Black Pepper Thyme Biscuits with Pork Sausage
Buttery, flaky biscuits infused with cracked black pepper and fresh thyme pair with homemade pork sausage patties and spiced peach-ginger relish. This brunch sandwich showcases Southern soul food traditions with layers of savory and sweet flavors. The biscuits employ a lamination technique similar to croissants, creating their signature tender crumb and shattered crust. Serve warm for brunch, lunch, or as an impressive make-ahead breakfast sandwich that feeds a crowd.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon blended olive and vegetable oil
- 1 shallot, sliced into small rings
- 2 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 pound fresh peaches, finely chopped, about 3 medium
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tablespoon vegetable shortening, cold, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/8-inch slices
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk, cold
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 pound ground pork
- 4 ounce cooked ham, finely chopped
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs, soft, fresh
- 2 teaspoon sorghum syrupmolasses1:1baking
medium
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh sage, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 egg, large, beaten
Instructions
- 1
Warm oil in saucepan over medium-high heat, add shallots and ginger, reduce to medium and cook stirring often until softened, about 3 minutes.
- 2
Add remaining relish ingredients and cook until liquid is reduced and syrupy, about 10 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand 20 minutes.
- 3
Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper in large bowl.
- 4
Break shortening into flour mixture with fingertips until pea-sized pieces remain.
- 5
Add chilled butter slices, coat in flour, then press between well-floured fingertips into flat nickel-size pieces and repeat until all incorporated.
- 6
Chill bowl in freezer 15 minutes.
- 7
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- 8
Gently stir buttermilk into flour mixture with fork, add thyme, and stir until dough forms a ball with no dry flour bits remaining.
- 9
Turn dough onto floured surface and pat to 1/4-inch-thick 10-inch rectangle, adding flour as needed.
- 10
Fold dough into thirds, lift short end and fold into thirds again.
- 11
Rotate dough 90 degrees, dust work surface, and roll and fold into 10-inch square about 1/2-inch thick.
- 12
Cut 12 biscuits using 2-inch round floured cutter and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.
- 13
Brush biscuit tops with melted butter and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- 14
Combine pork with remaining sausage ingredients in large bowl, let stand 15 minutes.
- 15
Scoop 1/4-cup portions onto wax paper-lined baking sheet and shape into 1/2-inch-thick patties.
- 16
Brown patties in cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat in batches until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.
- 17
Split biscuits, top bottom halves with sausage patty and relish, cover with top halves.
Tips
Keep all butter and shortening ice cold and work quickly when laminating biscuit dough to ensure flaky, tender layers throughout.
Make relish up to 3 days ahead and store refrigerated in an airtight container for time-saving assembly.
Shape sausage patties and refrigerate up to 12 hours before cooking for easier handling and better texture development.
Good to Know
Biscuits keep 2 days in airtight container at room temperature. Reheat wrapped in foil at 350F for 10 minutes. Relish stores 5 days refrigerated. Sausage patties keep 3 days refrigerated, up to 2 months frozen.
Relish and sausage mixture prepare 1 day ahead, refrigerated. Shape sausage patties up to 12 hours ahead. Biscuits bake up to 2 hours ahead, rewarm before serving. Assemble sandwiches within 30 minutes of serving for best texture.
Serve warm immediately after assembly. Pair with hot coffee or fresh lemonade. Serves 12 as brunch main or 6 as hearty double sandwiches.
Common Mistakes
Use ice-cold butter and shortening throughout to avoid tough, dense biscuits lacking flaky layers
Avoid overworking dough during lamination to prevent gluten overdevelopment and resulting tough texture
Do not skip the freezer rest after incorporating fats to prevent butter and shortening from melting into dough during folding
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I make biscuits without lamination?
Yes, skip the folding steps and simply mix in all cold butter and shortening together before adding buttermilk. Biscuits will be more crumbly than flaky but still tasty. Reduce baking time to 12-13 minutes.
What if I don't have a cast-iron skillet for sausage?
Use any heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Cast iron retains heat well for even browning, but a stainless steel or well-seasoned non-stick pan works fine with slightly reduced heat if needed.
How long can I keep assembled sandwiches?
Assemble and eat within 30 minutes for best biscuit texture. Butter and moisture from relish and sausage soften the biscuits, so prepare only as many as you need at assembly time.