Buttermil Biscuits

From Chef Scott Peacock

• See below for homemade backing soda
  • follow recipe to a T.

Ingredients

   1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Scott's homemade baking powder or store bought
   5 cups SIFTED unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
   1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
   ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed lard or unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
   2 cups chilled cultured buttermilk, plus more as needed
   3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Step 1

Set a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. Sift together the cream of tartar and baking soda to make baking powder. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the lard or butter. Working quickly, rub it between your fingertips until half is coarsely blended and the remaining pieces are 3/4-inch thick.

Make a well in center of the flour. Add all the buttermilk and stir the mixture quickly, just until it has blended and a sticky dough forms. (If the dough appears dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons buttermilk.)

Immediately turn the dough onto a generously floured surface. Using floured hands, briskly knead about 10 times until a ball forms. Gently flatten the dough and, using a floured rolling pin, roll to 3/4-inch thick.

Using a fork dipped in flour, pierce the dough through at 1/2-inch intervals. Flour a 2 1/2- or 3-inch biscuit cutter. Stamp out rounds and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. OR, press and roll into a rectangle, pierce the dough at 1/2-inch intervals and cut into squares. Bake until golden, about 12 minutes. Remove and brush with melted butter. Serve hot.

Homemade Baking Powder

   1 tablespoon cream of tartar
   1 tablespoon baking soda

Combine and pass though sieve three times to prevent lumps in mixture. Keeps 6 weeks.