Author Notes
There is (historically) nothing unique about using lard and bacon fat to help AP flour and buttermilk come together into a drool-worthy roll-out biscuit. However, the crisp, unctuous flake developed by baking these animal fats is far and away more decadent and satisfying than your plain Jane butter-based or even plainer Jane straight buttermilk biscuit. Using near-puff pastry-like rolling precision, you'll find that the endless flaky layers will be the stuff of dreams.
This recipe makes 12-15 biscuits, and can easily be altered to a mini-biscuit recipe. While the recipe calls for a 3-inch round cookie cutter, for mini-biscuits, use a 1 to 1 1/2-inch round. Bake at 425-degrees F for only 8-10 minutes, or until a deep golden brown on top. —AK Butler
Ingredients
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5 1/2 cups
all-purpose flour
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3 tablespoons
baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon
fine sea salt
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1 1/2 cups
buttermilk
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1
large egg (room temperature)
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10 ounces
pork lard (chilled)
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2 ounces
rendered bacon fat (chilled)
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3 tablespoons
salted butter
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flour, for rolling out dough
Directions
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Preheat oven to 425-degrees F. Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) into a large mixing bowl. With a whisk, mix together ingredients thoroughly.
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In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg together with the buttermilk. Set aside.
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Slice chilled lard over the sifted dry ingredients. Using your hands, combine lard with dry ingredients until lentil-sized lumps are formed throughout the dough and no large lumps of fat remain.
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Using a spatula, fold egg and buttermilk into the fat and dry ingredients mixture until just combined.
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Spread a thin dusting of flour over a flat surface to roll out the biscuits. Using a rolling pin, smooth dough into 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Fold dough in half, and turn 90-degrees to roll dough into 3/4-inch thickness. Repeat 4 times, or until dough becomes firmer and more elastic. With dough rolled to a 3/4-inch-thickness, use a 3-inch round to cut out indiviual biscuits. Place onto an ungreased baking sheet (Silpat preferable). Expect 12-15 biscuits.
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Melt butter in microwave or over medium-high heat on stovetop. Using a pastry brush, coat the tops of the biscuits with butter.
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Bake biscuits for 13-15 minutes, or until biscuits are a deep golden brown on top.
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Serve immediately with favorite fixins - from more butter to strawberry preserves to fried chicken breast topper.
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