Buttermilk Biscuits

I may not be a world class chef, but I love experimenting in the kitchen.  Every once and a while I come across a gem that is just too good to keep to myself so I'll share them with you as I find them.  I thought it would be fitting to start my recipes section with buttermilk biscuits because they are a house favorite, in fact I make a batch at least once a week...you will always find buttermilk in my fridge and Crisco in the pantry (I'll explain in a bit).

Two years ago at hunting camp our good friend C.N. made these biscuits for hubby and I; and let's just say we fell in love and demanded the recipe immediately.  C.N. told me that the recipe is actually the same recipe that came with his Lodge cast iron mini cake pan.  He promised to give me the recipe with two conditions...I had to purchase a Lodge cast iron pan (because it's made in the USA) and I had to use Crisco.  How important is the Crisco?  So important that when he realized he had forgotten the Crisco he asked me to drive into town, delaying breakfast for one hour just to get it.  The recipe can be found on Lodge's website:

Lodge Buttermilk Biscuits

I always start out by pre-heating my oven, because it is a bit slow to reach 450.  These biscuits can be dropped on a regular pan, but there is just something about this amazing pan that just cannot be duplicated so I always use my cast iron pan for these biscuits.  Whatever pan you chose for your biscuits just make sure that you grease it ahead of time.

What a beauty...that pan has it's own special place in my kitchen and I recommend it to everyone.  It helps that I'm a big cast iron fan.

Once you have that all sorted out it's time to mix your dry ingredients.  We make these so often that I keep the dry ingredients pre-mixed in a tupperware in the pantry so that I can whip them up quickly in the morning if we decide to have them for breakfast.  I think measuring out the ingredients is the most time consuming part of this simple recipe so I cheat and pre-mix it.

Once you have the dry ingredients together it's time to cut in the fat.  The recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter, margarine or shortening.  I'm totally with team C.N. on this one; you must use Crisco.  I have tried using butter (SHHH! Don't tell C.N.!) and they just didn't turn out the same.  At risk of sounding like a paid advertiser, which I unfortunately am not...Done right these biscuits are amazing and Crisco is a necessary a part of the equation.  So add your Crisco:

And cut it in until you have crumbs

Once you're done cutting in the Crisco it's time make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in your buttermilk.  What if I don't have buttermilk in the fridge?  Well then you need to drop everything and rush your little behind to the nearest store (even if it takes an hour).  I once discovered that my buttermilk had gone bad when I was in the middle of making biscuits so I tried using a substitute.  They turned out fine but they were not amazing by any means and we actually ended up throwing most of the batch out.

You don't have to do the well thing, but I find it's the best way to make sure that everything gets mixed together evenly.  Just a few quick turns and the buttermilk is mixed in.  Drop heaping spoonfuls into the pan and slide into the oven.  The recipe makes exactly enough batter to fill the pan.

Now for the hardest part...You have to wait a full 15 minutes for them to cook; then when the house is filled with the irresistibly delicious aroma of these biscuits you have to wait an excruciatingly long 5 minutes while the biscuits cool slightly in the pan (or they will crumble on you).  After the longest 20 minutes of your life it is time to finally enjoy these biscuits.  Of course I kid, but they truly are amazing. 

If you listened to me in the beginning and greased your pan these babies will pop right out, if not they may crumble a bit but they will still taste amazing!

I prefer mine topped with butter and honey; hubby refuses to have his with anything except blackberry jam.  Choose whatever topping you love, or try them plain and enjoy!