Biscuits,n,gravy .

K

Kevin the grey

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Aug 26, 2005
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One of the simplest and most satisfying meals I have had was biscuits and gravy on a cold damp morning . I think there was some grits on the side as well .

If appetite is the best sauce then being cold and miserable is gravy on the steak.

Does anybody have a recipe for biscuits that is made with water instead of milk?
I am looking for the simplest dutch oven or pan fry biscuits . I,m not packing milk into the forest and aside from that in a few days you won,t have milk anymore anyway . The least amount of ingredients if possible . I can pack flour and the dry ingredients premixed if possible . If I only need to wisk in water and one or two other things it would be a quick setting up camp meal .

Any variations on this theme would be welcome . Even if it is a premixed dry package though I prefer made from scratch .
 
I've used complete pancake mix (just add water) to make biscuits. The crew really ate 'em up, and they cook up nicely, too.
 
For recipees that need milk I add dry milk then mix with water in the appropriat amount. Most dry components can be premixed dry in a ziplock before you leave.
Enjoy!
 
cjpgeyer thats a good option . I,ll explore it . I do find that even bisquick biscuits have a cake texture and taste as opposed to a bread/biscuit .

HappyJoe ? Good idea . Do you find the dry milk gives a particular taste to the biscuits? I had that stuff sometimes as a kid . It was hard to believe it came from a cow . L:O:L

It is a good idea . Sometimes comprimises have to be made if we want luxurious camping . (Hey that sounds oxymoronic) L:O:L
 
I've heard that a lot of the distinctive taste we're used to from "dried milk" is actually the taste of dried _skim_ milk. I've noticed that you can get dried WHOLE milk in most of the grocery stores that cater to a Hispanic market; I usually see it sold under the brand name "Nido". I would imagine that it wouldn't last nearly as long as dried skim milk, as the fat would turn funny flavors sooner--but it'd sure last you longer than liquid milk.

Actually, that said, in England, they sell liquid milk that is sterilized and sealed enough that you can keep it at room temperature. But, then, you're carrying something that (a) has water in it, and (b) is in an inherently-not-too-tough container, with all the leakage risk that involves.
 
Return of the J.D. said:
Actually, that said, in England, they sell liquid milk that is sterilized and sealed enough that you can keep it at room temperature. But, then, you're carrying something that (a) has water in it, and (b) is in an inherently-not-too-tough container, with all the leakage risk that involves.
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They sell it in the states too, it is Parmalat brand, I drink it every time I go to the field, I also like powdered milk, it has a little twang to it but I like it. I guess that is what you get for growing up poor.:)
 
Are you speaking of " Carnation milk " I,m pretty sure that is condensed milk . There may be a distinction between sweetened and unsweetened condensed milk .

When I was young it was what we had in our tea . While it does have a distinctive flavour it is quite pleasant .

As for whole milk powder being better than skim ? You may be onto something there. That may also be the difference between an add water mix and an add milk mix . Does anyone happen tro have an add water biscuit mix in their home ?

I,m a biscuit and dumpling junky . If you want fresh bread and don,t have an oven its a good way to go . I make bannock which can be made with water or milk . Its a real different chew from a biscuit .
 
Kevin the grey said:
Are you speaking of " Carnation milk " I,m pretty sure that is condensed milk . There may be a distinction between sweetened and unsweetened condensed milk .
Click to expand...

No, I am talking about parmalat shelf stable milk, comes in a red box and is a staple of any US Army MKT. Chris
 
Foremost Milkman is another dried milk product that reconstitues pretty well. I use it for cooking and morning camp-coffee. It has 5% milkfat before adding water and 1/2% after adding. Not too bad for instant...if you can find it.



J
 
Great stuff . Parmalat is a fairly large concern here . It has taken over a large company called sealtest . I,ll check them out . The shelf stable milks sound like they may be a possible alternative in some situations .

Powdered whole milk as well . The premix add water only type biscuit mixes are a bit too much like cake for me . I imagine when I am cold and tired they would taste just fine . They don,t call them pancakes for nothing . L:O:L
 
"Lil' Milk" is another like Parmalat. It comes in half-pint juice-box sized containers which are convenient...haven't tried it yet tho.
 
Kevin the grey said:
One of the simplest and most satisfying meals I have had was biscuits and gravy on a cold damp morning . I think there was some grits on the side as well .

If appetite is the best sauce then being cold and miserable is gravy on the steak.

