Biscuits and Gravy

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the warm milk, warm water, melted butter, and sugar.

Step 2

Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the wet ingredients, stir to combine, and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy

Step 3

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, and stir to combine. Beat 1 egg, then add to the bloomed yeast mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and use a knife to stir until the mixture just comes together and forms a dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth. Add more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. To test if it’s done, tear off a small piece of dough and stretch into a thin layer. If the dough doesn’t rip, it’s ready. Or, press a finger into the dough to see if it bounces back.

Step 4

Lightly grease a large glass bowl with oil. Add the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Step 5

Punch down the dough, then turn out onto a floured surface. Knead for a few more minutes, just until the dough is smooth, about 2 minutes.

Step 6

Divide the dough into 16 equal balls, roughly the size of tangerines.

Step 7

Knead the balls, gathering the edges of the dough toward the center to make a taut, round ball with a smooth top.

Step 8

Place the rolls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.

Step 9

Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).

Step 10

Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl. Uncover the rolls and brush with the egg wash. Lightly sprinkle the rolls with sea salt.

Step 11

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the rolls have lightly browned and doubled in size.

Step 12

If using salt pork, rinse it first by covering it with water, letting it sit for an hour, then draining the water. Repeat with fresh water for another hour before chopping into small pieces.

Step 13

In a skillet, fry the sausage or prepared salt pork over medium heat until fully cooked. Remove the meat from the skillet and set it aside, leaving the grease in the pan.

Step 14

Sprinkle flour into the grease, using about the same amount as the grease in the skillet. Stir the flour and grease together until no lumps remain, and cook for 2-3 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.

Step 15

Slowly stir in evaporated milk, a little at a time, while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Continue stirring until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thick, add more milk. Let the gravy simmer for a few minutes, whisking occasionally, as it will thicken further as it cooks.

Step 16

Stir the cooked meat back into the gravy. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt (if needed) and pepper to taste. If using salt pork, additional salt may not be necessary.