The Weeknight Table

Meat

• 1 pound breakfast sausage

Dairy

• 8 ounces cream cheese, cold and cubed
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (for the gravy)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for the honey butter)
• 2½ cups half-and-half
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons honey

Produce

• ½ small yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

Baking Aisle

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Spices & Seasonings

• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper (or more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried sage
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

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Instructions

Make the Biscuits

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

Add the cold butter and cream cheese. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work everything together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter and cream cheese throughout.

Pour in the buttermilk and gently mix just until a shaggy dough forms. Be careful not to overwork it.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold it over onto itself three or four times to create flaky layers, then pat it back to about 1 inch thick.

Cut the biscuits using a floured biscuit cutter, pressing straight down without twisting.

Arrange the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet so they’re just barely touching. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until tall and deeply golden.

While the biscuits bake, stir together the melted butter and honey. As soon as the biscuits come out of the oven, generously brush every biscuit with the honey butter.

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Make the Sausage Gravy

While the biscuits bake, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into small crumbles as it cooks.

Stir in the diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Sprinkle the flour over the sausage mixture and stir continuously for about 2 minutes, allowing the flour to cook and coat everything evenly.

Slowly pour in the half-and-half while whisking constantly until smooth.

Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy.

Season with black pepper, chicken bouillon, thyme, sage, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Serve the hot sausage gravy generously spooned over the warm honey butter biscuits.

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Chef’s Notes

• Cold ingredients make better biscuits. Keep the butter and cream cheese as cold as possible until they hit the oven.
• Don’t twist the biscuit cutter. Twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuits from reaching their full height.
• The honey butter isn’t optional. The slight sweetness balances the rich, peppery gravy beautifully.
• If the gravy thickens too much while sitting, simply stir in another splash of half-and-half until it’s silky again.
• Freshly cracked black pepper is the star of the gravy—don’t be shy with it.