Anytime is a Good Time for Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

Whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner, these biscuits are pretty fantastic. They’re reminiscent of Red Lobster’s cheddar bay biscuits but with the fabulous addition of bacon.

The key to good biscuits is to work the dough as briefly as possible. Soft, fluffy biscuits should have minimal handling. It’s fine if there are a few spots of flour left after combining the ingredients. The buttermilk will absorb them.

You can serve these as a side dish with a wide range of meals; seafood, chowders, meat and poultry are all good options. Or, if you’re like me, you can enjoy them for breakfast. They make a perfect base for bacon, egg and cheese biscuits.

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

Yields: 9 or 10 biscuits
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 slices good quality bacon
• 7 1/2 ounces (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp and then drain on paper towels. Chop and set aside.
2. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, onion powder, garlic powder and salt. Add the butter and use your fingers or a pastry blender to combine the dry ingredients with the butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with several larger pea-sized pieces of butter remaining in the bowl (these will create flakier biscuits). Stir in the bacon and cheddar cheese with a spatula, distributing evenly. Pour the buttermilk into the bowl and stir very briefly, until the dough is just combined. The less the dough is mixed, the more tender the biscuits will be.
4. Use a 1/4-cup scoop or measuring cup to portion out the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheets. Baking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Photo credit: Jennifer Farley

Source: eHow.com