Sky-High Laminated Biscuits with Crispy Country Ham & Red-Eye Sorghum Butter
Growing up in Atlanta, my Sunday mornings were defined by the sharp, salty, deeply savory smell of country ham sizzling in my grandmother's cast-iron skillet. Grandmama was an absolute master of the tender drop biscuit, her hands working the dough with pure instinct. When I moved to Charleston to cook in fine-dining kitchens, I learned the French technique of lamination, folding dough to create sky-high, shattering layers. This recipe is the marriage of those two beautiful worlds. We are taking those towering, buttery biscuits and stuffing them with crispy pan-fried ham, a perfectly runny fried egg, and a rich compound butter that channels the coffee-laced soul of traditional red-eye gravy mixed with sweet sorghum syrup. This dish is incredibly special to me because it traces my entire culinary journey on a single plate. It is a tribute to the kid waiting by the stove in Georgia and the chef paying homage to his roots. A quick chef's tip for making it your own: try adding a splash of hot sauce to the butter, or swap the country ham for thick-cut smoked bacon. Just remember to keep your butter ice-cold when folding that biscuit dough. Grandmama would insist on it, and so do I.
Featured Recipe
Sky-High Laminated Biscuits with Crispy Country Ham & Red-Eye Sorghum Butter
Growing up in Atlanta, Sunday mornings were defined by the sharp, salty, deeply savory smell of country ham sizzling in my grandmother's cast-iron pan. While Grandmama was a master of the drop biscuit, my time in Charleston fine-dining kitchens taught me the beauty of folding dough to create sky-high, shattering layers. We're bringing those worlds together here, stuffing these towering biscuits with crispy ham, a perfect fried egg, and a rich compound butter that channels the soul of traditional coffee-laced red-eye gravy.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour(Plus extra for dusting)
- 1 tbsp baking powder(Ensure it is fresh for maximum lift)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup frozen unsalted butter(Keep deeply frozen until the moment you grate it)
- 1 cup cold buttermilk(Full fat if you can find it)
- 8 slices country ham(Thin-cut)
- 1 tbsp ham drippings(Reserved from frying the ham)
- 4 tbsp softened unsalted butter(For the red-eye butter)
- 1 tbsp strong brewed coffee(Room temperature or cold)
- 1 tbsp sorghum syrup(Can substitute molasses if necessary)
- 1 tsp hot sauce(A vinegar-based southern style like Crystal)
- 4 whole large eggs(Farm fresh for frying)
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1.5 tsp kosher salt. Using a box grater, grate the 1/2 cup frozen unsalted butter directly into the flour mixture. Gently toss the butter curls with your fingers until they are evenly coated in flour like little pebbles.
5 min
Tip: Working quickly prevents the heat of your hands from melting the butter. Cold fat equals flaky layers.
- 2
Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the 1 cup cold buttermilk. Stir gently with a fork just until a shaggy, rough dough forms. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rough rectangle. Fold it into thirds like a business letter, turn it 90 degrees, pat it out, and fold again. Repeat this folding process one last time (three folds total).
10 min
Tip: This technique is called lamination. It's the chef's secret to creating distinct, towering layers in the oven.
- 3
Pat the dough out to an even 1-inch thickness. Press a 2.5-inch biscuit cutter straight down to punch out the biscuits. Place them snugly together in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Pop the skillet into the freezer to chill the dough quickly.
5 min
Tip: Never twist the biscuit cutter! Press straight down and pull straight up. Twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuit from rising.
- 4
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
15 min
Tip: Letting the biscuits rest in the freezer while the oven preheats relaxes the gluten and ensures the fat is ice cold before baking.
- 5
While the biscuits chill, heat a separate large skillet over medium heat. Fry the 8 slices country ham until the fat renders and the edges get deeply crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the ham to a paper towel-lined plate. Carefully pour 1 tbsp ham drippings into a small heatproof bowl to cool slightly. Leave the remaining ham fat in the skillet for the eggs.
8 min
Tip: Country ham cooks very quickly; keep an eye on it so it doesn't dry out.
- 6
In a medium bowl, combine the 4 tbsp softened unsalted butter, 1 tbsp strong brewed coffee, 1 tbsp sorghum syrup, 1 tsp hot sauce, and the slightly cooled 1 tbsp ham drippings. Whip vigorously with a fork or small whisk until completely smooth and combined into a beautiful, caramel-colored compound butter.
5 min
Tip: The coffee and ham fat evoke traditional red-eye gravy, while the sorghum brings an earthy sweetness to balance the salt.
- 7
Transfer the skillet of chilled biscuits directly from the freezer to the hot oven. Bake until they rise sky-high and have deeply golden-brown tops.
16 min
Tip: Baking them touching each other in the skillet forces them to rise straight up rather than spreading out.
- 8
About 5 minutes before the biscuits are finished, return the skillet with the remaining ham fat to medium-low heat. Crack in the 4 large eggs and fry them sunny-side up, basting the whites occasionally with the hot fat until the edges are crispy but the yolks remain wonderfully runny.
5 min
Tip: Frying eggs in leftover ham fat is a time-honored southern tradition that seasons the egg perfectly.
- 9
Pull the hot biscuits from the oven. Carefully pull them apart at their natural flaked seams. Slather the insides generously with the red-eye sorghum butter, lay in the crispy country ham, and top with a fried egg.
3 min
Tip: Serve immediately while the biscuits are steaming hot and the butter melts right into the crumb.
Chef's Notes
The story of this dish is really the story of how I cook: respecting where a dish comes from while giving it a little push forward. The laminated dough technique is straight out of classical pastry, but baking them packed tight in a cast-iron skillet is pure Grandmama. That red-eye butter is going to change your life—try smearing any leftovers on cornbread or roasted sweet potatoes.
Marcus Stone
Heritage recipes with a chef's touch
My grandmother's kitchen in Atlanta is where I learned that food carries history. Every pot of collards, every batch of biscuits, every Sunday roast told stories of resilience, family, and love. I went on to train at the finest restaurants in Charleston and worked my way up through white-tablecloth kitchens. But I always came back to those family recipes—now I cook them with a chef's technique but a grandmother's heart. Because the best food honors where it came from.