In Search of the Perfect Southern Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe

So does anyone remember the biscuits I made for my Cheddar Pork Rib Biscuit Sandwiches?

Well, in that post I had mentioned that I was in search of the perfect biscuit recipe. 

The recipe I used for those biscuits were from White Lily flour, which were very very good.

But of course if you're looking for the best of something, you gotta do some trile and error. You have to try several recipes, change up some of the ingredients, and make it over and over to get everything just right.

It's hard work my friends. It takes time and patience.

Now i'm not saying this biscuit recipe is the best biscuit recipe out there, but it's very good I must say. 

This biscuit is very rich and buttery and goes great with a good sweet jam or jelly.

One thing I was dissapointed with in these biscuits is that they didn't rise as much as I would have wanted. If they rose a little more and became a little lighter, they might just be perfect. I'll have to do some more trile and error until I get it right though!

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

(Recipe adapted from Alton Brown)

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 tbls baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 tbls butter, cold 

2 tbls shortening, cold

1 cup buttermilk, chilled

4 tbls butter, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips, rub butter and shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. (Try and work fast, you want the butter and shortening to stay as cold as possible.) Make a well in the center and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.

Turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. 

If using a cast iron skillet to bake in, place 2 tbls butter in the pan and put in the preheated oven just long enough to melt the butter. Once melted, arrange biscuits in the skillet, melt the extra 2 tbls butter in a bowl and brush over the biscuits.

Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.