Prepare the biscuits ahead of time by cutting out the biscuits and freezing them on a cookie sheet. Keep the uncooked biscuits in a freezer bag until ready to cook. Cooking from frozen creates a flakier biscuit.
INGREDIENTS
For the biscuits:
4 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
6 tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. baking soda
¾ cup cold butter, cut into in small cubes
2 cups buttermilk
Canola oil, for greasing
For the sausage gravy:
½ lb. sausage
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
PREPARATION
For the biscuits:
• In the bowl of a food processor or a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add the butter and pulse or cut in with a pastry cutter until the butter is pea-sized.
• Add the cold buttermilk to the dough, pulsing or mixing until it just comes together and can be rolled out.
• On a floured cutting board, roll the dough to Ÿ-inch thickness. Using a ring mold or a cup, cut out the biscuits and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Roll out the scrap dough and continue to cut biscuits. If possible, do not roll out the dough more than twice.
• Freeze the biscuits in zip-top bags overnight. They will keep for several months.
• To bake, the campfire coals should be between 300 to 400 degrees. Grease a Dutch oven with the oil. Add a single layer of biscuits and cover. Nestle the oven in the coals. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown on top and pull apart easily. Use a spoon to remove biscuits from the oven.
For the gravy:
• In a cast-iron skillet, brown the sausage over hot coals. Sprinkle the flour over the browned sausage, stirring to create a roux. Add the milk and stir, letting the sauce thicken for 5 minutes until it reaches the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Serve over hot split biscuits.
This article appears in September 2014.