I’ve found that any artisan who creates a world-class food is usually the best person to tell us how to enjoy their creation. That’s why I asked Allan Benton to teach us how to make country ham and red-eye gravy, and turned to legendary biscuit maker Sharon Benton for the buttermilk biscuits we need to go with them.
We can order Benton’s Smoky Mountain County Ham online, but if you have a local source for excellent, traditional Southern-style country ham, you are very lucky, and you can use that instead.
Makes 6 servings
Cook the fat in a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-low heat until it renders, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. There should be enough fat to cover the bottom of the skillet.
Increase the heat to medium-high and when the rendered fat begins to bubble, add one small piece (about 3 inches square) of country ham and cook it until it is dark and crisp, and then discard the solids. The sacrifice of this one small piece of ham is to increase the ham flavor in the rendered fat.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and, working in batches to keep the ham in a single layer, cook the remaining ham slices only until barely warm, flipping once, and then remove them to a plate, about 20 seconds per side. Allan cautions against over-cooking country ham to avoid it turning tough.
Stir the brown sugar into the pan drippings, and then add the coffee and stir to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook until it bubbles and reduces a little, about 2 minutes.
To serve:
Arrange split biscuits on serving plates. Drizzle very lightly with about a teaspoon of gravy. (It’s strong, salty, and potent stuff.) Top with country ham and dig in.
Sharon is loyal to Our Best flour and Cruze buttermilk, both regional brands, but the lesson here is that quality matter, especially in a recipe that has only two ingredients. Make sure the self-rising flour is very fresh and use real liquid buttermilk.
No matter what you’ve read or been told, milk curdled with lemon juice is not a substitute for buttermilk and absolutely will not work for these biscuits.
Makes about 1 dozen
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and slowly add buttermilk, pulling in flour and folding in the buttermilk (with your hands) until soft, shaggy dough forms, taking care to not overwork the dough. Although the dough shouldn’t be sloppy wet, it’s better for it to be a tad too sticky than too dry.
Dust a pastry cloth or dry work surface with flour. Pour the dough onto the flour and very gently knead the dough until it is comes together and is no longer sticky on the outside, pulling in no more flour than necessary. Excess flour makes the biscuits tough and can scorch in the oven.
Pat the dough into a 1-inch thickness. Stamp out biscuits with a 2 1/2- or 3-inch inch cutter and place on a rimmed baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Gather and pat the scraps, and stamp out the remaining biscuits.
Place about 1/2 teaspoon of softened butter on the top of each biscuit.
Bake until risen and golden brown on top, about 15 minutes.
Sheri Castle cooks with Allan and Sharon Benton to make biscuits and red-eye gravy.
Allan Benton is a world-renowned country ham and bacon producer from Madisonville, TN. Benton is an innovator and pioneer in the process of curing and his pork products are legendary in the culinary world. Benton's Smokey Mountain Country Hams and Bacon has 21 employees who will age thousands of hams and bacon bellies each year, and ship many of those to five-star restaurants across the country.
Allan and his wife Sharon enjoy cooking for their family and friends, especially when it involves biscuits and gravy with a side of country ham. Allan and Sharon Benton have been married since the beginning of Allan's journey to make the finest country hams and bacon found anywhere. Sharon taught in the classroom for many years and served as as the Supervisor of Curriculum for Monroe County, TN. Sharon loves to cook and learned from her mother how to make delicious recipes with local ingredients, including from the Bentons' own garden.
Sheri Castle, award-winning food writer and cooking teacher, is known for melding culinary expertise, storytelling and humor, so she can tell a tale while making a memorable meal. Her creative, well-crafted recipes and practical advice inspire people to cook with confidence and enthusiasm. She's written a tall stack of cookbooks and her work appears in dozens of magazines. In 2019, the Southern Foodways Alliance named Sheri among Twenty Living Legends of Southern Food, calling her The Storyteller.
Sheri says that she's fueled by great ingredients and the endless pursuit of intriguing stories, usually about the role that food plays in our lives, families, communities and culture.
When she steps away from the kitchen or a local farm, Sheri enjoys spending quiet time at her home near Chapel Hill. She hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
In each episode of "The Key Ingredient," Sheri Castle features one local ingredient, tracing its journey from source to kitchen. The renowned food writer and cooking teacher will introduce us to local farmers, growers, fisherman and chefs and share approachable home cooking recipes and tips. Join Sheri & friends to learn the stories behind some of North Carolina's most beloved ingredients.