All About Country Ham Biscuits
Ask any savvy host in the South what the most popular special occasion menu item is and you'll likely get one answer - the country ham biscuit. Take notice and you'll find them everywhere. They'll show up at tailgating and football parties, on the holiday cocktail circuit, with breakfast, on the brunch buffet, for New Year's Eve and again on New Year's Day.
Country ham biscuits have maintained an extraordinary importance on the Southern table simply because they taste great and they're easy to make. No matter what the occasion, casual or elegant, they fit right in.
There are rules for making truly exceptional country ham biscuits. In fact, the folks in the Martha White Kitchen have spent a good amount of time researching and debating the issue. They suggest that the finest country ham biscuits come in two distinct styles.
One is a flaky, thin, crisp biscuit that splits easily, but doesn't crumble as you bite into the chewy cured ham. The ingredients are the same, but the proportions are varied slightly. To make a thin, crisp biscuit, the shortening that is cut into the self-rising flour must be left in larger pea-sized pieces and the dough rolled out thinner. Try our Perfect Biscuits for Country Ham.
The second popular biscuit for country ham is what some call "bride's" or "angel" biscuits. These biscuits have a softer crumb and crust. And this time, the self-rising flour is combined with a little yeast for flavoring and to lighten the dough.
The origin of the yeast biscuit is unknown but seems to have surfaced in Southern cookbooks and in newspaper food sections during the 1950s. Alice Jarman, the founder of the Martha White Kitchen, developed a version for the company that was publicized across the South called "Riz" Biscuits. These biscuits became preferred carriers for country ham because of their light texture and good keeping qualities.
The 21st century brings a third variation to the evolution of the Country Ham Biscuit. Country Ham Biscuit Bites are all-in-one drop biscuits made with the same traditional ingredients. Bits of country ham are stirred right into the soft dough. These crisp bite-size snacks are as versatile as any traditional ham biscuit, but offer added convenience. Just stir up the batter, dollop the dough onto a baking sheet and bake. You can even add a cup of Cheddar cheese for a rich tangy variation. They taste great served warm from the oven or made ahead and served at room temperature.