Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Classic sourdough biscuits

"Classic" in the header comes from the fact that this recipe dates from colonial (pre-Revolution) times.

4 cups flour
1-1/2 to 2 cups sourdough starter
1/2 to 1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda*

Preheat oven to 450� F.

Mix the flour, the soda, and the salt with enough of the sourdough starter to make a soft dough. Flatten to 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick with rolling-pin or hands. Cut into round or square biscuits. Bake 12 to 15 minutes in a greased skillet or Dutch oven.

For authenticity, flavor, and nutrition, grind your own flour from wheat groats (available, e g, from Wheat Montana). I'm told that it's better if you let it (the flour) age for a week or two before you bake with it.

*Some folks omit the baking soda.

Do you have a good redeye gravy recipe to go with those biscuits? Just cane syrup ain't enuff! Bob

Several, in fact, but I don't make my gravies with coffee -- I much prefer good sausage or jerky gravy, myself. My dad loved red-eye gravy on his biscuits or grits, but it was never my favorite gravy. I like brown turkey gravy better than red-eye, on biscuits, mashed potatos, rice, or grits.

Basically, you add some fresh-brewed black coffee to the drippings from just-browned country ham and heat the mix until a "red eye" appears in the center. Some folks add a little brown sugar. As I'm not aware of your taste preferences, I can't guess which one of several recipes in my collection you'd consider good.

I've never made red-eye gravy and don't expect to try it any time soon. After looking-over the recipes for it in my collection, I think I'd try making it my own way --

First, I'd slow-barbecue a ham, some pork loin, a pork roast, or a few pork steaks or chops in a crock pot. I've done several cuts of two wild boar this way, but didn't save the stock. To try making red-eye gravy, of course, I'd save the stock.

� Put the cut of pork (nothing else) in the crock pot and turn the heat on, low.
� After six to eight hours, turn the heat off.
� After three or four hours -- when the meat is cool enough to handle -- take it out of the crock pot and lay it on a platter.
� Pour the stock out of the crock pot and let it cool enough for the fat to congeal on the surface. Skim the fat off and throw it away. (Refrigerating the stock really makes it easy to skim the fat off.)
� Discard any bone, all blood vessels, fascia, etc, as you shred only the muscle tissue and return it to the crock pot.
� Add barbecue sauce, stir occasionally, heat (low) two to four hours.
-- That's your barbecue. Now try this for the gravy --

6 to 8 Tbs pork stock
2 to 3 tsp brewed coffee
about a cup of water (may not be necessary)

� Heat the pork stock in a skillet over medium heat.
� Add the water and the coffee.
� Simmer the mixture until (a) a "red eye" appears in the middle, or (b) the mixture thickens to your preferred "sopping" consistency (about fifteen minutes, probably).
� Add salt, pepper, any other desired seasoning.
� Serve hot.
� Let me know how it turns out.

When you have to have a recipe to make gravy you're in a world of hurt. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />





BCR



PS Ken, I am still trying to chase down my syrup guy. Hang on.

Amen... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

For every beginner, there's a first time when he needs any help that he can get. My first try was a disaster. What was worse was that I didn't know why for quite a while. It had looked so easy when Dad or my mother did it!

Dr. Howell, I asked you about redeye because you were raised in Alabama, as was my mother. The only redeye I've ever eaten was hers. I thought you might have a recipe to go with those biscuits. Never occured to me you didn't like it.
I do appreciate your reply. I lost my mother when I was nine, so never learned her culinary secrets. I may try to make some this year at the deer lease, using your recipe. Thanks. Bob