Southern Biscuits Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Combine the dry ingredients. Gently kneed (cut) in the shortening until the mixture looks like "meal" (a very course powder)

2. Add the buttermilk, stirring GENTLY until a dough starts to form.

3. When you get a "sticky" dough ball, turn out on board, flour lightly, and form a flat mass. Cut out the biscuits with a biscuit cutter.

4. Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet and then into a 450-degree preheated oven. Bake until tops are a golden brown (about 10-12 minutes).
Yields 8-10 biscuits according to the size of biscuit cutter you use.

Tip 1: If you do not have a biscuit cutter, check your drinking glasses for one with the diameter the size you want your biscuits. While not the preferred tool, it will work.

Tip 2: Obtaining the correct consistency of the dough takes a little practice. Just add the buttermilk a little at a time and watch for the dough to form as you stir. You may be tempted to add too much flour to prevent the dough sticking to your hands. Don't! It should be light, puffy and sticky when you take it out of the mixing bowl. You can sprinkle lightly with flour after it is on your board to prevent sticking. Don't over flour.

Tip 3: Do NOT handle the dough any more than necessary. Over handling will make tough biscuits. When you turn the dough out on your board, try to double the dough over on itself only three times while flattening it out.

Tip 4: Use buttermilk rather than regular milk. If you do not have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tsp white vinegar in 1 cup regular milk. Stir and allow to sit for 1 minute before use.

Tip 5: Make sure to preheat the oven. Never start your biscuits in a cold oven.

Tip 6: When cutting out the biscuits, push straight down and back up with the biscuit cutter. Do not push down and "twist" or turn the biscuit cutter. This can cause uneven cooking and flat biscuits.

Tip 7: If you want fluffy biscuits, leave a 2" space between the biscuits on the cookie sheet. If you want crispier biscuits, place the biscuits with their sides touching.