Cheddar Chive & Ham Biscuits
The best possible way to use up that leftover Easter ham!
Have you also been staring at a gallon-sized ziplock bag filled with sliced ham, wondering what the heck to do with it?
A girl can only have so many ham sandwiches for lunch (which I adore, don’t get me wrong), so as I’ve worked my way through my annual post-Easter recipe rotation, I had a light bulb moment. I dreamed up a homemade, all-butter biscuit made with diced ham, sharp cheddar cheese, and a pinch of chives.
BTW, if you’re wondering what else I make with my leftover ham, check out this pasta recipe, my grandma’s ham fried rice, and this 30-minute croissant eggs benedict recipe. YW! 💛
Biscuits were the first thing I learned how to make as a little girl. My mom is a total biscuit aficionado and lovingly taught me how to make them. She had a hand-written recipe card for classic buttermilk biscuits (which you can find here!) that I’ve made more times than I can count.
My mom has also never been one to sugar coat things—she’ll tell you like it is, and when it came to making biscuits, things were no different.
The Commandments of Making Biscuits
Never, ever overmix the biscuit dough. Period! Overmixing your biscuits will yield tough biscuits, and “biscuits” and “tough” should never be in the same sentence. Never use a stand mixer or hand mixer to make biscuits; it will simply overwork the dough.
Don’t make biscuits in a super warm kitchen. Similar to pie dough, when it comes to biscuits, you should avoid a super warm kitchen (and super warm hands!) at all costs. Keep the ingredients in the fridge as long as possible, work the dough the least amount possible, and try making the dough in a temperate workplace that isn’t smeltering hot. By keeping those beautiful shards of butter cold & intact, you’re ensuring a nice flaky biscuit as your end result.
Biscuits should always be served fresh. My mom was a stickler for this, and she’s totally and completely right. Biscuits are best when they’re served hot out of the oven! Prep ahead for this recipe by chopping the ham, grating the cheese, and mincing the chives. Everything else should and can be done very quickly, just before assembling and baking.
box grater, for grating the cheese & butter
basting brush, for basting the egg wash
4 oz. ham