I hereby announce that I have a new mission in life, at least until January 1st of 2009. I will learn to make light, fluffy, delectable, BISCUITS.

I have tried a couple of times but the ones in the can from the store are just too easy, although they certainly aren't anything to brag about in the eating department. Last night I wanted to make biscuits and gravy for supper. No instant biscuit stuff. Not even the stuff in the box. I looked on the interwebs for recipes and found one because I really wanted biscuits and gravy.

It wasn't a hard recipe. Flour, butter, milk, baking powder. They were a disaster. More like hockey pucks than biscuits. So I found another recipe and tried again. The results were good enough that if you put enough sausage gravy on them you didn't notice how bad they are, but I was still annoyed. Greatly annoyed. One might even say TICKED OFF!

I come from a family of three boys. No sisters. Mom taught me to cook because I was good at it and enjoyed it. I got all her recipes when she passed away and there isn't one for bicuits. I remember her using Biskwick and I don't believe she made them from scratch. Ever.

I will. I'm going to make biscuits until they're RIGHT. I don't care if it kills me. I don't care if it kills Sandi. I don't even care if it kills the dog (most likely result, since he tends to enjoy eating the ones that don't work out). I have never had anything that I can't make yet, and I'm not going to start now. It's just after 6:00 am and I woke up to go make biscuits for breakfast. If they don't turn out, I'll make them for lunch or dinner tonight.

I will not fail. I must not fail.

Maryjane, bless me in my quest and wish me luck.

John Stricker

John,

I have no idea how to make biscuits, but I use this website as they have many great recipes. A nice option of this site is people can review the recipe as to how it worked for them and many of the reviews give ideas on how to make the recipe better in their opinion.

www.allrecipes.com

Good luck!!!! and Merry Christmas!!

Dan

[This message has been edited by DanFiero (edited 12-20-2008).]

Dan,

I've used that site as well. It's handy and will even let you print the recipes out on recipe card sized paper so you can put it in with the rest of your recipes.

I made biscuits this morning. Much better than last night, but still not as good as I want. I knew I was overworking my dough, but didn't know how much I overdid it until this morning. I think the next batch will be what I'm looking for. I also overcooked them a little bit this morning, but not terribly. It didn't help any that I couldn't find my pastry blender:

to cut the butter in, I had to use my fingertips and two knives, and that never works very well. Sandi thinks "we" broke it a few months ago when "SHE" was using it to make pie crusts. (Don't ask me how WE broke it when SHE was using it. It's a woman thing again.........)

I pretty much did everything wrong last night when I made them, I think. The butter needs to be cold and I softened it. I over-kneaded the dough. I used my hands to pat the dough out to cut into biscuits instead of using my rolling pin. I like the recipe I used this morning a little better too, it uses a little bit of sugar so it has a bit more taste. When I get these the way I want them, I'm going to work on some buttermilk biscuits next.

John Stricker

quote Originally posted by DanFiero: John, I have no idea how to make biscuits, but I use this website as they have many great recipes. A nice option of this site is people can review the recipe as to how it worked for them and many of the reviews give ideas on how to make the recipe better in their opinion. www.allrecipes.com Good luck!!!! and Merry Christmas!! Dan

John, it's like painting a car, welding, and many other things.
Experimentation and practice.
X2 on the Bisquick. There should be a recipe on the box. More good stuff on their Biscuits. That is their biscuit page, many more yummy things elsewhere.

Forgive the question from the unwashed:

"...butter needs to be cold...."

"over-kneaded the dough,"

"I used my hands...instead of the rolling pin...."

How do these make any difference?

Depending on what you want your dough to do is how much you "work" it.

If you're making bread with yeast in it, you work it and knead it then let it sit and "rise". The yeast does a lot of the work on making bread, like what you buy at the store, light and airy.

Biscuits are "unleavened" or bread with no yeast, so it relies on other things to make it light. One thing that helps is that when you put the butter in the flour, if it's cold, it just makes a kind of paste. If it's cold and you "cut" it in, the butter gets into small particles and actually coats the protein in the flour rather than mixing with it. Warm or soft butter won't do that.

