Paula Deen'S Biscuits

• 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons lard cold, or unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• unsalted butter softened, for the pan and biscuit tops

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with a fork.
2. Cut the chilled lard into small cubes and add to dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender to cut the lard into the flour, pressing and twisting until the lard is in pea-sized bits. The mixture is ready when all the lard has been broken down into flour-coated bits and the mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. Make a well in the flour-fat mixture and slowly pour in the milk. Mix with a fork until just combined, the knead gently with your hands until the dough comes together into a sticky ball.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and pliable; do not overwork. Roll out into a 1/2" thick round, flouring the rolling pin and dough as needed.
5. Smear a 10" hoe cake pan or cast-iron skillet with softened butter. Cut out 2-3" biscuits using the mouth of a glass or a biscuit cutter. Put the biscuits on the pan. Reroll the scraps and cut our more biscuits. Make a fist and mark the top of each biscuit with your knuckles. Dot with softened butter. Bake until golden, 15-20 minutes.

flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lard cold, milk, unsalted butter

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Paula-Deen_s-Biscuits-983427 (may not work)