I discovered these biscuits while preparing the menu for a Vermont cycling-adventure camping trip. I needed recipes that could be baked on the grill since there’d be no access to an oven. These biscuits filled the bill and are the tallest I’ve ever made, which is probably because they have a lot of leavening in them with yeast, baking powder, and baking soda!
They are fabulously delicious and you can make the dough and refrigerate it for several days ahead of baking. I’ve now baked them both in the oven and indirectly on the grill, and they turned out perfectly with either method. I have yet to try them on the stovetop but will report back soon. As a side note, I just made them for a crew we had to our cabin over Memorial Weekend. Everyone raved about them and wanted the recipe, which is a pretty good sign! I think I will let them have it:)
Bodacious Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 envelope 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water approximately 110 F
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus a little more for rolling out the dough
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 cup 2 sticks cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 cups buttermilk (or milk with 2 tsp. cider vinegar added) with 2 teaspoons cider vinegar mixed into the milk
Instructions
- Mix the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and water in a glass bowl.Allow to stand still for about 5 minutes, or until very foamy. (Use a candy thermometer to accurately gauge the water temperature.)
- In a separate bowl, mix all dries.With clean cold fingers or a pastry cutter, cut butter into dries until crumbly.Stir milk and yeast mixture into the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.
- Cover bowl with a lid, or plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or even up to a week.
- When ready to bake, spray a cast iron skillet with PAM or your favorite cooking spray. Set aside.Preheat oven to 400F or preheat the gas grill, using the two outside burners only and leaving the center burner off.Turn dough out onto a floured cutting board knead a few times to allow handling the dough without it being too sticky.Press dough out into a large circle about 3/4-inch thick.Cut dough with whatever sized biscuit cutter you like.I have used both the 2 1/2 inch and the 2-inch for this recipe.Nestle the cut dough into the skillet so that the biscuits are all huddle together side-by-side.
- Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until biscuits are done golden-brown on the outside and the center is cooked, but not overcooked.Serve hot with your favorite jam or jelly.