked them a little slower to cook thru without burning.

The happy ending: WOW, did they turn out great; rich & fluffy with a slight crumble, & held up well to the thick gravy!

Here's what they looked like after baking on the Weber/Stoven pellet grill.  YUM!!!



Were they homemade? No, but I'm telling you I have never had baking-mix quick biscuits that tasted better.  So, I got inspired to play around with this some.


First attempt

Instead of following the recipe on the box I used:

2 1/4 cups Baking Mix
1 Cup Whole Milk

Formed like drop biscuits and baked at 375° for 20 minutes. Bump temp to 400° and bake an additional 5 minutes.


Here's how they turned out.


Here's one cut open.


Served with some fried taters & topped with some sawmill gravy.




Not bad at all!  I am happy, but have some more ideas I want to play around with for this.


Thanks, Pammie for inspiring me!

Cliff

[Pappymn]

Great write up Tent. I see your bag of baking mix......but what exactly is it? Waffle or pancake mix?

Sawmill gravy?

[bbqchef]

What is sawmill gravy?

[smokeasaurus]

Sure looks like that white speckly gravy that me and Mr. Dillon get at Delmonicos


If Cliff doesn't tell us what kind of gravy it is Chester, he will only have two hours to get out of Dodge


Did you hear me Mister?

[Ka Honu]

"Sawmill gravy" has different regional meanings.  I always knew it as cream gravy - same as sausage or country gravy without the sausage.  Basic white gravy. But you may well get different answers from others and they'll be just as correct (more or less).

[Pappymn]

I defer to the a Turtle out of fear and respect. But that gravy don't look white

[smokeasaurus]

You see Mr Dillon, the Turtle knows...it is the white speckly gravy we have at Delmonicos!!


Thanks Turtle, lets go over to the Longhorn and have Miss Kitty serve us a beer or two

[Ka Honu]

pappy - In my world, "speckled gravy" is usually cream gravy made with pepper and/or pan scrapings. Obviously TentHunteR is from a different tradition (see my comment about regional differences). 

... and, as smoke says, they even make it at Delmonico's and other fancy places; they just call it bechamel sauce.

[HighOnSmoke]

I will take a few of them biscuits Cliff! Look yum guuuuuud!

[TMB]

Heck them look good to me!  Pass the gravy!!!!

[sparky]

Hand me two biscuits and a bowl of whatever you calling it.  Nicely done TH. 

[veryolddog]

Excellent! Good stuff!

I am going to have to try this very soon. Gravy looks real good! Anyone ever saute up some Jimmy Dean and mix it into the gravy? With eggs?

I just learned something new. My grandson will love this.

Ed

[TentHunteR]

Great write up Tent. I see your bag of baking mix......but what exactly is it? Waffle or pancake mix?

It's just generic store brand baking mix (i.e. Bisquick).



What is Sawmill Gravy?

I think of "Sawmill Gravy" as Milk Gravy made with bacon or country ham instead of sausage, but like Turtle said, it can mean different things depending on where you're from, etc.

• Do a search for "sawmill gravy" and most recipes call for sausage (I call this sausage gravy when I make it).
• Go to a Cracker Barrel restaurant, and their Sawmill Gravy is "White" or "Milk Gravy". I've also heard this called "Speckled" or "Country Gravy."
• Wikipedia says about Red Eye Gravy, "The gravy is made from the drippings of pan-fried country ham, bacon, or other pork, typically mixed with black coffee. The same drippings, when mixed with flour, make the flavoring for Sawmill gravy."
• Paula Deen's recipe uses both sausage and bacon (hmmm, maybe she's on to something).

Well, this Sawmill gravy was made with some of my Cider Mill Bacon: Fry 'till not quite crispy & cut into small pieces, mix flour with some of the Bacon fat & cook a minute. Add half each; milk & water (have to watch lactose), add the chopped bacon back in, seasoned with salt and a lot of black pepper...

...oh and a big heaping of YUM! 



No matter what you call it, if you like sausage gravy, like I do, give this a try.

Cliff

[pz]

... Anyone ever saute up some Jimmy Dean and mix it into the gravy? With eggs?

Yep - one of my favorite ways to do gravy.  I like the sage sausage chubs (one pound) to use with the gravy.  Top biscuits or even plain toast, then a fried egg and I'm having a fine day.

Yours looks great TentHunteR!

[sliding_billy]

I'll take a plate of that covered in whatever the heck you call it.