Crusty Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups buttermilk well-shaken cold
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt 
• 5 cups unbleached flour white all-purpose sifted (sift before measuring)
• 3 tablespoons butter unsalted melted
• 0.5 cup lard cold
• 0.5 cup lard cold

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• rolling pin

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in middle.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
3. Add lard, coating it with flour, then rub between your fingertips until coarsely blended with some 1/2-inch lumps.
4. Make a well in flour mixture, then add buttermilk, stirring just until a dough forms (it will be soft and sticky). Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 8 to 10 times.
5. Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round (1/2 inch thick) and, using a fork dipped in flour, prick all the way through about every 1/2 inch.
6. Cut out as many rounds as possible with a 2 1/2- to 3-inch round cookie/biscuit cutter dipped in flour (do not twist cutter).
7. Bake, almost touching, on an ungreased heavy baking sheet, rotating sheet after about 6 minutes if browning unevenly, until crusty and golden-brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
8. Brush tops with melted butter and serve warm or at room temperature.
9. Flour mixture with lard can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.