Sweet Potato Ham Biscuits

Ham biscuits are on the table at every Southern tailgate, family reunion, or brunch. Adding sweet potatoes to the biscuits adds a contrast to the salty ham and offers a beautiful color to your spread. If you can find biscuit-slice country ham or regular thin-sliced country ham, buy that rather than a whole small ham. makes about 15 biscuits

 

2	cups all-purpose flour
2	teaspoons baking powder
1	teaspoon baking soda
1	tablespoon sugar
¼	teaspoon salt
¼	teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼	cup (½ stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1½	cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes, cooled to room temperature
1	cup buttermilk
10	ounces country ham

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter cubes until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
3. In a medium-size bowl, combine the sweet potatoes and buttermilk. Stir the potato-buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until the dough begins to come together. Add a little more buttermilk if the dough is dry and not holding together. The dough should be very moist.
4. Lightly flour your hands and a clean work surface. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and knead lightly to combine; do not use too much flour (not more than about ½ cup additional flour). Press or roll out the dough to a ½-inch thickness. Cut with a 2- or 2½-inch biscuit or round cookie cutter. Place the biscuits on the baking sheet, very close together but not touching, about ½ inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly brown; watch carefully near the end to avoid burning. Remove the biscuits to a rack and let cool.
5. Prepare the ham according to the package directions and drain well. Slice thinly, if necessary.
6. To serve, slice the biscuits in half, cut the ham slices to fit the biscuits, and insert the ham into the middle of each biscuit.

EXTRA POINTS The biscuits can be made several hours ahead or 1 day before the tailgate. If you don’t want to use ham, make the biscuits into a sweet breakfast treat: Combine 2 tablespoons unsalted butter with ¼ to ½ cup orange juice in a small saucepan and heat until the butter melts and mixes with the juice. Brush the biscuits with the mixture before baking.