MEGAN'S BUTTERMILK LARD BUSCUITS

Yield: 8 biscuits
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

These classic lard biscuits are simple, tender, and wonderfully flaky. Serve warm with melted butter or sausage gravy.

INGREDIENTS

Dry Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)

• 2 tablespoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2.5 teaspoons salt

Fat

• 170 grams lard, cold

Liquid

• 2 cups buttermilk, cold

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven
   Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) and place a rack in the center position.

2. Prepare the pan
   Spray a cake pan with non-stick spray or line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

3. Mix dry ingredients
   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Cut in the cold lard
   Add the 170 g of cold lard.
   Using a pastry blender or a fork, cut the fat into the flour until most pieces are pea-sized, with a few slightly larger (walnut-half size).

5. Add the buttermilk
   Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir gently until the dough just comes together.
   It will be very wet and sticky—this is correct.

6. Turn out the dough
   Lightly flour your work surface. Turn the dough out and dust the top with a little flour.
   With floured hands, bring the dough together into one mass without kneading.

7. Create flaky layers
   Pat dough into a 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick slab.
   Fold in half, rotate 90°, and pat out again.
   Repeat this fold-and-turn process 6 times to build layers.

8. Cut the biscuits
   Pat dough back into a 1-inch thick slab.
   Dip a round cutter in flour, press straight down, and lift straight up—do not twist.
   Gather scraps gently and cut remaining biscuits.
   Alternate: pat into a rectangle and cut into 8 squares.

9. Arrange in pan
   Place biscuits in the cake pan or on the baking sheet touching each other so they rise tall.

10. Optional chilling step
    Freeze the pan for 10 minutes to help the biscuits hold their shape while the oven finishes preheating.

11. Bake
    Bake at 450°F for 15–30 minutes, until golden brown.
    Avoid opening the oven door during the first half of the bake to keep steam in for maximum rise.

12. Finish
    Brush with melted butter or top with sausage gravy.