Three Favorite Biscuit Toppings from a County Fair Legend 

Recipe

The Appalachian grandmother who went viral for her prize-winning dishes shares recipes for sausage gravy, slow-cooked apple butter, and pumpkin butter

Recipes by Linda Skeens

May 17, 2023

photo: courtesy of 83 Press

One of my favorite ways to eat biscuits is with Slow Cooker Apple Butter. When I was growing up, my mommy would make apple butter outside in a big pot. It always smelled so good. It's a lot easier this way! —Linda Skeens, from her new cookbook, Blue Ribbon Kitchen.

Yield: 3½ cups

16-oz. pork sausage roll

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

Table salt and ground black pepper, to taste

In a large cast-iron skillet, cook pork sausage over medium heat until browned. Stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper.

Yield: 12 cups

12 cups applesauce

9 cups white sugar

¼ cup white distilled vinegar

¼ cup lemon juice

½ cup cinnamon hot candy

Combine all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook for about 5 to 6 hours on low. Uncover and continue to cook until thickened, about 5 to 6 hours, stirring occasionally.

Ladle into hot jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Cover with lids and rings. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath in the canner. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Check to make sure the lids are sealed.

Yield: 6 cups

6½ lb. pie pumpkins

3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. table salt

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. lemon zest

¼ tsp. fresh lemon juice

Prepare the pumpkin: Peel, seed, and cut up the pumpkin. Place pumpkin in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil until pumpkin is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and mash pumpkin. Whip with a hand mixer until smooth. (You should have 6½ cups pumpkin purée.)

Cook the pumpkin mixture: In the same large pot, combine the pumpkin purée and remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil and stir constantly for 10 minutes.

Jar the pumpkin butter: Ladle into hot jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Cover with lids and rings. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath in the canner. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Check to make sure the lids are sealed.

Excerpted from Blue Ribbon Kitchen: Recipes & Tips from America's Favorite County Fair Champion by Linda Skeens. Copyright 83 Press, 2023

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