Cat Head Biscuits With Sawmill Gravy Recipes

CATHEAD BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch cake pan.
• Sift flour and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Make a dent in flour by pushing flour from center toward sides of bowl. Add 2 walnut-size lumps of shortening and a splash of buttermilk to the flour where you made the dent. Work the shortening into the flour using fingers in a twisting motion (rub thumb against pointer and middle finger motion) until the shortening is fully incorporated into the flour.
• Pour buttermilk into the flour about 1/4 cup at a time, continuing to work it in with your fingers until the buttermilk is completely incorporated into a sticky dough.
• Roll dough into 8 large balls and drop into prepared cake pan, working around the outside and putting the last one in middle to fill the pan. Press dough balls with back of fingers to flatten until they touch and are about 3/4- to 1-inch thick.
• Bake in preheated oven until the tops are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter.

CATHEAD BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. (You can also bake the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet.)
• In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Pour in buttermilk and mix until just barely combined. It will be a shaggy mass. (Alternatively, you can mix the dough in a food processor: Pulse to combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and pulse until it resembles coarse meal. Pour in buttermilk through feed tube and pulse until just barely combined.)
• Turn shaggy mass out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly, using the heel of your hand to compress and push dough away from you, then fold it back over itself. Give dough a small turn and repeat four or five times. (You want to just barely activate the gluten, not overwork it.)
• Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough 1 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut out rounds (press cutter straight down without twisting so biscuits will rise evenly when baked).
• Place biscuits on prepared sheet. (If biscuits are baked close together, sides will be tender. If biscuits are baked farther apart, sides will be crisp.)
• Reroll scraps once. Do not simply roll them into a ball; this will create a knot of gluten strands. Instead, place the pieces one on top of the other in layers, then roll out dough and cut out more rounds.
• Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool just slightly. Serve warm.

CAT HEAD BISCUITS WITH SAWMILL GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.
• For the biscuits, in a medium bowl, gently stir together the 3 cups flour, the buttermilk, and butter until the dough just comes together. On a floured surface, pat the dough into a 1 1/2-inch-thick round. cut the dough into six 4-inch circles; transfer to the baking sheet. Bake about 25 mintues or until golden brown.
• For the gravy, in a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until brown, breaking meat up with a fork as it cooks. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet.
• Heat the remaining fat over medium heat and whisk in the 4 1/2 tablespoons flour; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk; increase heat to medium-high and simmer about 3 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the sausage, pepper, and salt. To serve, split the biscuits and top with generous spoonfuls of gravy.

CAT HEAD BISCUITS

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 9" cake pan. Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Rub butter and shortening into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal (I use a pastry blender). Stir in buttermilk JUST until combined.
• Use greased 1/2 c measuring cup or large spring loaded ice cream scoop to transfer 6 heaping portions of dough into prepared pan, placing 5 around the perimeter and one in the center.
• Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20-25 minute Cool in pan 10 min then transfer to wire rack. Serve.