# Serving Biscuits **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [May 1, 2025, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749 "2025-05-01T12:36:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/61 "2025-05-02T15:46:15Z")
Does anyone use beef tallow for buscuits? I know some people use pork lard. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/62 "2025-05-02T15:55:10Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > This is precisely the advice I’ve tried to follow and met with disappointing results at times. I have a subscription to America’s Test Kitchen. I should look there to see their advice on biscuits. The reason for not overworking is that the butter warms up, so instead of chunks, you get a smear. Butter pieces are important for the flakiness. I generally don’t roll out the dough, just pat it down and then fold in thirds and do that about three times to get the layering. Refrigerating afterwards is a good idea, although I’m usually not patient enough for that. I have a really hard (as in impossible) time getting a nice browning on biscuits now. We have an electric oven instead of the gas we had before, and things just don’t brown well in it. I’ve tried brushing milk on the tops and butter, but nothing seems to work. I think next time I’m going to make smaller batches and put them in the toaster oven, which is convection. As for serving, it’s either B&G or some sort of bean stew, although cornbread is a better alternative for the latter, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/63 "2025-05-02T15:56:45Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > The reason for not overworking is that the butter warms up, so instead of chunks, you get a smear. Butter pieces are important for the flakiness. looks at username. Yeah, checls out. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/64 "2025-05-02T16:47:46Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > As for serving, it’s either B&G or some sort of bean stew, although cornbread is a better alternative for the latter, IMO. I basically make biscuits if i want a change from corn bread. Cornbread is easier, so i make it a lot more often. (The clean up, especially, is easier. Rolling out dough makes a mess.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/65 "2025-05-02T16:49:59Z")
Not in the countries where it’s vegan. In Canada it’s a separate oil they’re fried in. Or rather the fish is fried in a separate oil. This is not necessarily that weird as oil can take on the flavor of fish rather easily, so I’ve seen places other than McD’s where fish is fried separately from other items. Actually, from what I can find, US McDonald’s also use separate fryers so as not to contaminate flavors. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/66 "2025-05-02T16:50:51Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I generally don’t roll out the dough, just pat it down and then fold in thirds and do that about three times to get the layering. Can you explain to me how that works? I’ve done it both ways and with hand-shaping they puffed up beautifully. When I rolled them they were so flat that Canadians wanted to buy them as pucks. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/67 "2025-05-02T16:54:58Z")
You can’t let the butter melt. It’s like laminating dough. You are creating layers of butter and dough where, when you cook them, the butter melts and generates steam and puffs up the layers. If you let the butter melt in the process before baking, this doesn’t really happen and you get dense biscuits. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/68 "2025-05-02T16:56:03Z")
But why would hand forming not melt the butter but rollingpining would? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/69 "2025-05-02T16:58:16Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > McDonald’s doesn’t use mashed potatoes, those are cut slices of potato. Agree. I’ve had “fries” that were made from a sort of potato paste (not mashed potatoes), under the brand name “Frispos”. Hated them. Their taste and texture was not like anybody’s fries, including McDonald’s ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/70 "2025-05-02T16:59:16Z")
Maybe because you’re handling the dough less and giving the butter less chance to melt? I roll mine out and I think they’re fine–light and flaky. I still keep what I would call a light touch on the rolling. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/71 "2025-05-02T17:04:08Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > But why would hand forming not melt the butter but rollingpining would? Maybe it’s a warm kitchen and the butter melts from contact with the rolling surface? If you can shape the dough faster by hand than by rolling, it might come out better. I roll it, and get crazy puffy biscuits with lots of well-defined layers. But i usually do it when my kitchen is no warmer than 72°F I read somewhere that 74°F is the magic temperature where butter melts too much for good pastry. I’m sure it’s not actually a cliff, as butter is a mixture, not a pure fat. But 74°F had been working for me as a good guideline of whether today is a good day to make pastry, and how careful i need to be about speed. (And biscuits are basically pastry.) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/72 "2025-05-02T17:06:28Z")
So it’s not the rolling so much as time difference between the two techniques? Gotcha. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/73 "2025-05-02T17:16:16Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Cut scones, too. Most of the scone recipes I’ve seen are rolled out as a circle and then cut like pie. I normally roll out the scone dough as a rectangle and cut 2 across and 4 down, for 8 scones. I did something similar to the biscuit dough I made last week, but I cut them 3 across and 4 down for 12 biscuits. Both the scones and the biscuit recipe call for folding and turning, etc. Honey for biscuits, preferably from a local hive. Don’t need any more butter. Usually have jam or jelly for scones. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/74 "2025-05-02T17:18:50Z")
Personally, i make drop scones and cut biscuits. I agree that I’ve often seen cut scones made of “wedges”, but i also see round ones, made with a biscuit cutter. 🤷‍♀️ Maybe that’s just a quirk of my friend who makes them a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/75 "2025-05-02T17:34:31Z")
Chocolate gravy is the bomb. It was one was my Daddys specialties. Nothing more pleasant than the aroma of warm chocolate in the kichen. It’s a diificult thing for non-southerners to wrap their heads around. It’s always " that’s weird" Chocolate has a long history of being consumed at breakfast. It’s dead simple to make. If you make any creamy type gravy you can make it. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/76 "2025-05-02T17:51:13Z")
If a new or strange food is kosher, I’m willing to try it. Being chocolate is always a plus. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/77 "2025-05-02T17:54:26Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > (The clean up, especially, is easier. Rolling out dough makes a mess.) You might invest in a [Pastry Cloth](https://www.thekitchn.com/baking-tools-pastry-cloth-154289). I inherited mine from my grandmother, but if I hadn’t, I’d buy one tout de suite. They make cleanup a snap! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/78 "2025-05-02T18:19:17Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > But why would hand forming not melt the butter but rollingpining would? I’m not sure it’s entirely about the melted butter, although that’s part of it. The more you handle a flour dough, especially the more you stretch it, the more that the gluten forms long strands, which’ll give it a chewier bite. A melt-in-your-mouth biscuit shouldn’t chew like bread, which means it shouldn’t have long gluten strands, which means that less stretching is better. I usually do about 4-6 turns and folds and rolls, but I do it as gently as I can. The first batch of biscuits are great. I take the scraps and roll them together, which takes another couple folds and rolls, and the second-batch biscuits come out noticeably tougher (but still very tasty). ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/79 "2025-05-02T18:22:24Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > So it’s not the rolling so much as time difference between the two techniques? Gotcha. And the amount of force used. If you roll very lightly, you’re probably fine. But your average person is going to put a lot more into it with a rolling pin than when pressing out by hand, and that smears the butter and develops the gluten. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749/80 "2025-05-02T18:25:10Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > But your average person is going to put a lot more into it with a rolling pin than when pressing out by hand Definitely a good point. The rolling pin stretches the dough unless you’re really careful. On the other hand, it’s much easier to get an even thickness with a rolling pin. I think I tend to do a combination: most of the work is fold-and-pat by hand, but I finish with the rolling pin to get to the thickness I want. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-biscuits/1017749.md?page=5)