Southern Beaten Biscuits (1857)

• 3 cups flour
• 1-1/2 tspns sugar
• 1/2 tspn salt
• 1/2 tspn baking powder
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup mixture of milk, water
• 2 tbspns lard

Sift dry ingredients together, then cut in lard until mixture appears mealy.  Add liquid, a little at a time, to make a stiff dough. 

Knead dough thoroughly, then beat with a heavy mallet for half an hour or run several times through the coarse chopper of a meat grinder until dough is elastic.  

Roll 1/2-inch thick and cut with small biscuit cutter. Prick tops with fork tines and bake on a cooky sheet in a 325 degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned.  Makes about 2 dozen.

(Origin - "The American Heritage Cookbook and Illustrated History of American Eating and Drinking" by the editors of American Heritage magazine, 1964.)

More Pre-1900 Recipes

Old-Fashioned Apple Cider Butter (1860)

Sponge Bread with Olive Oil (1720)

Moonlight Cake (1883)

Fried Jumble Cookies (1883)