Does anybody have a recipe for biscuits that is made with water instead of milk?
I am looking for the simplest dutch oven or pan fry biscuits . I,m not packing milk into the forest and aside from that in a few days you won,t have milk anymore anyway . The least amount of ingredients if possible . I can pack flour and the dry ingredients premixed if possible . If I only need to wisk in water and one or two other things it would be a quick setting up camp meal .

Any variations on this theme would be welcome . Even if it is a premixed dry package though I prefer made from scratch .
Click to expand...


( Milk is not needed to make biscuts or pancakes)

2 cups self rising flour
1/4 cup shortning
1/2 to 1 cup water
some butter

Mix the shortning into the flour until it feels like moist bread crumbs. Then add the water slowly, a little at a time, while mixing, until the dough separates from the sides of the bowl. (IMPORTANT. don't need the dough to much.)
then just roll your biscuts, put them in your dutch oven with the butter. and enjoy.

Take it form a Redneck, we know these things.
 
ranger88 thats great . I imagine the butter makes a difference . I think fresh bread can be a luxury when camping . I do not mean it should be a rarity . It is that it adds a sense of another course when eating .

Its a great way for someone who has to take off in a hurry to eat on the run.
What is it John Wayne said ? " Forget the apples . Slap some bacon on a biscuit and lets go . Daylights a'burnin ."
 
Nido is good stuff. Check the ethnic section of your local grocery. I use it for cooking and also add it to hot cocoa. The shelf life is reportedly shorter than the fat free powdered milk, due to the fat in it.

I also try to keep a few cans of canned milk in my refrigerator. That way they are cold when I'm ready to use them. I try to remember to turn them over every once in a while to keep them from settling. By the way, there is a big diffence between canned milk and sweetened condensed milk:

http://homecooking.about.com/od/milkproducts/a/canmilkhistory.htm

There's a trick to using the fat free powdered milk. Carefully measure the water and the powder, mix or shake thoroughly (a jar with a lid works well for this) and then refrigerate overnight. Time and cold makes all the difference- cold and smooth instead of warm and grainy. There is a BIG difference.

On the cattle drives in the late 1800s (think Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates in Rawhide) they probably didn't bother to rope a cow to milk her to get milk to make biscuits, but I could be wrong. From what I've read, people didn't drink much milk back then because of tuberculosis, etc. That's why canned milk was such a hit. If you don't want to use plain water, then use a little powdered milk.

This site sells canned butter, and it is real butter and not margarine:

http://www.internet-grocer.net/butter.htm

I've also seen it for sale on ebay. I've never tried it so can't comment on the taste. An alternative for camping is margarine sold in plastic squeeze bottles.

I have no experience with packaged milk. A search on "shelf stable milk" will turn up lots of info.

All this talk about biscuits and gravy sure is making me hungry!
 
bill2054 thats a good tip on the refrigeration . It wouldn,t fit every scenario . I am sure I could adapt it to most .
 
ok here are some biscuits straight outa my jiffy mix cookbook

needed

2 c Jiffy Baking mix
⅔ c Water
Directions: Mix well and knead. If too soft, add a little more mix for a dry handleing dough. Put flour on aluminum foil and pat dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into biscuits. Bake at moderate heat for 15-20 minutes, or until biscuits are lightly browned on top. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Yield: 1 Servings
 
WE used to make clarified butter for packing. that is, melted butter that is then skimmed off leaving only the clear liquid and using the mil solids and whey for pets. Kept in a little plastic squirt bottle itis great for camping as it keeps for a long time.
 
i loved to drink parmalat but the only problem is where im at the stuff is SOOOO dam expensive
 
Kevin the grey said:
I do find that even bisquick biscuits have a cake texture and taste as opposed to a bread/biscuit .
Click to expand...
kevin, i think your taste buds are goofed up. ;) :D good old fashioned southern biscuits are made from flour, salt, baking powder, lard (or gasp... crisco) and buttermilk (or gasp... regular milk). that's exactly what is in bisquick, minus the milk, plus they add a couple preservatives which may affect taste and texture a little but probably not *that* much. that said, i agree that made from scratch biscuits are the best and biscuits 'n gravy are a great meal on a cold morning.

by the way, adding egg to bisquick will give you a cake-like texture (pancakes). you aren't adding an egg are you? :eek: ;)
 
Goofed up or not it is a question of degree here which may confuse you .
If you are telling me bisquick tastes like from scratch biscuits then we may have an issue here . If not it is just a question of personal taste . I find bisquick mix as a comprimise between a biscuit and a pancake .

A good from scratch biscuit is heaven in a toasty golden brown crust . Preparation and proportion may have a lot to do with it as well .
 
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