Since it doesn't have yeast in it to help it rise, the more you work the dough the more air you get out of it so the less it will rise on it's own while it's cooking. When you work it flat to cut it with your hands, for instance, you are forcing more air out of the dough than if you used a rolling pin. I really underestimated how gentle you have to be to in preparation when making bicuits. I usually try to mix mine by "folding" the dough into itself, but I'm going to try a few other things next time. I'm also rolling it out too flat, I'm sure. You should leave it about 1/2" think then cut it. I was making mine about 1/2 that thick before I cut it and while my last batch tasted good, they were too thin. I also overcooked them. I should have glazed the tops with beaten egg and a little milk to get a nice golden brown. I didn't do that so by leaving them in until they were brown on their own the "crust" on the outside got too thick. They weren't burned at all, just a bit of a thicker crust than I like particularly when the biscuits were originally too thin to begin with.

Oh, I can, and have, used Bisquick. But where's the fun and challenge in that? Come on people, get with me here. If I wanted it easy I'd just go to the friggin' store and buy some already made!

John Stricker

quote Originally posted by Patrick's Dad: Forgive the question from the unwashed: "...butter needs to be cold...." "over-kneaded the dough," "I used my hands...instead of the rolling pin...." How do these make any difference?

Making pastries ... and a biscuit is a pastry ... is as much an art as a science. I do most of the cooking in our house, but I've never managed to develop acceptable skill at baking. I'm sure your persistence and willingness to experiment will eventually be rewarded.

You are using fresh baking powder (not baking soda), aren't you?

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 12-20-2008).]

I have come to the conclusion John--that only our mothers knew how to make real biscuits. Light fluffy, melt in your mouth, the same taste and consitency each time biscuits.

Not just an art Marvin--a lost art.

The problem is you left out the bacon.

(in before FieroRumor )

quote Originally posted by fierobear: The problem is you left out the bacon. (in before FieroRumor )

Baking powder, Marvin, not soda. I mixed them up once when I was about 7 in some cookies. I won't make that mistake again!!

You know, now that you mentioned it, I did use the last of the baking powder and since it's not on my "spice planned replacement list" (I rotate my spices at least every 6 months), it could have been God only knows how old. The wife is supposed to be bringing a new can home so with what I've learned so far, and fresh baking powder, I should be getting close. Time will tell. Another batch will be tried in the morning.

John Stricker

quote Originally posted by Marvin McInnis: Making pastries ... and a biscuit is a pastry ... is as much an art as a science. I do most of the cooking in our house, but I've never managed to develop acceptable skill at baking. I'm sure your persistence and willingness to experiment will eventually be rewarded. You are using fresh baking powder (not baking soda), aren't you?

I have biscuits making down

Hey Honey can you make us some biscuits?

Please keep me posted on how the process is coming along. I may have a trip that way and will need a pit stop for breakfast, regardless of what time I get there. I love bisquets and sausage gravy!

Ron

I had the wife type this for you give it a try and let me know (I added the bacon)

2 Cups white lily self rising flour
1 Cup milk
2 Tbsp Country crock butter
preheat oven at 500 degrees
mix well, pat out to desired thickness and cut into desired size
place on buttered cookie sheet and cook at 500 degree till golden brown
cover each biscuit with country crock butter And 3 pieces of thick cut bacon
and enjoy

I cheat.

Grand's Flaky...

WHOMP!!!

If you look at your post count, its at 9999....

I say wait off on reposting until you can make # 10000 an exclamation of success....

Will they be perfected soon? Mapquest says 741 miles Cleveland Tx to Russel Kansas. Give me 15 hrs notice please. 11 hrs driving- 4hrs to get Jane ready.
John, just curious.
As a wheat producer, have you ever tried to make your own flour ?

[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 12-21-2008).]

Hmmmm......sounds like all of the race cars must be repaired and running properly.....

quote Originally posted by blackrams: Please keep me posted on how the process is coming along. I may have a trip that way and will need a pit stop for breakfast, regardless of what time I get there. I love bisquets and sausage gravy! Ron

John, when Ron shows up, I will be with him. Make sure you know how to make a big bowl of gravy.

Preheat the oven fully, if you rush the biscuits and the oven isn't hot enough when you put them in they don't rise properly.

quote Originally posted by maryjane: I have come to the conclusion John--that only our mothers knew how to make real biscuits. Light fluffy, melt in your mouth, the same taste and consitency each time biscuits. Not just an art Marvin--a lost art.

