Country Ham Biscuit

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. In a large bowl, whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt. This ensures the leavening is evenly distributed so your biscuits rise uniformly.

Step 2

Cut 6 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter into small cubes — about the size of peas. Scatter the cubes over the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces still visible. These cold butter bits create steam pockets that produce those tender, flaky layers.

Step 3

Pour 1 cup of cold buttermilk into the center of the dry ingredients. Using a fork, gently stir until the mixture just comes together into a shaggy dough — do not overmix. Overworking develops gluten, which makes tough, dense biscuits instead of tender ones.

Step 4

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape it into a rough 1-inch-thick rectangle using your hands — avoid rolling with a pin, which compresses the layers. Using a 2.5-inch round biscuit cutter or drinking glass, cut out 8 biscuits. Press straight down without twisting, which seals the edges and prevents even rising.

Step 5

Place the biscuits 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13–15 minutes, until the tops are deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. You should smell a rich, buttery aroma — that's your signal they're done.

Step 6

While the biscuits bake, warm 8 ounces of thinly sliced country ham in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, just until the edges begin to crisp slightly and you smell the salty, smoky aroma. Don't overdo it — country ham is already fully cooked and will become brittle if heated too long.

Step 7

Remove the hot biscuits from the oven and let them cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet. Split each biscuit in half horizontally using a fork — forking rather than cutting preserves those interior flaky layers. Spread about 0.5 teaspoon of softened unsalted butter inside each biscuit half while they're still warm.

Step 8

Layer 2–3 slices of the warm country ham onto the bottom half of each biscuit, then drizzle with a tiny amount of honey — about 0.25 teaspoon per biscuit. The honey adds a subtle sweetness that brightens the salty ham. Top with the biscuit cap and serve immediately while still warm.