Crystal Wilkinson’s Praisesong Biscuits
A recipe rising from Black Appalachia
I was born and raised in the South, yet, the art of crafting a good biscuit–a tender, pillowy, golden cloud that was sturdy enough to hold a slice of ham or generous slabs of butter and blackberry jam–has eluded me.
A reliable biscuit recipe is practically a southern necessity. We love them unreservedly and will eat them at all hours of the day. But perhaps the best time to preheat the oven is in the quiet hours of early morning. While the rest of the house is still asleep, rolling out the dough and cutting biscuits turns into a meditative act, and there’s nothing like filling the kitchen with the aroma of freshly baked bread.
When I first moved to the mountains of southern Appalachia, I started digging to unearth what I could about Black identity, culture, and food here. I discovered Crystal Wilkinson’s body of work that shines a light on the often untold stories of Black Appalachian life and culture. As an award-winning poet, writer, and professor, her commitment to creatively challenging narratives of erasure have helped me, a Black woman attempting to build a home here, feel a sense of belonging I might not have otherwise found.
Crystal’s culinary memoir, Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts, presents an approachable recipe that turns out a classic biscuit with an enviable rise and golden brown exterior, suitable to accompany any meal of the day.
Thankfully, now I have Crystal’s recipe as my new go-to and celebrate this time-honored addition to a lazy weekend brunch!
– Jasmin, Copywriter
Praisesong Biscuits
I have been baking biscuits all my life, in search of the perfect recipe for decades. I tried for years to make them like my grandmother’s, but she never wrote down her recipe (of course).
So, this recipe is mine. I think it’s just right—at least it seems to be the one my family likes best. An ideal biscuit has a slightly crisp crust paired with a tender softness inside and can hold up to jelly or gravy or a small piece of meat for a tasty morsel of a sandwich.
The key to tender biscuits is not to mess with the dough too much. I like to see bits of butter in it, so the biscuits bake up with tiny pools of buttery goodness inside.
Makes eight 3-inch biscuits
Ingredients:
- 2 to 2¼ cups self-rising flour, plus more as needed
- 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) vegetable shortening, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) cold salted butter, plus more for serving
- 1 cup whole milk
Directions:
1. Place a rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour with the shortening and use a pastry cutter or two forks to blend them into a coarse meal.
3. Cut the cold butter into pea-size pieces. Add them to the bowl and stir to coat with the flour, then pour in the milk, using a fork to stir the mixture into a soft, shaggy dough. Add a bit more flour, as needed. Do not overmix.
4. Generously flour your work surface and your 3-inch round biscuit cutter (or inverted glass). Transfer the dough there and knead it six times—only adding a little more flour, as needed, to keep it from being too sticky and just to keep it workable.
5. Gently pat or roll out the dough to a thickness of about ½ inch. Use the biscuit cutter to cut straight down, without twisting, to form a total of 8 biscuits. Gently reroll the scraps to use all the dough.
6. Place the biscuit rounds on an ungreased baking sheet, close together but not touching. Brush off any excess flour. Bake on the middle rack until lightly browned on top and bottom, 12 to 15 minutes.
7. Butter the biscuit tops and serve hot.
