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–+ servings

Buttermilk Biscuits: Reloaded

Light and flaky buttermilk biscuits like my grandma used to make — but better.
I never really thought I could beat my grandmother’s biscuits. Since she passed away, I’ve come close by realizing that her arthritis was actually an ingredient. Her fingers hurt so much that she couldn’t really bend them when she kneaded the dough. When I started imitating her movements, my biscuits got better. Here's how I do it.
Both U.S. standard and metric measures are listed, but for consistently delicious results, go metric.
This recipe first appeared in Season 1 of Good Eats: Reloaded.
Buttermilk Biscuits Reloaded
ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 biscuits

Software

  • 2 cups plus 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus an additional 1/2 cup for dusting
  • 5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup leaf lard, chilled
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into very thin pats and chilled
  • 1 cup low-fat buttermilk, chilled

Specialized Hardware

  • Digital kitchen scale
  • 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter

Procedure

  • Heat oven to 450ºF.
  • In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Working quickly (so the fats don't melt), use your fingertips to rub the lard and butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough just begins to come together. It will be very sticky. While it’s still in the bowl, fold the dough over on itself two times so that it picks up any remaining flour, and then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.
  • Dust the top of the dough with flour and, with floured hands, gently fold the dough over itself eight more times, turning one quarter turn between each folding motion. Press dough into a 1-inch-thick round. Cut out biscuits with a floured 2 1/2-inch cutter, being sure to press straight down through the dough without twisting. Flour the cutter between cuts.
  • Center biscuits on a baking sheet, shoulder to shoulder, so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible, and continue cutting until you have 8 biscuits total.
  • Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees in the oven and continue baking until tall and lightly gold on top, 8 to 12 more minutes.
  • Remove the biscuits to a bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel and fold towel over to preserve warmth and steam. Serve with butter and jam, or mustard and thin-cut ham, or sausage patties or just... eat them.