A Southern Biscuit

Is there anything better... gotta have a good biscuit every now and then. It just makes the world a brighter place sometimes. My mother-in-law used to make biscuits for us when we lived out of state, making plenty for the freezer for another date, and I would watch. She never measured ingredients, but she was sure to use my tools so that I could copy her procedure. I have made an effort to put amounts with the ingredients for you, but you really have to learn to feel the dough. Just three ingredients, but I am particular about two of them. Self-rising flour should be White Lily or Martha White - they are different from other brands. The shortening must be Crisco. The buttermilk is good from Purity, but when I can catch storebrand buttermilk on sale, I use it. 
A few other notes: 1) my MIL did not like my rolling pin "sock" nor my pastry cloth, but I like both. They are inexpensive and are sold at Williams-Sonoma. I believe less flour is needed when using these. 
2) If you are putting some in the freezer, "parbake" (that means partially) the biscuits... or until a couple of them just begin to brown. Remove from oven, cool a bit, place in freezer on cookie sheet for 15-20 min., then place biscuits into freezer bags. Thaw completely before reheating in preheated 450 oven for 6-8 minutes.
3) One recipe is never enough for me to justify the clean up, so I usually double or triple. Just makes sense for my crew.
4) NEVER throw away the last one. They are great microwaved or split, buttered, & toasted.

Nanny's Biscuits
3 cups self-rising flour
1/3 cup Crisco
1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk


Sift flour into large bowl. Using pastry cutter, cut in shortening until blended into flour. Add buttermilk to make soft dough. If dough is too wet to handle, sift in additional flour. Place dough onto floured board & roll to desired thickness. In preheated 450 oven, bake biscuits for 15 minutes to parbake (see above) or 17-18 minutes to serve immediately. Brush lightly with melted butter when removing from oven (optional). This recipe doubled will yield about 30 - 2.5" biscuits.