Paleo Biscuits + Sausage Gravy

When I wrote Down South Paleo, cassava flour was nowhere to be seen. So I used different blends of flours including potato starch, water chestnut flour, almond flour, and tapioca starch. I also used the whole yuca root which is not only delicious but an adventure to learn as some of you know!

In Down South Paleo, I used almond flour as the foundation for my biscuit recipe. I love the texture but honestly I can’t really consume almond flour regularly and I know many of you can’t either. Add that to the fact that I recently got a note from a reader who said she had tried a few different nut free biscuit recipes from the paleo community and was underwhelmed. Well don’t you know that feedback  is all I need to run to the kitchen and get crackin’.

I knew I wanted to use the magical cassava flour because honestly for a nut free, grain free biscuit, it makes the most sense as it is the closest to white flour there is. I wanted to make sure they weren’t gummy, however because the nature of yuca/cassava is to gum up when it is too concentrated (depending on the recipe). It is often more successful when used as a blend, but the right blend depends on what you’re trying to accomplish texture wise. And since that was more than you ever probably wanted to know about cassava flour, let’s move right along to the recipe.

I needed these to be golden and toasty on the outside but tender in the middle with a nice crumb that didn’t disappoint. I’m happy to report these turned out just as I had hoped and were perfect with my
DSP sausage gravy recipe!

For the Biscuits:

• 1 cup cassava flour
• 1 pastured egg
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons local honey
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

For the Gravy:

• 1 pound pastured breakfast sausage
• 1 can full fat coconut milk (or dairy free milk of your choosing)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2-3 teaspoons tapioca starch
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

1. To make the biscuits, preheat your oven to 350
2. Combine all biscuit ingredients in a bowl and stir/knead until you have a ball of dough
3. Roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper (making the dough about 1.5 inches thick)
4. Use a small biscuit cutter or cup to cut out the biscuit round
5. Mine were about 3-4 inches in diameter and I was able to make 5 – double the recipe if you are feeding a family or have a hearty appetite
6. Place your biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet and dust them with a bit of extra cassava flour
7. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool just slightly before slicing them open warm. You may toast them sliced to reheat if needed should they not be eaten right away
8. To make the sausage gravy, cook the sausage in a pan over high heat until cooked through
9. Drain excess grease and pour in your coconut milk, stirring well
10. In a cup combine the water and tapioca starch to make a slurry
11. Stir the slurry into the pan and stir once more
12. Season with salt and pepper and serve over open-faced warm biscuits