My father is one of ten children and biscuits were a staple in their home. My Big Mama made them all by hand, not by rolling them out and trying to make layers. I think the whole layer thing is something the upper society found to be important, but not the families who lived on farms and lived off of what they grew or butchered themselves. I don't think when you have ten children, a husband and probably all the workers on the farm to feed that you cared if you had flaky layered biscuits. This is just my own opinion. My Big Mama taught six daughters and several daughter in-laws to make biscuits. I know I learned from my Mom who was taught by her and my Aunt Dollis. My Aunt Dollis is amazing and can make her biscuits right out of the tin of flour (something I never conquered). It amazes me to watch her make them! I will have to try and make a video to show you, she makes a bowl in the flour and adds her shortening and milk to it then pulls in the flour as she needs it. Never even messes her tin of flour with lumps! Anyways back to my theory.... I sincerely can't imagine my grandmother making as many biscuits as she had to by rolling them out over and over to make the layers. It would have taken three times longer to feed everyone! Well with that said lets get to the biscuits and a couple of things to know. First, Self Rising Flour people! it is a god send, why buy all purpose then have to add your baking powder, salt and baking soda? Self Rising comes with everything already in it! how much easier can it be? Two, less shortening and more milk make fluffy biscuits. These are the kind when your want biscuit and jelly or biscuit and syrup or whatever you might like fluffier biscuits for. Three, more grease and less milk make flatter crispier biscuits that are better for gravies so they don't get to soggy and fall apart or if you just don't like all the fluffy center (like my dad who used to pick it out and give it to me) LOL. I have never in 30 years since I learned to make biscuits measured anything! but I am going to try and figure it out for all of you so you can have a starting point. I have also never sifted my flower? never had biscuits that weren't good for lack of doing it either. I just am trying to point out that I don't think basic southern food had all the formality to it that a lot of the cooking shows do. Yeah you might make a couple of batches that aren't exactly what you want but they will be eatable and you will also learn what you put more of or less of as you go. All my biscuits are hand rolled and tucked and put on a cast iron flat skillet. Cast iron...the basic necessity. If you don't have any cast iron, well then you need to get you at least a few basic ones. Especially for biscuits, cornbread, and milk gravy (what most call country gravy out here).
Ok well lets get to making biscuits now. There are only three (3) ingredients to them.
Gold Medal Self Rising Flour
Crisco Shortening (I have tried other brands with bad results)
Milk ( I use whole or 2%)
Thats it! Very simple ingredients
You will also need a large Cast iron Skillet (Flat) or a large cookie sheet. I would use a heavier cookie sheet to ensure they don't burn on the bottom before the inside gets done.
Put your oven on 400 degrees for gas or 375 for electric ovens. The rack needs to be about one up from the middle rack. This will put the heat in the top without hopefully burning the bottoms first.  |
| You will need to put about a cup of flour on a plate next to your bowl |
This is approximately 4 cups of flour, 1 1/4 cups of shortening and milk is about 3/4 cup
Now this is not a given recipe, I had a lot to make because on this day I was feeding about 6 adults and needed to make sure I had enough, plus some left over to toast tomorrow morning. I figure most people will eat 2 each. Try with about 2 cups of flour, 1/2cup shortening then pour your milk in mixing it as you go until it gets to a wet, sticky consistency.
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| First put your flour and shortening together in the bowl of your choice. I like large batter bowls myself. |
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| Mix with your hand until it gets to a crumbly consistency like the following picture |
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| Grease your pan very good. This is what makes the bottoms crispy |
Take a little shortening and rub on your hands generously then pat your fingers in the flour before you pick up the dough and rotate it, turning it so that all sides get coated with flour. Like the photo below
Next start to pinch off small lumps, rolling them in your hand and tucking the edges to the back to that the top of the biscuit is smooth. It doesn't matter that the bottom shows the wrinkles or cracks. These will smooth out while cooking.
Next you want to roll the top into the flour real quick so that your biscuit won't stick to your knucles when you press it down. So go ahead and put the biscuit on your greased pan with the wrinkled side down and push your knuckles into it. This kind of thins the center to make sure you don't get anything uncooked and gummy.
You will notice a couple biscuits are tiny, thats because I have always made Baby Biscuits for the kids and now I am making them for the Grandbaby!
Bake in the oven on the second from the top shelf on about 400 degrees if gas oven, adjust to your oven if you know it runs a little hotter. I have honestly never cooked on an electric oven but most people are used to their own stoves and know how to adjust them.
You do need to keep an eye on them but they should take about 20 minutes or so to get good and brown.
These are the finished product!! I guarantee if you ever make these you will prefer them over the dry ones you get at restaurants.
If anyone tries and has problems, don't hesitate to contact me! Hey I will even come help you if your local. I know most of the people who will read this are my girlfriends so I am more than happy to show you how it's done!
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