West Virginia Biscuits and Gravy

West Virginia became a state in 1863 after separating from Virginia during the Civil War. It has the longest steel bridge and the third largest cave in the U.S. and is the leader in coal production. The coal miners and mountaineers work hard. When you work hard, a good, rib-stickin’ breakfast is necessary. And what do these hard working folks eat? Biscuits. Biscuits smothered in thick, rich, sausage gravy.

In fact, Tudor’s Biscuit World (a West Virginia icon) serves the biggest, fluffiest and most amazing buttermilk biscuits served in a variety of ways. Here’s one – the Ron (named after a regular customer). A big, fluffy biscuit with sausage, cheese and egg. And Tudor’s claims to be the ones that invented the Biscuit Sandwich (they have quite a few variations).

Here I present my version of the biscuits and gravy AND the Ron. Ready to get cooking?

Here’s How to Do it:

Start with the biscuits. They’ve gotta be buttermilk biscuits to be a West Virginia biscuit.

Cut the cold butter into small pieces and,

using a pastry cutter, blend it into the dry ingredients until it looks like cornmeal.

Slowly pour in the buttermilk – just enough to make a soft dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll to about 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick.

West virginia biscuits

Using a large cup or biscuit cutter, cut biscuits into rounds. Gently roll any remaining dough into a flat ball.

Place them on a cookie sheet close to each other.

Bake at 375° until they are golden brown on top, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Brush the tops with melted butter and keep warm until you are ready to serve them (or refrigerate and re-heat later).

NOTE: You can make your own self rising flour.
Mix 1 cup of all-purpose flour sifted with 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

For this recipe you’d mix a teaspoon of salt and 2 Tablespoons baking powder with the 4 cups of flour. Be sure to sift it so it’s well blended.

———————————————————————————————————

Now the gravy.

Break the sausage into large chunks and brown in a skillet (I like cast iron).

Once the sausage is cooked through, add the butter and stir until it’s melted. Slowly stir in the flour and continue to stir until it starts to turn golden.

Whisk in the butter milk and then the regular milk. Keep whisking until it’s fully blended, then continue to stir with a wooden spoon. When the gravy is thickened, add salt and pepper to taste.

Set on the back burner to keep warm or serve it up right now – smothering a big biscuit.

West Virginia biscuits and gravy

—————————————————————————————————-

For the Ron,

Make patties with the sausage, a bit bigger than the circumference of the biscuits.

Brown in a skillet on both sides, making sure it is fully cooked inside.

While they are cooking, open up the biscuits and put a slice of cheese on the bottom half. Place in a warm oven to melt the cheese.

Push the patties to the side and cook the eggs in the skillet. I made them over medium – you can make them the way you like them.

Take out the biscuits and place a sausage patty on top of the cheese, topped with the egg and the biscuit top.

West Virginia the Ron

You can add some gravy to the sandwich if you want, but the original doesn’t.

And now you have a hearty breakfast to get you started on a busy day.

West Virginia - Ron

© Copyright 2019 The Lazy Gastronome

5 from 1 vote
West Virginia Buttermilk Biscuits

Big, thick biscuits perfect for gravy or as a sandwich

Course: Breads, Breakfast
Cuisine: American, West virginia
Keyword: biscuits, butter, buttermilk, flaky
Servings: 12 Biscuits
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
  • 4 cups self rising flour
  • 1 cup cold butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup buttermilk (may not need it all)
Instructions
  1. Cut the cold butter into small pieces and, using a pastry cutter, blend it into the dry ingredients until it looks like cornmeal.

  2. Slowly pour in the buttermilk - just enough to make a soft dough.

  3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll to about 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick. 

  4. Using a large cup or biscuit cutter, cut biscuits into rounds. Gently roll any remaining dough into a flat ball.

  5. Place them on a cookie sheet close to each other.

  6. Bake at 375° until they are golden brown on top, about 15 to 20 minutes. 

  7. Brush the tops with melted butter and keep warm until you are ready to serve them (or refrigerate and re-heat later).

Recipe Notes

You can make your own self rising flour.

1 cup of all-purpose flour sifted with 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. 

For this recipe you'd mix a teaspoon of salt and 2 Tablespoons baking powder with the 4 cups of flour. Be sure to sift it so it's well blended.

5 from 1 vote
Sausage Gravy

A hearty, flavorful gravy to smother a big West Virginia Biscuit with.

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American, West virginia
Keyword: buttermilk, gravy, sausage
Servings: 2 cups of gravy
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter (one stick)
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3 cups regular milk (whole or 2%)
  • 2 pounds bulk breakfast sausage
Instructions
  1. Break the sausage into large chunks and brown in a skillet (I like cast iron). 

  2. Once the sausage is cooked through, add the butter and stir until it's melted. Slowly stir in the flour and continue to stir until it starts to turn golden.

  3. Whisk in the butter milk and then the regular milk. Keep whisking until it's fully blended, then continue to stir with a wooden spoon. When the gravy is thickened, add salt and pepper to taste. 

  4. Set on the back burner to keep warm or serve it up right now - smothering a big biscuit.

5 from 1 vote
West Virginia - Ron
Sausage and Egg Biscuit Sandwich

A deliciously easy sandwich you can make and take to go!

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American, West virginia
Keyword: biscuit, biscuits, blue cheese, egg, sandwich, sausage
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
  • 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
  • 4 large buttermilk biscuits
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese (or 8 smaller slices)
  • 4 eggs cooked over easy, medium or sunny side up
Instructions
  1. Make patties with the sausage, a bit bigger than the circumference of the biscuits. 

  2. Brown the patties in a skillet on both sides, making sure it is fully cooked inside.

  3. While they are cooking, open up the biscuits and put a slice of cheese on the bottom half. Place in a warm oven to melt the cheese.

  4. Push the patties to the side and cook the eggs in the skillet. I made them over medium - you can make them the way you like them..

  5. Take out the biscuits and place a sausage patty on top of the cheese, topped with the egg and the biscuit top

 

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!


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4 Responses to West Virginia Biscuits and Gravy

  1. Pingback: Top Ten Posts of 2021 - The Lazy GastronomeThe Lazy Gastronome

  2. Matt says:

    5 stars
    Best gravy I ever had.

  3. Michael B says:

    Great, easy recipe. I butter tops before baking. Tastes just like the biscuits we have with country ham at Biscuit World in Virginia on way to visit daughter in North Carolina. We’ve made this recipe numerous times since finding it. Thank you!

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