Country Ham On Cheddar Biscuit Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.

Cut in butter

Add the cold cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or two forks (or your fingertips quickly), cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining. Work quickly so the butter stays cold.

Add cheese

Stir the shredded sharp cheddar into the flour-butter mixture until evenly distributed.

Add liquids and form dough

Make a well in the center and pour in the cold buttermilk and heavy cream. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the mixture until it just comes together into a shaggy, slightly sticky dough. Do not overmix.

Turn out and fold

Turn the dough gently onto a floured work surface. Lightly knead or fold the dough 3 to 4 times to bring it together into a cohesive ball (again, minimal handling to keep biscuits flaky). Pat or roll the dough to about 3/4-inch to 1-inch thickness.

Cut biscuits

Using a 2.5- to 3-inch round biscuit cutter (or a floured glass), cut out biscuits, pressing straight down without twisting to preserve layers. Gather scraps, gently press together, and cut additional biscuits. You should get about 8 biscuits.

Bake

Place the biscuits close together (touching) on the prepared baking sheet for taller sides, or spaced apart for crisper edges. Brush the tops lightly with a little heavy cream (or melted butter) if desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool briefly

Remove biscuits from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Let cool for 5 minutes while preparing ham.

Prepare ham

While the biscuits bake, warm a skillet over medium heat. Place the country ham slices in the dry skillet in a single layer (you can overlap slightly) and cook 30–60 seconds per side until warmed through and slightly crisped at the edges. Country ham is already salty and often smoked/cured — brief heating brings out flavor and melts some fat.

Split biscuits

Carefully split each warm cheddar biscuit in half horizontally using a fork or serrated knife to keep edges intact.

Assemble sandwiches

Place one warmed slice of country ham on the bottom half of each biscuit. If using, drizzle about 1/4 teaspoon of honey or spread about 1/4 teaspoon apple butter on the ham for a sweet contrast (optional). Top with a small pinch of coarse ground black pepper, then cap with the biscuit top.

Finish

Brush the assembled tops lightly with the remaining melted butter (about 1 tablespoon). Serve warm. Biscuits are best eaten the day they are made; to reheat, warm assembled sandwiches in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes.