I brewed a Northern English Brown ale, and as I was cleaning out my mash tun, a light bulb light popped on in my head. I went inside, grabbed a few cookie sheets, and turned on the ovens to 200 degrees. That light bulb had my brain processing what I can do with all of this spent grain. I had about 1/3 of my spent grains drying in the oven. Every so often I would stir the grains around and let the hot steam escape from underneath the almost dried top layer.
As the wheels were still turning in my head, I knew I wanted to make biscuits for breakfast in the morning. Boom! I told my wife that is what I was going to do. I got that response that I knew she was worried. Even with the skeptical wifey, I moved onward and adapted my normal buttermilk biscuit recipe.
Spent Grain Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dried spent grain
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp very cold unsalted butter
- Enough buttermilk to bring mixture to a dough
Procedure
Heat your oven to 425 degrees.
I used my food processor for everything up until I added the buttermilk this go around. Feel free to do this by hand and do not be afraid to get your hands all in this. There is a feel to biscuits and this will help you achieve the best texture.
If you haven’t milled your dried spent grain yet, do so now. I just milled in the food processor. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix well.
Cut the butter into 1/4″ cubes and then cut the butter into flour mixture. If using food processor, pulse approximately 15 times. You should have a flaky powder right now.
![Flaky powder as I was putting the buttermilk in](https://i0.wp.com/imakewort.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2016-01-31-07.40.02.jpg?resize=225%2C300)
Flaky powder as I was putting the buttermilk in
I’m sure you noticed I didn’t put an amount of buttermilk you need. Some days I need 3/4 cup some days I need 1 1/8 cups. I don’t measure. Just use enough buttermilk to form a dough. The dough should be soft and not too sticky. If you feel the dough is too sticky feel free to knead in some more flour.
![Drop the dough like it's hot onto a floured surface](https://i0.wp.com/imakewort.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2016-01-31-07.44.21.jpg?resize=225%2C300)
Drop the dough like it’s hot onto a floured surface
After the dough has come together, drop it on a floured surface. I like my biscuits to have layers. Gently use the heel of your hands to flatten the dough- I don’t even use our rolling pin any more. Fold the dough into thirds and flip it over and turn it 180 degrees. Repeat this 2-3 more times. This is purely optional, but it creates great layers!
Now for a hard decision. How big do you want your biscuits? I think the biscuit cutter I use is two inches which yielded 12 biscuits. Ok ok as you see in the pic below, it is 11 biscuits and a baby one, this one is for testing purposes only.
![Hurry up and cook! I'm hungry!](https://i0.wp.com/imakewort.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2016-01-31-07.47.09.jpg?resize=225%2C300)
Hurry up and cook! I’m hungry!
Throw them into your nicely heated 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes depends on your oven. If your oven heats unevenly like mine, halfway through, rotate the pan so they are evenly brown.
![Here is when the skeptical wifey became unskeptical](https://i0.wp.com/imakewort.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2016-01-31-08.04.38.jpg?resize=225%2C300)
Here is when the skeptical wifey became unskeptical
Now it’s time to enjoy! The only thing wrong with my breakfast this morning was I didn’t cook enough bacon.
![Breakfast time! Had to show off my coffee mug I got at Strange Brew](https://i0.wp.com/imakewort.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2016-01-31-08.19.43.jpg?resize=300%2C225)
Breakfast time! Had to show off my coffee mug I got at Strange Brew
***Originally posted on Southern Fried Fermenters