Step 1

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

Step 2

Grease a large cast-iron skillet with shortening or melted butter. (You can also use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.)

Step 3

Add flour and cubed butter to a food processor. Pulse just until butter is pea-size and incorporated (about 10 quick pulses). (If you don't have a food processor, you can cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or a fork.)

Step 4

Pour the flour mixture into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk into the well. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the buttermilk until the dough comes together but is still crumbly. (Don't overmix.)

Step 5

Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface. With floured hands, bring the dough together and gently flatten out into a ¾-inch thick rectangle. Trifold the dough in over itself, using a bench scraper as needed. Pat the dough back down to a ¾-inch thick rectangle and trifold one more time. Gently pat the dough back down to ¾-inch thickness.

Step 6

Dip a 2 ¾-inch biscuit cutter or glass jar into flour and then press straight down into the dough. (Don't twist the cutter or it will seal off the edges of the biscuits and prevent them from fully rising.) Place biscuits in a greased cast-iron skillet (or baking sheet lined with parchment paper) side-by-side touching each other (this will allow the biscuits to climb up each other and fully rise). Bring leftover dough together and flatten back down to ¾-inch thickness. Continue to cut out biscuits, redipping the cutter in flour each time, until all the dough has been used. I usually end up with 12 to 15 biscuits.

Step 7

Bake at 450°F for 13 to 16 minutes, until lightly golden brown on top.

Step 8

Brush the tops with melted salted butter immediately when they come out of the oven.

Step 9

Serve warm with extra butter, jelly, or Country Cream Gravy on top. Enjoy!