Biscuits -
(Scratch from the Smoky Mountains of NC)

Utensils Required:

Large Mixing Bowl

Pastry Cutter or Fork

Biscuit Cutter (or drinking glass)

Baking Sheet

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients Required:

3 Cups Self-Rising Flour

1/2 Cup Crisco

1 Cup Buttermilk

2–4 Tbsp Additional Buttermilk (if needed)

Optional:
Melted Butter for Brushing Tops After Baking

How to Make It:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Add the self-rising flour to a large mixing bowl.

3. Cut the Crisco into the flour using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Small pea-sized pieces of Crisco are perfectly fine.

4. Pour in 1 cup of buttermilk and stir gently until the dough just comes together. If the dough seems dry, add additional buttermilk a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, but not wet.

5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.

6. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold it in half and gently pat it back out. Repeat this process 3-4 times. This helps create flaky layers.

7. Pat the dough to a final thickness of about 3/4 to 1 inch.

8. Cut biscuits straight down with a biscuit cutter. Do not twist the cutter, as twisting can reduce how high the biscuits rise.

9. Place biscuits on a baking sheet with the edges touching if you prefer softer sides, or spaced apart if you prefer crispier sides.

10. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden brown.

11. Remove from oven and brush the tops with melted butter if desired.

12. Serve warm with butter, jam, honey, sausage gravy, or whatever sounds good at the moment.

Story:

This is a simple North Carolina-style scratch biscuit recipe that doesn't require anything fancy. Just self-rising flour, Crisco, and buttermilk. The folding step is what gives the biscuits their layers, and resisting the urge to overwork the dough is probably the hardest part of the whole process.

If the dough looks a little rough, you're probably doing it right. Some of the best biscuits I've ever eaten looked like they were assembled by committee and approved by nobody.

The reward is a biscuit that's tall, flaky, and sturdy enough for sausage gravy but still soft enough to disappear with a little butter and honey.

To this day, my MaMaw - Esther Greene Sutton was still the best at these. She just used her hands and with the elevation of the Smoky Mountains (and a little love), to this day, I've never had a better biscuit than hers. My Aunt Mary has always been a closed second.

Best way to enjoy them? 1-2 slices of tomato with a little salt and pepper. It could be a meal all to its own, but some corn on the cob never hurts either.