Equipment Needed
- Large, oven-safe skillet (12-inch cast iron is perfect) or a 9×13 baking dish
- Mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
- Box grater (for cheese)
- Pastry cutter or two forks
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
Step-by-Step Instructions
We start by building the rich, cheesy beef base that will cradle our biscuits. If you’re using a skillet, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and diced onion, breaking up the meat until it’s fully browned and the onions are soft. Drain any excess grease—this is important to prevent a greasy filling. Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant. Now, sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of flour over the beef mixture. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes. This cooks out the raw flour taste and will help thicken our sauce beautifully.
Next, we create the luscious sauce. Pour in the cheddar cheese soup, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan—that’s flavor! Add the dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. If you’re using the frozen vegetables, stir them in now. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for 3-5 minutes, until it thickens slightly. It should be the consistency of a thick stew. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set this aside while we make the iconic topping.
Now for the star of the show: the Cheddar Bay biscuit dough. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and garlic powder. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. These bits of butter are what will create flaky layers in the oven. Gently stir in the cold milk, the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar, and the fresh parsley just until a shaggy dough forms. Don’t overmix! Overworking the dough makes tough biscuits. (See the next page below to continue…)