Gramma's Buttermilk Bisquits

Grandma's (Handmade) Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

I used to really enjoy hot fresh homemade buttermilk

biscuits. Split one open and spread some fresh butter

(actually, we always used margerine), or slip in a

fresh sausage patty. There's nothing better!

After I learned to make them I also enjoyed just getting

my hand dirty as I kneaded the dough. Kids have fun in

the strangest way. Anyway, here is how my grandma used

to make them. I don't think the store-bought, canned

biscuits will ever even begin to compare.

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup Crisco shortening

Sift the flour to make sure there are no lumps. Add in

the baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add the

Crisco slowly, working it into the dry ingredients.

You can use a large spatula or spoon, but I preferred

using my hands.

Next add the buttermilk, working it into the mixture

too. After everything is thoroughly mixed, plop it

down on a floured counter top or cutting board.

Turn you oven to 450 to allow it to preheat. While

it's heating up knead your dough until it is about

the consistency of clay that kids play with in

grade school. You can make it a little dryer

if need be by sprinkling more flour on your

counter or cutting board. As you knead your dough

it will pick up more of the flour.

After you have it the right consistency you can

shape your biscuits by hand or using a cookie

cutter. I preferred pinching off a chunk, rolling

it into a ball, and then patting it a little flat.

It takes a little practice to get you biscuits all

about the same size. If you want them more perfect,

you can roll out your dough using a rolling pin and

then cut them with a round cookie cutter. That

would look neater when you have company over.

Anyway, place you biscuits on a cookie sheet that

is either lightly greased or lightly sprinkled with

flour. If you use the flour option, be sure not to

put too much.

Bake these biscuits for rougly 18 minutes on the

middle rack in your oven (depends upon how hot

your oven is and how far this rack is from the

top). If the rack is too low you can move the

biscuits to the top rack the last minute of so

to get them browned just the way you want. Leave

them on the middle rack and thy should turn out

lightly browned.

Pop them out of the over and eat them while still

piping hot. That's the only way to get the butter

to melt just right.

Enjoy!

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup vegetable shortening, cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk, plus additional for brushing

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Cut in the shortening using a pastry blender or your hands

until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in

the center and add 1 cup buttermilk. Using your hands,

quickly fold the dry ingredients into the buttermilk until

a sticky dough forms. You may need to add more buttermilk.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Gently fold the

dough over itself 3 or 4 times to create layers. Press the

dough out to 1 1/2-inches thick and cut with a floured 3-inch

biscuit cutter. Lay the biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet

and brush the tops with buttermilk.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until risen and golden brown.