Country Ham and Biscuits

Ingredients

• 0.25 cups shortening
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 0.5 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 0.5 cups butter
• 1.25 cups whole buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon bacon grease
• 3 slices country ham
• softened butter , for serving

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch cast-iron skillet with shortening.

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a food processor, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar. Mix or pulse a few times to combine.

3. 3

   Cut butter and 1/4 cup shortening into flour mixture just until you get a crumbly consistency. Add buttermilk to flour mixture. Gently stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

4. 4

   Turn out dough onto a floured surface. With floured hands, pat dough to approximately 2-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 6 to 8 biscuits. Transfer to greased skillet. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove biscuits from oven and let cool 5 minutes.

5. 5

   While biscuits are baking, cook ham: Add bacon grease to a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add ham slices and fry until edges are brown, a few minutes per side. Remove ham from skillet and place on a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Cut each slice in half.

6. 6

   To serve, split each biscuit in half, spread with softened butter, and sandwich with a piece of ham.