Maryland Beaten Biscuits
Source of Recipe
the web
Recipe Introduction
What are beaten biscuits? Maryland Beaten Biscuits originated in Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore in the days of the Plantations and Manors. Probably due to the lack of leavening, this method of making bread and setting it to rise was apparently the only way possible. It could have possibly grown from the Indian method of beating corn for making food items. The biscuits consist of lard, flour, salt, and water. Prior to cooking the biscuits, they have to be beaten in some way. Originally, the ingredients were mixed together by hand, and the dough then placed on a smooth wooden block or stump. A servant of the manor would beat the dough with a special ax used only for this purpose. The beating process served to trap air inside the dough. Each biscuit was, and still is shaped by hand, kneaded by the fingers to make the biscuit smooth on all sides.
List of Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tablespoons lard
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups cold waterRecipe
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Sift the salt and flour together (and baking powder, if using). Cut in the lard or vegetable shortening. Add the water slowly to mixture until a dough is formed.
By hand, beat the dough with a heavy rolling pin on a floured countertop for 35 to 40 minutes until blistering occurs on surface of dough.
Shape the dough into balls, and prick the tops with a fork.
Bake biscuits on cookie sheet for 25 to 28 minutes at 425 degrees.
Makes 18 (golf ball size) biscuits
NOTE: Less is more with the water. Too much water results in a sticky dough and is too hard to work with, stay close to the 1-1/2 cups of water.
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