My grandma's biscuit recipe uses lard and I don't care what anyone says about butter

Last week at the family reunion in Biloxi, my cousin brought her 'healthier' version with Greek yogurt and everyone raved. I tried a bite and it was like eating a dry sponge. Three years ago I switched back to lard after trying butter for six months, and my biscuits come out flaky every time. Anyone else sticking with the old ways?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_linda20d ago

...and you know what, I bet that cousin of yours used coconut oil in something else too and called it "clean eating." I've been doing lard in my biscuits for going on fifteen years now and I swear by it. My momma used shortening back in the day but when I switched to lard from the butcher shop, the texture got even better. The key is keeping it cold and not overworking the dough, which too many people forget when they're trying to make things "healthy." Butter gives a nice taste but it just doesn't give you that same flaky lift that lard does, especially with buttermilk. Did you use frozen grated lard or just cut it in with a pastry blender?

williamb2919d ago

Gotta admit @the_linda used to roll my eyes at the lard talk but your point about the flaky lift makes total sense. I always used butter because that's what felt "cleaner" somehow but my biscuits never got that tall light look the old-timers get. Tried frozen grated lard from the butcher last weekend after reading this and yeah the texture difference is real. Don't think I'm going back to butter for biscuits now.