For the Media
Gifts from the Kitchen: A Southern Tradition
NASHVILLE, Tenn., - 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 this holiday season and you'll find them everywhere. They'll show up at tailgating and around the television 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 and folks just don't get tired of them," said Linda Carman, the Martha White® Southern baking expert.
Historically, the ham biscuit was probably the South's first sandwich, rising in popularity with the increasing availability of wheat flour just before the turn of the 20th century and even more so with the advent of self-rising flour by the early 20th century.
"Rural families were curing their own hams and enjoying a new prosperity represented by wheat flour. It just stands to reason that the two would find themselves together as country ham biscuits," explained Carman.
"They were a convenient lunch pail take-along for field workers and school children and a frequent light supper. Genteel hostesses elevated them to the status of a sophisticated appetizer that's still going strong today."
In the late 1970s, the fast food industry latched on to the country ham biscuit's popularity, convenience and great taste, creating the "biscuit breakfast sandwich." Restaurants began offering a variety of biscuits filled with combinations of breakfast meats and eggs, bringing what began as the humble country ham biscuit a new popularity beyond the South.
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.
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.
For more wonderful recipes for traditional Southern favorites, visit the website at www.marthawhite.com.
Perfect Biscuits for Country Ham
2 cups Martha White® Self-Rising Flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/3 cup shortening
2 tablespoon butter, melted
Thinly sliced cooked country ham
Heat oven to 450° F. Grease large cookie sheet. Place flour in large bowl. With pastry blender or fork, cut in shortening until small pea-sized shortening pieces form. Add milk; stir with fork until soft, moist dough forms.
On well-floured surface, knead dough gently until smooth. Roll out dough to 1/3-inch thickness. Cut with floured 2-inch round cutter. Place on greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 450° F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Brush hot biscuits with melted butter. Fill split biscuits with ham slices. 32 appetizers
TIP: For biscuits that will pull apart easily, roll dough to form 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Fold dough in half crosswise; roll to 1/3-inch thickness. Cut and bake as directed above.
Riz Biscuits
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115° F.)
2 1/2 cups Martha White° Self-Rising Flour
3 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Grease large cookie sheet. In small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water (105 to 115° F.).
In large bowl, combine flour and sugar; mix well. With pastry blender or fork, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add yeast mixture and buttermilk; stir until soft dough forms.
On well-floured surface, knead dough gently for 30 to 45 seconds. Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with floured 2-inch round cutter. Place on greased cookie sheet. Cover; let rise in warm place (80 to 85° F.) until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 375° F. Uncover dough; bake 12 to 15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Brush hot biscuits with melted butter. 32 biscuits
Country Ham Biscuit Bites
2 cups Martha White° Self-Rising Flour
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup finely chopped cooked country ham
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Heat oven to 450° F. Grease large cookie sheet. In large bowl, combine flour and ground red pepper; mix well. With pastry blender or fork, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in ham. Add milk; stir with fork until soft, moist dough forms. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 450° F. for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Brush hot biscuits bites with melted butter. 40 biscuit bites
VARIATION: Cheesy Country Ham Biscuit Bites: Prepare biscuits as directed above, except stir in 4 oz. (1 cup) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese with the ham.