Biscuits are the ultimate comfort food: they can be a side to your comfort food main dish or be the main dish itself. They are also acceptable to eat with any meal any time of the day. With a kiss of hickory smoke, as well as the appeal of making them in a cast iron, this recipe will make you want to eat biscuits with every meal!
Can I Make These in my Oven?
Of course! If you don’t have access to a grill that can provide you indirect heat, or don’t want to go outside in the elements, then put them in the oven! They’ll still taste great, but without that hint of hickory smoke to them.
Combining the Ingredients
Getting down to business, start by getting a large mixing bowl. Add two cups of flour, along with a tablespoon of baking powder, a tablespoon of sugar, and a teaspoon of salt. Mix these dry ingredients together. I prefer to mix with my hands, but with a mixing spoon will work just fine.
Next comes what might be the most important ingredient here: butter. The key to flaky cast iron biscuits (or any homemade biscuit, for that matter) is cold butter. The colder, the better. This is why I highly recommend a frozen stick of butter for this recipe. I simply grate the butter with a cheese grater and freeze my hand off in the process, but it’s worth it. It is okay if you don’t get the entire stick of butter grated. At least six tablespoons worth will suffice. I recommend grating onto a smaller cutting board so you can slide it all into the mixing bowl with less mess.
Mix the grated butter into the dry ingredients. Pour in a 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream and a 1/2 cup of milk and mix altogether. You should form one big, flaky ball of dough.
How Many Times Do You Fold The Biscuit Dough?
One debate when it comes to making biscuits is how many times to fold the dough, if at all. Some swear by four times, five times, etc. I’ve tried folding the dough as much as six times to get more layers and help with the flaky crust. But, in my experience, three times is the charm. When folding the dough, make sure to spread some flour on the board or surface you’re working with first.
Smash down the dough with your hands until the dough is about 1-1.5 inches thick. Use a cookie or biscuit cutter to cut circles in the dough. Make sure to not twist as this will keep the biscuits from raising and getting fluffy.
Move these biscuits over to a medium-to-large size cast iron skillet (10-12 inches). I like to lay down some parchment paper in the cast iron to help keep the bottoms of the biscuits from burning, especially when the grill I am using has the indirect heat source coming from the bottom.
Cast Iron Biscuits on the Grill
Before starting the whole biscuit making process, it is important that you get your grill preheated. This can take some time, especially since we are going to a higher temp with indirect heat. Make sure to use hickory wood chunks for your charcoal grill (go indirect heat) or hickory pellets for your pellet grill. Place cast iron biscuits on the grill for about 20 minutes.
You’ll know the biscuits are done when you touch the top and they feel firm. Another indicator is to look at the bottom of the biscuits to see if they are getting brown. I prefer tapping the tops. When done, remove from grill and let rest for a few. You can brush melted butter on top of them now to add some of that buttery flavor. If you want them to look more golden brown on top then I suggest brushing with melting butter before they cook on the grill.
What Goes Well With Biscuits?
These smoky, flaky cast iron biscuits are great with almost any meal! Here are some recipes you can pair biscuits with:
The Cast Iron Biscuits Recipe!
Smoky, Flaky Cast Iron Biscuits
Biscuits are the ultimate comfort food: they can be a side to your comfort food main dish or be the main dish itself. They are also acceptable to eat with any meal any time of the day. With a kiss of hickory smoke, this recipe will make you want to eat biscuits with every meal!
Ingredients
- 2 Cups flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 Cup butter, cold (frozen preferable)
- 1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 Cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 400 degrees over indirect heat using hickory wood. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Mix together. Take cold stick of butter (preferably frozen) and grate. Mix into other ingredients. Pour heavy whipping cream and milk in bowl and mix until ingredients are combined.
- On a large surface, sprinkle flour. Take ball of dough and flatten until about an inch thick. Fold and flatten three times (roughly an inch thick each time. Cut into circles with cookie/biscuit cutter. This should make seven biscuits.
- Take medium-to-large cast iron skillet and line inside with parchment paper. Place six biscuits around the inside perimeter of skillet with the last one going in the center.
- Place cast iron on grill for 20 minutes. Biscuits are done when they begin to get firm on top. Remove and give a few minutes to cool down before eating.
Notes
1. Put butter on tops of biscuits either before going on the grill or after. Putting them on before should help them look more golden brown.
2. This recipe can easily be adapted to be made in the oven. However, there will be no hickory smoke flavor.
3. Frozen butter is highly recommended for this recipe as it is a key to flaky biscuits.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 7 biscuits Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 250Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 350mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
