322. MISSISSIPPI DELTA CATHEAD BISCUITS

for four cathead biscuits

1 1/8 cup self-rising flour
2/3 cup milk or buttermilk
1/8 cup oil or bacon drippings

Blend above ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Dump a hand full of flour on a pastry cloth or whatever. As you can see, I use a brown paper sack. Newspaper also works just fine.

As in the top photo, dump the blended dough onto the flour.

Pour a dash of oil into your skillet and smear it around with your fingers. Coat the inside of the skillet and the palms of your hands with oil.

Knead the dough for about 30 seconds, rolling it in the flour and thickening it.

Half the dough as in the middle photo. Half it again, making 4 pieces of dough.

Roll each piece of dough between your hands, making it into a ball, then put it in the skillet.

As you see me doing in this photo, use a spoon or a pastry brush and put a little oil or bacon drippings on the top of each un-baked biscuit. You're ready to start cooking.

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 25 minutes at 350°. Broil/toast for 1 or 2 minutes. Enjoy!


NOTES: They're called "cathead biscuits" because they should be about the size of a cat's head. They should be somewhat round on top and not flat like canned biscuits. Do not cut them out of rolled-out dough with the rim of a glass or with any other implement as every biscuit recipe I've ever read said to do. Roll them into a ball with your hands. Why make home-made biscuits if they look like store-bought biscuits?


courtesy of: John Lee Doughty, Jr., Junior's Juke Joint, Tullos, Louisiana