I pity the North.
The North thinks that due to the recent barbecue renaissance that is occurring nationwide, they know true Southern barbecue. This is simply not the case. After all, any populace that continues to confuse the term “barbecue” with “outdoor grilling” is sure to be ignorant of the finer nuances of smoked meats.
I will not pretend to be an expert in the art of low and slow cooking delicious fatty pork shoulder, ribs, and poultry, but I am definitely an expert at eating it. My dad’s family is from Decatur, AL, and for every family gathering there for as long as I can remember, we had Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ pork with red sauce and BBQ turkey with the original Alabama white sauce. Don’t knock it til you’ve tried it, folks – it’ll rock your socks.
But when Big Bob’s was out of reach, we went for the next best thing: a local place in Birmingham that recently became a beloved chain in the South, Jim ‘N Nick’s BBQ. While they are famed for their pork and pie, any regular can tell you, the best things in life and in barbecue are free, and by that I mean Jim ‘N Nick’s cheese biscuits. They come piled high in a greasy-papered basket before your meal, and they are to die for.
The restaurants do sell a mix, but I was not feeling inclined to wait until a bag could be procured by my mother and sent to me in the mail. I was also requested to make some for our intern’s last week with us. So what’s a Grumpy Girl to do? Make her own.
Copycat Jim ‘N Nick’s Cheese Biscuits
Vegetarian; I’m not going to tell you the calorie counts – don’t punish yourself, just eat these and be happy.
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsp melted butter
3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1) Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
2) Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in your wet ingredients one at a time. Until just combined. Don’t overmix – lumps are ok.
3) Fold in the cheese.
4) Scoop into greased mini muffin tins, filling almost all the way full. You want them to overflow a little when they bake.
5) Bake at 400 for 10-12 mins. Cool, serve, and blow your friends’ minds with sweet-savory goodness.
Viva la South(ern cooking), viva la Grump!
The Grumpy Girl Cooks 