Yield: 6 servings.

2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup buttermilk + ¼ cup, divided

Preheat oven to 475°. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and pepper. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until flour resembles coarse sand. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in 1 cup of buttermilk. Turning the edge of the bowl, add flour to center of bowl until all of the buttermilk has been absorbed. Do not overmix.

Pour dough onto a clean, floured surface and knead three or four times, folding over the dough each time. Use hands to spread dough out to ½-inch thickness. Cut out biscuits, dipping the cutter in flour between each cut.

Place biscuits onto large baking sheet. Brush the tops of the biscuits with buttermilk. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and serve.

Sausage Gravy
Yield: 6 servings.

1 pound ground pork sausage
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
¼ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon hot sauce
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage until no longer pink. Add butter to the pan and stir. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes.

Slowly pour the milk into the sausage mixture, whisking constantly until smooth. Whisk in the seasonings. Taste the gravy and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve over biscuits.