We are having a great Saturday here around the farm. It started this morning with a big Southern breakfast at the request of my oldest son. (Big Southern breakfast to us includes: grits, eggs, bacon, sausage, homemade bisuits and preserves, and sliced cantaloupe!) I made homemade biscuits this morning, and I wanted to share my recipe. I have the ingredients down to measured amounts – which is unusual for most Southern women and their “pinch here and there” while making biscuits!
Gran Jan’s Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
(This makes about 10-12 medium sized biscuits.)
2 1/2 cups of White Lily self-rising flour
1 stick of frozen salted butter, grated with a box grater
1 cup of whole buttermilk
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Lightly grease a cast iron skillet (or baking sheet if you don’t have a skillet. I use this cast iron skillet for baking biscuits and absolutely love it! It is made by Lodge Manufacturing.
- Measure the White Lily self-rising flour out into a large mixing bowl.
- Using the course side of a box grater, grate the stick of frozen butter directly into the self-rising flour. Work quickly now and mix the flour and frozen butter pieces together for even distribution.
- Next, make a little well in the middle of the flour/butter mixture, and pour in the 1 cup of buttermilk and mix until just combined, using a spatula. About 12-15 good “stirs” is plenty!
- Dump the sticky dough out onto a floured service. I use parchment paper. Flour your hands well and quickly pat the dough into a 1/2″ thick rectangle – about the size of a sheet of notebook paper.
- Now for the folding technique – which creates the beautiful layers in your biscuits: fold your dough “rectangle” in half, then turn clockwise and fold again, turn clockwise and fold again. Smooth it back into the rectangle shape and you’re ready to cut the biscuits out now!
- Take your biscuit cutter and dip in into some flour and go straight down and back up. Don’t twist the cutter. Place the biscuits on the skillet closely, touching each other.
- When you’ve cut all you can out of that batch, refold your dough again a couple of times and use the cutter to finish out the dough. You may even have to roll the very last biscuit out with your hands.
- Put the skillet in the hot oven at 450 degrees and bake the biscuits 15-18 minutes, until lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter.
- Today I felt a little whimsical fancy and decided to use one of my antique biscuit cutters. I bought the biscuit cutters at an antique market in Atlanta several years ago. I used the scalloped edge biscuit cutter today. I have a large one and a small one. (The three small biscuits were for the grandchildren.)
After breakfast my husband, son, and grandson all decided to take a swim in the pond. They had the most wonderful time and swam for almost 2 hours…which means they had hearty appetites for lunch! These hearty appetites led to another Southern delicacy…Tomato Sandwiches!!!
I am very thankful for the garden bounty we’ve had this summer. I love to garden for the pure joy it brings me, but the side benefit of the delicious produce is wonderful this time of year.
My youngest son and his wife and son joined us for lunch today and we had a wonderful time around the table. The grandchildren are at the age now where they can play together a bit more. Zeke will be 3 next month and Madie Ruth and Jackson are both almost 14 months old. Good times indeed. I am counting my blessings this Saturday, and family time is right up there at the top of my list!!!
Happy Biscuit Baking!
I’m new to baking biscuits. Mine didn’t rise. Any tips?
Kat: Replying here also (in case someone else has this question.) 🙂 The most important thing is being sure you are using self-rising flour OR adding 1 1/4 tsp. of baking powder and 1/4 tsp. of salt to each cup of all-purpose flour! Next, make sure your flour and all ingredients are fresh! Keep up with expiration dates. And lastly, the folding technique AND cold butter AND placement on the skillet will ensure a good rise. Keep making those biscuits – you can do this!
Hi! I use Einkorn flour and they don’t make self rising. How much baking powder and salt should I use? Also, can I use whole milk since I don’t have buttermilk? Thanks!
It is good to hear from you! To make plain or all-purpose flour “self-rising,” you will need to add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to EACH cup of all-purpose flour. Also, I have never used whole milk – but you can add get a tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let it “sit” for about 5 minutes. This gives the milk a change to a buttermilk texture and taste! 🙂 I hope your biscuits turn out well!
Mrs. Jan,
At the end, do you use unsalted or salted butter to brush on the top? 🙂 excited to try this recipe! Thank you!
Rachel – I use salted butter but unsalted would work too. Whatever your preference! Let me know how your biscuits turn out! I’m rooting for you!
Jan
Delicious!!!
I am making these today:)
Mrs. Jan~
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I have been wanting this recipe since my husband had them at your house. I made them tonite and they turned out yummy and were so easy to make (though I won’t admit that to everyone). I put them in our cast iron skillet and they turned out great. Thanks again!
Jan, I enjoy reading your blog. I have followed for a while. I am a step behind you in raising my family. I have teenagers and a preteen at home. I live in south Alabama but lived in Georgia for a couple of years. Your swimming pond looks beautiful. We have two ponds on our property but they need some work. Our goal is to turn one into a swimming pond. We don’t know where to begin in this process. Do you have any suggestions?
Our family loves Saturday breakfast and ours includes a lot of what you make. I make my gravy in my iron skillet. This iron skillet was handed down by my grandmother. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. 🙂 I also slice tomatoes and either cantaloupe or orange slices to go with our breakfast. Tomato sandwiches are the best . It has been a blessed weekend so far! Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Patty
What a beautiful post with all the de-lish food in it. I can almost taste those biscuits!! Yummy!! There is very little on this earth as wonderful as a fresh, hot biscuit with lots of REAL butter and homemade jam. Takes me back to my childhood!!