Southern biscuits

Southern Biscuits

by Mark Fitzgerald

"One night I was awakened by the people shouting "Biscuits, biscuits, biscuits." A relief party had arrived and brought us food. I can still hear those people shouting "Biscuits.""

The Mormon migration west was powered by flour.  It was their main food and at 150 pounds per person it was a good portion of what they had to transport as well.  Though a variety of breads were made the most common on the trail was a biscuit using chemical leavening.  Biscuits were used throughout the day, but almost always accompanied the noon day meal (lunch).

Today we would use baking soda to make biscuits.  The pioneers between the 1840s and 1860s would have used saleratus (potassium bicarbonate).  Saleratus can be found in the wild.  Though they often started with about 5 lbs, they would replenish supplies along the way in places such as Independence Rock.

In our recipe we use salted butter, solely because we only buy 1 type of butter.  As a result we reduced the amount of salt the recipe originally called for.  We also substitute out the buttermilk with milk in which we have added lemon juice to.  It is important to use either buttermilk or lemon juice because the acid is necessary to react with the baking soda to create the rise.

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons shortening
• 2 cups buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blench the butter and shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. Add the milk and pulse until the dough just barely comes together. The dough will be very sticky.

Turn dough onto floured surface and dust top with flour.  Roll out into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a cutter.  We use a cup.  Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.

Information

Makes 24 biscuits
360 calories for 2 biscuits

Make sure to see how this recipe fits into the entire menu we have cooked up for LDS Pioneer Handcart Trek recreations.