I went to a place called Margie's Diner that served the biggest, fluffiest biscuits with breakfast. Two muffins were the size of a small loaf of bread. It's worth coming to California for. Biscuit making is a lost art, but there are baking magicians still around.

I used to make them, I'll have to dig out Tom's grandmas recipe and send it to you.

I have to laugh, about 2 months ago, we got a new belgium waffle maker. The cool kind you flip over to cook. I've been through about 12 different recipes. Some had yeast, others didn't. Some whipped the egg whites, others didn't. It was my Sunday project, make a new waffle recipe until I found one that was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Well, I finally found one and couldn't be happier!!

So, good luck in your quest John!!! I have faith in you!!

If I don't send you the recipe soon, pm me and remind me!!

quote Originally posted by fierogirls-mom: I used to make them, I'll have to dig out Tom's grandmas recipe and send it to you. If I don't send you the recipe soon, pm me and remind me!!

Well, with all the research going on here, I would think that the forum would lead a fuller happier life if any/all perfected recipes would be posted here, .

My sis in law will be here from Arkansas this week. She makes what she calls "cathead biscuits". I'll get and post the recipe.
Cathead--so named because "once you make the dough, you pull the globs of individual biscuit off like you were pulling off a cat's head"--instead of using a biscuit cutter.

My mom taught me how to make biscuits... She and I both are the non-recipe kind of people... We just throw in the ingredients until it looks right, and everything usually comes out perfect (my fiance hates that about me. She has to have a step-by-step...).
Anyway, I make buttermilk biscuits all the time, but I've found it's easiest to use self-rising flour instead of flour & baking powder...
So I use:
- Self-rising flour
- Shortening (Crisco)
- Butter
- Buttermilk

If I had to lay out a recipe, I'd say about 2 cups of flour, just a hair over 1/8 cup of shortening, not quite a half stick of butter (just under 1/4 cup).
The secret is to thoroughly cut all that in until it looks "crumbly" (best way I know to describe it...). Then slowly add buttermilk until it just barely can be classified as dough. Knead & mix that thoroughly, then add just a tad more buttermilk, knead & mix again. By that point, it should be good & sticky. Sift out a thin layer of flour on a flat surface, dump that sticky dough out, and knead it some more, lightly sifting flour on it occasionally until it's bonafied rollable dough. Then, roll it out to about 1/4-1/2 inch thick, cut with a cutter or rim of a cup/glass. Use a little shortening to grease the baking pan, lay out your cut biscuits, and bake em. For the life of me, I can't remember what I set the temp on... I usually just start at like 350^o or something, and keep a close eye on them.
Hope that helps!

I found this image on the innerwebs, bit it's usually how mine come out looking:



EDIT: Brush a little melted butter on top of them as soon as you pull them out...

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Journal of a concept: http://southeastfieros.com >>> Build Thread >>> Parts thread (for project funding)

[This message has been edited by fieroboom (edited 12-22-2008).]

Everybody: Be aware that the chemistry, and thus the art, of buttermilk biscuits is different than that of plain biscuits. Buttermilk is slightly acidic, which significantly alters the leavening action of both baking powder and baking soda.

quote Originally posted by fierogirls-mom: I used to make them, I'll have to dig out Tom's grandmas recipe and send it to you. I have to laugh, about 2 months ago, we got a new belgium waffle maker. The cool kind you flip over to cook. I've been through about 12 different recipes. Some had yeast, others didn't. Some whipped the egg whites, others didn't. It was my Sunday project, make a new waffle recipe until I found one that was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Well, I finally found one and couldn't be happier!! So, good luck in your quest John!!! I have faith in you!! If I don't send you the recipe soon, pm me and remind me!!

Here's a tip for good Belgian style waffles- use soda water instead of tap water , and throw in a couple tablespoons of raw sugar crystals. Yumm.

quote Originally posted by fieroboom: So I use: - Self-rising flour - Shortening (Crisco) - Butter - Buttermilk EDIT: Brush a little melted butter on top of them as soon as you pull them out...

Sounds like a recipe for a cholesterol number of 1000 at least, but GOOD!

Damn...now I am hungry

Shelby

quote Originally posted by fierogirls-mom: I used to make them, I'll have to dig out Tom's grandmas recipe and send it to you. I have to laugh, about 2 months ago, we got a new belgium waffle maker. The cool kind you flip over to cook. I've been through about 12 different recipes. Some had yeast, others didn't. Some whipped the egg whites, others didn't. It was my Sunday project, make a new waffle recipe until I found one that was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Well, I finally found one and couldn't be happier!! So, good luck in your quest John!!! I have faith in you!! If I don't send you the recipe soon, pm me and remind me!!

