Old-Fashioned Biscuits
Biscuits are a simple country food and no decent Southern cook would dare be caught without knowing how to properly bake a batch. With a slightly crisp exterior while tender and fluffy on the inside, it only takes about ten minutes to mix these biscuits together and about fifteen to bake. Get the butter and the jam ready!
Equipment
- Pastry blender
- Large baking sheet lined with a Silpat liner or parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup shortening
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 extra-large egg
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450-degrees.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and kosher salt.
- Add the shortening cutting it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until it’s in small pieces.
- Whisk the egg with the milk, blending together until it’s well combined.
- Pour the milk and egg into the flour mixture. Gently stir just until the wet and dry ingredients are mixed together.
- Turn the dough out into a lightly floured surface. Dust your hands with flour and gather the dough together.
- Pat the dough out until it is about ¾" thick.
- Using a 3” biscuit cutter cut the dough. Gently reshape the scraps and finish cutting all the dough. (You can cut a larger or smaller biscuit if you prefer.)
- Place the biscuits on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. You can tuck them up together or eave about 1” to 2” between the biscuits if you like the crispy edges.
- Brush the tops with melted butter.
- Bake at 450-degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Notes
If you don't have a pastry blender you can also use two knives or a fork to cut the shortening into the flour.