Pioneer Woman's Biscuits and Gravy

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Today, I am going to share how to make Pioneer Woman’s Biscuits and Gravy, which is an old Southern classic. It is also a hearty breakfast that can take you on a trip to the South every time it’s served.

How to Make Pioneer Woman’s Biscuits and Gravy

Making the Biscuits:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine the flour with the baking powder, and salt in a food processor or large bowl.
Add the butter pieces to the flour mixture and pulse until your butter is completely incorporated into it (or use a pastry cutter if using a bowl). While pulsing (or stirring), drizzle the buttermilk into the flour mixture and blend until it just comes together in a dough and is no longer crumbly.
Shape and cut the dough into biscuits. Divide the biscuits between two baking sheets. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. (Optional: Brush the biscuits with melted butter when they come out of the oven.)

Making the Sausage Gravy:

Using your fingers, tear the sausage into small pieces and add them to a heavy skillet in a single layer.
Brown the sausage over medium-high heat until it is no longer pink and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Stir half the flour into the sausage and stir so that the sausage soaks it all up. Then, add more flour until just before the sausage looks too dry.
Stir the sausage mixture and cook it for another minute or so. Pour in the milk, stirring constantly.
Stir the gravy frequently until it thickens, which will take about 10 to 12 minutes.
Season the gravy with both salt and pepper. Continue to cook it until it is very thick and luscious. In case it gets too thick too soon, add 1/2 cup of milk or more as needed, and don’t forget to adjust the seasonings as necessary.
Finally, spoon the sausage gravy over the warm biscuits and serve immediately!

Recipe Tips

The cooking flow of the recipe should be as follows: The biscuits should be prepared first (but not baked yet), the gravy should be started, and then the biscuits should be baked while the gravy is thickening up. This way, you can stir the gravy frequently, which is hard to do when your hands are covered with flour and dough.
Make sure the pan is hot by adding a few drops of water. When the drops evaporate on contact, you will know the pan is ready.
If you are not a fan of the nutmeg flavor in this gravy, you can omit it and use regular or sage-flavored pork breakfast sausage instead.

What Can I Add to Pioneer Woman’s Biscuits and Gravy?

Pioneer Woman’s Biscuits and Gravy is a versatile dish. You can add other ingredients, such as a few herbs like chopped thyme or parsley if desired.

Recipe Variations

Sausage links (with or without casings) if you do not have bulk sausage. This recipe uses bulk sausage, which is sold in packages. You can remove the casings by slicing down the length of a link and peeling away the casing. You can then cook them and crumble them as they cook.
Other milk types – Whole milk is very rich and thickens well, but 2% milk will also work. Just note that it will take a little longer to thicken. This recipe has not been tested with 1%, skim, or non-dairy milk products.
Texture – We prefer our sausage finely crumbled in this gravy, but you may make yours as textured as you’d like! As the sausage cooks, break it up into whatever size you like.
Seasonings – You can keep it simple with salt, pepper, and thyme, but if you want to add your own flavor, you should. The addition of paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne, sage, rosemary, and more would be lovely.
Fresh herbs – If you want to add any fresh herbs to this recipe, I suggest adding them towards the end of cooking so they keep their fresh flavor.

How Can I Thicken My Pioneer Woman Gravy Without Flour?

You can use either cornstarch or arrowroot in order to thicken your Pioneer Woman gravy. Both of them are gluten-free options. For every cup of liquid in this recipe, you should add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to an equal part of water and then mix them together until they form a slurry. Then, you should pour your slurry into the pot and stir continuously over high heat until the cornstarch is fully incorporated and your Pioneer Woman gravy begins to thicken.

What to Serve with Pioneer Woman’s Biscuits and Gravy

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
Lemony Vanilla Fruit Salad
Oven-Baked Bacon
Easy Breakfast Casserole
Ramen Noodle Salad
Perfect French Toast Casserole
Pan-Fried Potatoes

How to Store Pioneer Woman Biscuits and Gravy Leftovers

Divide the biscuits into separate airtight containers and store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. However, for longer shelf life, you can use freezer-safe zipper bags or containers to store your biscuits and gravy separately in the freezer for about 3 months.

How to Reheat My Pioneer Woman Gravy

Reheating your Pioneer Woman gravy on the stove is the best option and here’s how you can do it:

Pour your Pioneer Woman sausage gravy into a cold pan.
If the gravy has thickened to a jelly-like consistency, cut it into smaller chunks so it will heat more quickly.
Reheat on low heat, stirring frequently to prevent lumps.
Stir the gravy vigorously to combine it again if it has separated.

Reheating Notes:

Add extra stock or milk if the gravy is too thick and needs thinning out.
If the gravy seems too thin, you can add a cornstarch slurry to help thicken it (you will have to bring it to a boil before the cornstarch can take effect).
If you have lots of gravy to reheat, increase the heat to a medium setting to speed up the process.

How to Reheat My Pioneer Woman Biscuits

A cook or kitchen master will tell you that the best way to reheat most dishes is in the oven. This is because the heat is distributed more evenly and there is ample room for a big batch of biscuits.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place your Pioneer Woman biscuits on top, spacing them at least 1 inch apart.
Bake the biscuits for 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove the biscuits from the oven and brush them with butter.
Serve and enjoy!

Keep in mind that the microwave is the quickest way to heat up any leftovers including these Pioneer Woman Biscuits, however, some sites advise against reheating dough-based foods in the microwave because they can become dry and stiff. Don’t worry, though, as there’s a solution! All you need is a damp paper towel to keep your biscuits moist and flaky.

How to Reheat Your Pioneer Woman Biscuits in the Microwave:

Wrap each biscuit individually in a damp paper towel (it should be moist but not dripping).
Put the wrapped biscuits on a microwave-safe plate or in a container and leave them uncovered.
Microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute on the medium setting.
Check to see if your Pioneer Woman Biscuits are hot enough. If they need more heating, place them back in the microwave for another 15 seconds, and repeat as needed.
Unwrap and serve warm.

FAQ Section

Why Does My Gravy Taste Like Flour?

This happens when the flour is not cooked long enough. Keep in mind that after you add the flour to your Pioneer Woman gravy, it needs to be cooked at least for 2 minutes in order for it to have a chance to cook and eliminate that raw flour taste that no one likes.

Can I Make This Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Recipe Without Milk?

You can substitute whole milk with heavy cream, 2% milk, or skim milk. However, keep in mind that using a milk alternative may thin out your gravy.

How Do You Make Your Own Buttermilk Replacement?

If you can’t find buttermilk or don’t have it on hand, you can add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1 cup.