To heck with the bisques, post that Belgium waffle recipe. PLEASE.

quote Originally posted by Marvin McInnis: Everybody: Be aware that the chemistry, and thus the art, of buttermilk biscuits is different than that of plain biscuits. Buttermilk is slightly acidic, which significantly alters the leavening action of both baking powder and baking soda.

This is true... But then again, here in the South, what in the world are "plain" biscuits...? And along the same line, there is no such thing as "sweet tea"... It's tea, and unsweet tea...

quote Originally posted by heybjorn: Sounds like a recipe for a cholesterol number of 1000 at least, but GOOD!

Yes, they are exceptionally good... You ever had a hot biscuit that just literally melts in your mouth? Dam, gotta go change my pants now...
I think I might make some tomorrow. I'll take a buncha pics if you want...

EDIT:
Add some homemade sausage gravy over the top, and the only way you'll leave your seat is if you're rolled off it...

[This message has been edited by fieroboom (edited 12-23-2008).]

quote Originally posted by fieroboom: This is true... But then again, here in the South, what in the world are "pain" biscuits...? And along the same line, there is no such thing as "sweet tea"... It's tea, and unsweet tea...

I can't let this go unanswered. Although born in Oklahoma, I was a child of the South. Virtually everything my maternal grandmother (a genuine Southern Belle, and the first woman to drive a motor car in Greenville [Hunt county], TX) cooked involved bacon grease. My usual lunch choices as a child when I spent the day with my grandmother were either calf liver or calf brains. Of course, breakfast always included grits (with or without biscuits), iced tea was always sweetened, and "real" coffee had chicory in it. Yes, by default "biscuits" were always buttermilk biscuits; my mother (only a "pretend" Southern Belle) would still describe "plain" biscuits as "Yankeefied."

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 12-23-2008).]

"pain" biscuits don't sound very good. Plain biscuits on the other hand.......

quote Originally posted by Marvin McInnis: I can't let this go unanswered. Although born in Oklahoma, I was a child of the South. Virtually everything my maternal grandmother (a genuine Southern Belle, and the first woman to drive a motor car in Greenville county, TX) cooked involved bacon grease.

There is no Greenville County in Texas. The city of Greenville is in Hunt county--a bit east of Dallas. My great grandparents and many more of my ancestors are buried in a Greenville cemetery. Yorks and McElroys.

quote Originally posted by 86fierofun: "pain" biscuits don't sound very good. Plain biscuits on the other hand.......

Hey! Leave me alone, I was tired...

quote Originally posted by fieroboom: Yes, they are exceptionally good... You ever had a hot biscuit that just literally melts in your mouth? Dam, gotta go change my pants now... I think I might make some tomorrow. I'll take a buncha pics if you want... EDIT: Add some homemade sausage gravy over the top, and the only way you'll leave your seat is if you're rolled off it...

Pics!!
And details on how you make sausage gravy. You use a pastry cutter to blend the dough?

quote Originally posted by maryjane: There is no Greenville County in Texas. The city of Greenville is in Hunt county--a bit east of Dallas. My great grandparents and many more of my ancestors are buried in a Greenville cemetery. Yorks and McElroys.

Thanks for the correction, but you knew exactly what I meant. My ancestors were the Williams, McGalliard, and Pennington families in Greenville.

Now ... back to our regularly scheduled biscuits ....

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 12-23-2008).]

quote Originally posted by Marvin McInnis: Thanks for the correction, but you knew exactly what I meant. My ancestors were the Williams family in Greenville.

Actually I did not know there was no Greenville county (had to look it up), but did know where Greenville is. Greenville was a small town at the time of my great grandparents--your family probably knew mine, since they were merchants and owned the largest drygoods store in town.

quote Originally posted by maryjane: ... your family probably knew mine, since they were merchants and owned the largest drygoods store in town.

No doubt. My great-granddaddy Henry Williams owned the bank in Greenville ... at least until they lost everything in the banking collapse that followed the crash of 1929. My grandfather McGalliard's stepdad was the local MD, Dr. Pennington.

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 12-23-2008).]