Easy Drop Biscuits and Bacon Gravy

Hello,

I saw the comfort food contest and immediately thought of a few things I enjoy making. I decided to write about making home made biscuits and gravy because it is both easy and a very good comfort food. I note important details in each of the steps to help make sure your experience is a good one.

If you follow the steps you should have a tasty homemade breakfast in about thirty minutes that your family will ask for all the time.

Tools needed:

• Mixing bowl
• measuring cups (liquid and dry)
• Measuring spoons
• a whisk ( I used a silicone coated one that does not scratch cookware)
• A cheese grater
• 1 large fry pan
• 1 small 1 qt saucepan
• A sheet pan
• A cutting board
• A stove with an oven pre-heated to 450F

Recipe items

Biscuits

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of white sugar
• 1/2 cup of butter (frozen or chilled)
• 1 1/4 cup whole of milk (I have used 1% or 2%)

Bacon Gravy

• 12 oz or a pound of bacon (only a couples pieces will be used for the gravy- the rest is for eating!)
• Bacon fat
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Water (for pan deglazing)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup milk (whole, 1% or 2%)
• 2-4 tablespoons all purpose flour
• Spices ( to your liking but I list below what I usually use.
  • 1/4 tsp Onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp Season salt
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp sage
  • 1/4 tsp thyme
  • 1/4 tsp red or cayenne pepper
  • Ground black pepper to taste

Time to start !

Note:With all food preparation always wash you hands before you start ( and during the process as needed) and ensure all items are clean.

There are a couple things that have to happen at the same time

• Mixing of the biscuit dough
• Cooking the bacon

Preheat the oven to 450F

Put parchment paper on the sheetpan

• Add all the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and using the whisk mix them thoroughly
• Add the bacon to the large frypan and begin cooking on medium high heat.
  • Note: It is very important to not burn the bacon, you will have to keep one eye on it as you work on the biscuit dough.
• Measure the 1 1/4 cups milk into your liquid measuring cup and set near the bowl of dry ingredients
• Remove the butter from the freezer (or fridge) and remove the paper wrapping
• Grate the cube of butter directly on top of the mixed dry ingredients.
  • Note: Freezing the butter makes this step easier and the grated chunks of butter really add to the flavor of the biscuits.
• Add the pre-measured milk and mix everything with a large spoon in the mixing bowl until it is well combined. It is very important that you do not overmix!

Check the bacon!

This step is self explanatory

Using the large spoon drop the dough onto the sheet pan that has parchment paper

This quantity will make 6 large or 8 smaller biscuits

Put the pan in the oven for 12-15 minutes

Set the timer!

Hopefully you have been watching the bacon and it is getting crispy.

When the bacon is done remove it from the pan and place on paper towels to absorb the extra fat. Turn off the stove.

After the bacon has cooled a bit take 2-3 pieces and chop it into very small bits to be added to the gravy,

Time to make the gravy!

• Using a tablespoon remove bacon fat a spoon at a time and put it into the small 1 qt saucepan (remove the rest of the fat from the pan without removing the wonderful little bits of cooked bacon)
  • Note: Keep track of how many ( dependent on the amount of fat on your bacon)
  • I typically use 3-5 tablespoons
• Add an equal number of tablespoons of all purpose flour to the fat and turn the stove to medium high heat.
• This is called a roux- it is the base of many sauces but usually uses butter not bacon fat
• Cook the roux until it boils
• After several minutes smell the mixture, it should have a little nutty smell when it the flour is cooked enough.

Deglaze the bacon pan

de·glaze
/dēˈɡlāz/ verb

dilute meat sediments in (a pan) in order to make a gravy or sauce, typically using wine.

• Reheat the fry pan on medium heat- do not let it get so hot it smokes.
• Add a little water at a time to the frypan and using the whisk remove the bacon that has stuck to the pan from cooking. - turn off the heat

Add the contents of the frypan to the cooked roux (watch for splattering)

• Using the whisk quickly mix the roux and water in the saucepan and add the milk and continue to stir
• Add all the spices and bring to a boil continuing to stir.

That's it! You just made gravy from scratch!

Check the biscuits in the oven to see if they have browned nicely and either add a minute or remove.

I can't have bacon without the eggs!

This is my first instructable- I hope you enjoyed it.