Thousand-Layer Country Ham & Aged Cheddar Biscuits
Featured Recipe
Thousand-Layer Country Ham & Aged Cheddar Biscuits
My grandmother made drop biscuits every Sunday—golden, craggy, and perfect in their simplicity. When I got to Charleston and learned classical French pastry, I obsessed over laminating dough, and this recipe is the delicious handshake between those two worlds. We’re putting a proper Southern buttermilk biscuit dough through a modified lamination process, layering in salty country ham and sharp cheddar, then spiking the dough with a tiny drop of fish sauce to amplify the savory depth.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour(plus more for dusting)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 cup unsalted butter (frozen)(2 sticks)
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp whole buttermilk(divided, very cold)
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce(Marcus's secret umami touch)
- 6 oz country ham(thinly sliced and finely diced)
- 4 oz aged white cheddar cheese(freshly grated)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)(for finishing tops)
Instructions
- 1
On a box grater, grate the 1 cup unsalted butter (frozen) and immediately place the shreds back into the freezer. In a large bowl, whisk together the 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp cracked black pepper. Toss the frozen butter shreds into the flour mixture, rubbing gently with your fingertips until evenly distributed and coated.
10 min
Tip: Working quickly prevents the butter from melting. You want the butter as cold as possible to create steam in the oven, which leads to flakes.
- 2
In a small measuring cup, whisk the 1/2 tsp fish sauce into 1 cup whole buttermilk. Create a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour the buttermilk mixture in. Gently toss with a fork just until a shaggy, rough dough forms. Don't overmix.
5 min
Tip: It's okay if there are still some dry spots of flour; it will hydrate as you fold it.
- 3
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it into a rough 6x10-inch rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds like a business letter (this is your first lamination fold). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
5 min
Tip: Use a bench scraper to help lift and fold the dough if it's sticking.
- 4
Place the wrapped dough in the freezer to relax the gluten and chill the butter.
15 min
- 5
While the dough chills, finely dice the 6 oz country ham and grate the 4 oz aged white cheddar cheese. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
10 min
Tip: Make sure the country ham is diced very fine so it doesn't tear the dough when rolling.
- 6
Remove the dough from the freezer. Roll it out again into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Sprinkle the ham and cheese evenly over the surface, pressing lightly so it adheres. Fold the dough in thirds again, locking the country ham and cheddar tightly between the laminated layers. Wrap in plastic.
5 min
Tip: If any cheese falls out, just gently press it back into the edges of the dough.
- 7
Return the dough to the freezer for a final chill to ensure maximum flakiness.
15 min
- 8
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
15 min
- 9
Roll the chilled dough out to about 1-inch thickness. Using a floured 2.5-inch round cutter, press straight down into the dough to cut out biscuits. Place the cut biscuits on your prepared baking sheet so their edges are just touching.
10 min
Tip: Having the biscuits touch each other on the pan gives them physical support so they rise up instead of spreading out.
- 10
Lightly brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining 1 tbsp whole buttermilk. Bake on the middle rack until golden brown and towering, rotating the pan halfway through for even baking.
20 min
- 11
Remove from the oven and immediately brush the hot biscuits with the 2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted). Let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes before serving.
5 min
Tip: The melted butter gives them a beautiful shine and softens the crust just slightly.
Chef's Notes
I can't stress this enough: do not twist your biscuit cutter! Press straight down and pull straight up, or you'll seal the edges and ruin the beautiful lamination we just spent time building. The fish sauce is my secret weapon—it won't taste like fish, but it acts like a megaphone for the country ham, making it taste incredibly savory and rich. Serve these warm with a smear of sorghum syrup or hot pepper jelly to balance the salt.
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.