Years and years ago we went to St Simon’s on a little R & R trip…because it was close to home. Thomas was a little baby. We did not want to go far just wanted to just get away. We stayed at a little place on the beach and just more or less stumbled on to Sweet Mama’s one morning. We were on the way to the beach and ask what they had for breakfast and she says Pork Pop’s what’s that a biscuit with sausage, bacon and cheese. Okay how could it get any better so we all got one and they are tiny and oh so yummy. We went back up to the counter and ordered 12 more. Marsha laughed and said see you liked them huh. So…this was the first of many trips there. Many years we would return at least 3 times a year. We loved it here it was just like Mayberry or at least in my mind it was. We would rent bikes and strap Thomas in a child seat on the back and we would not get in a car the whole week. Wonderful too us!! Heaven!! To feel the breeze of on your face smell the honey suckle in the air. The birds singing and making music so lovely!
We learned the pork pops would sale out some days and we would be so disappointed. We would get Marsha to hold 15 a day for us each day while we were there. We would call her on our way to St Simon’s each time…crazy. This got to be a tradition with us. Then after Thomas got to be a teenager she would send frozen ones in a bag home with us….oh dear me this was so wonderful to us. I begged her for the recipe she would never part with it.
Oh My Goodness….this is one I have looked for and looked for the right recipe and have had to just roll up my sleeves and try and make them. I have made 100 batches of these silly things to get close enough to go to print with them. They will still be a work in progress and as I make changes I will change here too. I have tried them with Bisquick, flour, white lilly, milk, buttermilk all combos.
Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose White Lilly Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons COLD unsalted butter + 1 tablespoon for pan
1 cup cold buttermilk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped cooked sausage
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon
Preheat oven to 425
I take all dry ingredients and mix together with whisk, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. I grated 7 tablespoons of the butter in small fine pieces and place it in the freezer for a few minutes, while I am repairing my pan. I like to use a black cast iron skillet which I wipe out and then coat with 1 tablespoon of butter.
Then I take the butter out of freezer and put into the dry ingredients and mix well should be like small peas in the flour. Add the cheese to the dry mixture, mix well with hands then add the sausage and bacon coat well in the flour. Then add enough buttermilk just to bring together. This is important do not over mix, just mix until it will somewhat hold together. Place your dough on a floured spot and roll or pat out with hands to about 3/4 inch think. Cut with a floured biscuit cutter and place in buttered skillet. I do bush the tops with either additional butter or cream to give a nice browned top. Bake at 425 for about 20 ~ 25 minutes. Severe right away.
OMG! I am from St Simons GA and have missed my Sweet Mama’s pork pops ever since they closed! I am so excited to try your recipie! Thank you so much for posting this!
Thanks for visiting…
Good news! Sweet Mama’s is still there – just moved. They are n the shopping center with Winn Dixie.
these sound so good! I am going to trying them soon!
Great…be sure and come back and tell us what you thought ~ K thanks for visiting!! Happy Cooking!
Sausage. Bacon biscuits = Heaven
Sweet Mamas is still open! They just moved to the Winn-Dixie shopping center. My husband orders a half dozen of these every morning, except Sunday of course:) Guess I know what I’ll be doing today!
Ashley…hope you like my take on them!! Thanks for visiting!!
Oh. My. God. You. Are. A. Saint. I lived on St. Simons for five years and there are two things I miss: seeing burned-out ’70s rock bands at Island Rock, and Pork Pops. Seriously, I have pined for these things for 15 years since leaving. My wife thinks I’m batsh*t crazy, but now I can make them and she can Taste and Understand. I’ve thought of trying my pastry-challenged hand at it, maybe using the pirate version of RL’s cheddar biscuits as a base, but now I won’t have to waste precious pork resouces on misguided attempts to deny my given role of Not A Baker. I will also try lightly freezing the cheese as well as the butter; I’ve found it to help the cheese keep shape during baking in the cheddar bay recipe. Thank you for this. Seriously.
JD…thanks for visiting! I can see you have the same feelings about Sweet Mama’s pork pops as we do. I do freeze my cheese as well and this does help. I do use a full fat buttermilk that I am able to get at publics or whole foods. I make them ahead and freeze them too and that does seem to work really well as long as they are not frozen long, no more than 2 weeks. I hope you enjoy them we surely do. I do have her Aunt Dee’s Pound cake recipe on the blog too and this is her actual recipe. Just look it up in the search area to the right. Enjoy ~ thanks!
