Buttermilk Biscuits with Sausage Gravy

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Grate the cold butter directly into the flour and toss with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized flecks of butter.

Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir gently with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms: do not overmix or the biscuits will turn tough.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat into a 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick rectangle, fold in thirds like a letter, then pat out again. Repeat once more for flaky layers.

Cut into 8 rounds with a sharp biscuit cutter (press straight down, do not twist). Place on the sheet so they touch slightly, brush tops with a little buttermilk, and bake 15-18 minutes until tall and deeply golden.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble in the breakfast sausage and cook 6-8 minutes, breaking it up, until deeply browned with crispy edges: those brown bits are pure flavour.

Sprinkle 3 tbsp flour over the sausage and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw taste, until the flour coats every piece and smells nutty.

Slowly whisk in the whole milk, scraping up the fond from the bottom of the pan. Add the Worcestershire sauce, a generous pinch of salt, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.

Simmer gently for 4-6 minutes, stirring often, until the gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning: it should be peppery and rich.

Stir in the chopped fresh chives off the heat. Split the warm biscuits open and ladle the hot gravy generously overtop. Serve immediately.