Old-Fashioned Cathead Biscuits

By msippigrl

Rustic homemade biscuits made the old fashioned way like my mawmaw did, totally by hand. They got the name because they were said to be as "big as cat heads!"

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups self-rising flour (I used White Lily)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening (I used Crisco)
• 1 cup buttermilk (I used low-fat)

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 500° F. If desired, prepare a floured work surface. I just did everything in the bowl the dough was mixed up in.

Whisk together in a mixing bowl, the flour, baking powder, and baking soda until well combined. Make a well in the center and add the shortening and buttermilk; using your hands, squeeze the shortening into the buttermilk until well blended, then start to work in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Don't overwork the dough. Wash the dough off your hands.

At this point, I sifted flour lightly over the dough in the bowl then picked it up and sifted a little in the bottom of the bowl. Then I squeezed or pulled off a piece of dough about the size of a lemon, rolled it around a few seconds between my palms, then placed it on a baking sheet.

If preferred, you can just turn dough out onto a floured work surface; sprinkle top and sides lightly with flour, enough that you will be able to handle the dough without it sticking to your hands. Flour your hands as well. Pull off a piece of dough about the size of a lemon; roll it around a time or two in your palms then place it on a baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough. (I got 6 large catheads).

Bake biscuits for 10-12 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned. Remove from oven and butter tops of biscuits, if desired, and serve immediately.