Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Summary

Authentic southern biscuits

2 c

unbleached all-purpose flour

1⁄4 t

baking soda

1 T

baking powder (use one without aluminum)

1 t

salt

6 T

unsalted butter (very cold)

3⁄4 c

buttermilk (approx.)

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor.
Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles coarse meal.
If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved.
Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined.
If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board.
Gently, gently PAT (do not roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick.
Use a round cutter to cut into rounds.
You can gently knead the scraps togeter and make a few more, but they will not be as good as the first ones.
Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet-if you like soft sides, put them touching each other. If you like "crusty" sides, put them about 1-inch apart. These will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom.

Note: The key to real biscuits is not in the ingredients, but in the handling of the dough.
The dough must be handled as little as possible or you will have tough biscuits.
Some say a food processor produces superior biscuits because the ingredients stay colder and there's less chance of overmixing.
You also must pat the dough out with your hands, lightly.
Rolling with a rolling pin is a guaranteed way to overstimulate the gluten, resulting in a tougher biscuit.
You can make these biscuits, cut them, put them on cookie sheets and freeze them for up to a month. When you want fresh biscuits, simply place frozen on the cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes.