Old-Fashioned Lard Biscuits

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 450°F (230 C).

Step 2

Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt) in a large bowl until well combined.

Step 3

Add the cold lard into the dry ingredients and cut it into the flour, using a pastry cutter or a fork, until it resembles coarse meal.

Step 4

Add the cold buttermilk into the bowl and stir with a spoon or a rubber spatula JUST until combined. This should only take a few turns. The dough will be pretty wet and sticky.

Step 5

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands gently pat out (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick. Fold the dough in half and then turn it 90 degrees. Pat it out and fold it again. Do this process about 6 times to create layers in the dough. This will create flakiness in the baked biscuit.

Step 6

Gently pat the dough out to a 1" thick. Use a round cutter to cut into rounds about 2 1/2" (for 8 biscuits) or 3" wide (for 6 biscuits).

Step 7

Gently pat the scraps together to cut out the rest of your biscuits.

Step 8

Place the biscuits in a cake pan or springform pan close together. Alternatively, you can use a sheet pan.

Step 9

Bake at 450 F (230 C) for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Do not open the oven door for AT LEAST the first half of baking time. You want the steam to stay trapped in the oven to help with the rise. For smaller biscuits, you may not need to bake as long.

Step 10

Brush biscuits with melted butter if desired.