Hi Angie, I just made a double batch of these delicious biscuits! I live in Brunswick, and drive over the bridge quite often for Sweet Mama’s now that they have re-opened. I plan to freeze some of this batch, how do you reheat them when you freeze?
Thanks!
Heather…. I have frozen them many times, before I bake them. I place them frozen on a baking pan and let them sit at room temperature for about 20/30 minutes and then bake at 425 for 25 minutes. I will say I have not tried baking, then freezing them? Angie
My husband is a SSI native. We have been living in New Zealand for the last 3 years and the other day, he was reminiscing about Sweet Mama’s and their pork pops. I decided to see if I could find a recipe and stumbled upon your blog. I had to read him the post and he was so excited! I’m going to give these a try and hopefully create something similar to what he remembers 🙂 Thank you!
@Jenny, I hear New Zealand is a wonderful place. I sure would love to visit there. I hope the pork pops put a smile on your husbands face. There is a post for Sweet MaMa’s pound cake on a much earlier post ~ It is so wonderful you will love it…try it and you will be wanting to go to sweet Mama’s too! These are my two favs from Sweet Mama’s. Enjoy and thanks for visiting….I do hope you will come back…have a lovely day, Angie
My dad, Baker Bill, created the Pork Pop for Sweet Mama’s. I am so proud of him and the cult following that he created.
Sara….oh my goodness ~ I love your dad!! What should I change? Any advise here? I love pork pops…would kill for the recipe the official recipe ! He is an amazing cook/baker! Send me recipe you LOVE of his and a photo and I will make and post in his honor!! Thanks for sharing love knowing great facts ! My whole family loves them !! Tell “Pop Baker Bill’ we said we love him and sending him smiles, Angie
The Port Pop Biscuits sound delicious.
I know that I’m a bit late making a comment but these are AMAZING! I just made a batch and they turned out delicious! Thank you so much. I grew up on SSI and haven’t had these in over 10 years. I can’t remember exactly how the sweet mama’s version taste but these are great!
I’m living in Colorado and attempted to adjust for high altitude by just doing a smidge less baking powder and baking soda and adding a splash more buttermilk. They came out great but didn’t quite puff up to be perfect biscuits. I’ll keep playing!!
Thank again for the recipe!
Mikel, I am so glad you liked them….this is such a great biscuit. Funny today a friend and I went to a new place in town, Callie’s hot little biscuits. She has a biscuit a lot like this recipe on the menu! But, still there is nothing better than a hot fresh pork pop! oh my …With a glass of ice tea simply …HEAVEN to me ! I know high attitude plays a role in your baking! Please post your changes for the difference ? Some of the buttermilk has higher fat too which also makes a difference. Enjoy! Happy baking….
Angie
So delicious. I’m about to finish baking the rest that I froze overnight. I’m thinking they may have turned out a bit more flat because I didn’t use a biscuit cutter. They are still fluffy and delicious. There really aren’t too many changes to post just because I eyeballed everything. Just a little less of the baking powder and soda and literally a small extra splash of buttermilk. I used low fat buttermilk because it was all I could find at my grocery store. I might add some more bacon next time. I love bacon! Just missing the beach and that sweet tea!
What brand/type sausage and bacon is best?
Rhonda, I have used may different types all turning out amazing results….what ever is local in your area and is good should be amazing! I have used Bob Evans and it even came out great!
GM, can you freeze the leftover dough and if so how.
I am in HEAVEN! Thank you. I am from St. Simons and , like you , have begged Marsha and Boomer for even a hint. I tweaked a tiny bit and did: 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 cup sausage, 1 cup of cheese (fresh not pre shredded). Girl! You nailed this. Thank you for sharing.
Cheryl…thanks dear
I will say again I loved this little place so much! So, sad they are no longer open and there for us to enjoy!! Thanks for your kind words… makes it all worth it ! Smiles Angie
Just made my second batch… this time I did them in mini muffin pans, like they did an Mama’s… recipe makes 48 of them. Took Cheryl’s suggestion and doubled the sausage and cheese as well as the bacon. Deee-licious! Have to make some adjustments to time and temp though, they came out a bit dry, probably due to the small portion size. Next time!
My oven is a professional oven and does cook a little different than most. So, glad you liked them we just love them ! Need to make them tomorrow … my self ! Smiles Angie