CAPTAIN JOHN’S CATHEAD BISCUITS

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Yields: 8 Servings

Comment:
The creator of this recipe obviously thought that the uneven shapes of the biscuits resembled cats’ heads. Try cathead biscuits plain with melted butter or fold crackling, cheese or herbs into the batter for a unique flavor.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
⅓ cup shortening
4 tsps butter
⅔ cup buttermilk

Method:
Preheat oven to 450°F. In a mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blend well. Using a pastry cutter, cut in shortening and butter until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Using a large cooking spoon, blend buttermilk into flour mixture until moistened. On a lightly-floured surface, knead dough until it comes together. Do not overwork dough as the less it is handled, the flakier the biscuits. Break dough into 8 equal portions and pat approximately ½-inch thick onto a baking sheet. Biscuits should be irregular in shape, but no more than ½-inch high and 1-inch apart. Bake 10–15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. NOTE: To make the famous “Ugly Biscuit,” cut dough into 5-inch round and ¼-inch thick then turn one-third of dough over in a turnover fashion before baking. You may wish to fill turnover portion with ham, bacon and cheese, etc.