The dish to eat in Charlottesville · United States

Ham biscuit

Name: Country ham biscuits
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for the counter; 1 tbsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp sugar; 1/2 cup (115 g) cold unsalted butter, cut in small cubes; 1 cup (240 ml) cold buttermilk; 2 tbsp melted butter for brushing; 8 oz (225 g) Virginia country ham, sliced paper-thin; Soft butter or Dijon mustard, to serve

Photo: Gary Stevens, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · source

A buttermilk biscuit split and filled with thin slices of salty Virginia country ham.

C-VILLE Weekly named the ham biscuit Charlottesville's signature dish, and the town eats it from butcher counters, bars and barbecue joints.

Where to eat it Cook it at home Have a chef cook it at home

Where to eat it: the best three in Charlottesville

JM Stock Provisions
West Main Street
Order: A ham biscuit from the butcher counter
A whole-animal butcher on West Main that cures and slices its own.
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The Whiskey Jar
Downtown Mall
Order: Ham biscuits with the Southern plates
A Downtown Mall bar and kitchen named in C-VILLE's signature-dish piece.
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Ace Biscuit & Barbecue
Charlottesville
Order: A country ham biscuit
Biscuits and barbecue from one small kitchen.
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All three are on Chef Amazing’s list The best ham biscuit in Charlottesville, which you can save and take with you.

Cook it at home: Country ham biscuits

Serves 8Time 40 min

Charlottesville's dish is simple: a tender buttermilk biscuit, split while warm, with paper-thin country ham. Country ham is salty and dry-cured, so slice it very thin, and use a little butter or mustard, not much else.

Pans and tools

Large bowl
Biscuit cutter
Baking sheet
Skillet

You’ll need

2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for the counter
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup (115 g) cold unsalted butter, cut in small cubes
1 cup (240 ml) cold buttermilk
2 tbsp melted butter for brushing
8 oz (225 g) Virginia country ham, sliced paper-thin
Soft butter or Dijon mustard, to serve

Steps

Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large bowl.
Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the largest pieces are the size of peas.
Pour in the buttermilk and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn it out on a floured counter, pat into a rectangle about 3/4 in (2 cm) thick, fold it in thirds, and pat it out again. Do this twice more.
Cut 8 biscuits with a 2 1/2 in (6 cm) floured cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Set them touching on the sheet.
Brush the tops with melted butter and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until tall and golden.
While they bake, warm the ham slices for a minute in a dry skillet over low heat; they should soften, not crisp.
Split the warm biscuits, spread with a little butter or mustard, and fold in a few slices of ham.

Chef’s tips

Keep the butter and buttermilk cold for tall, flaky biscuits.

Country ham is very salty; thin slices and a soft biscuit balance it.

If you can't find country ham, prosciutto is the closest swap.

Contains: ['gluten', 'dairy'].

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