Bacon and Sweet Potato Biscuits with Smoky Honey Butter

These extraordinary biscuits simply burst with flavor and are sure to become a family-favorite.

Recipe Ingredients:

Biscuits:
2 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
1 medium orange-fleshed sweet potato, or 2 small sweet potatoes (14 to 16 ounces total), peeled
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon allspice
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
1 cup buttermilk

Honey Butter:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
Salt

Cooking Directions:

1. Wrap the sweet potato with a damp paper towel and microwave on high until very soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, mash with a potato masher, and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, then set aside to cool. Carefully set aside 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings from the skillet.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt, and allspice and pulse a few times. Add the cubed butter and pulse to make a coarse meal with a few pea-sized pieces. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and gently mix in the bacon, buttermilk, and 1 cup of the mashed sweet potato (save any remaining potato for another use).
4. Transfer mixture to a floured work surface and knead a few times to form a dough. Pat the dough to about 1-inch thick, then gently fold in half. Gently repeat 4 more times. Roll the dough out to 3/4-inch thick, then use a floured 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter to cut dough into biscuits, arranging them on the prepared baking sheet. Gather the scraps and repeat to make a total of 12 biscuits. Bake until the biscuits are browned and a tester comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine the softened butter, honey, and reserved bacon drippings, mixing until smooth. Add salt to taste.
6. Serve the biscuits with the honey butter on the side.

Makes 12 biscuits.

Tips:

• If you’d like, you can substitute the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt for 3 cups biscuit mix.
• Split biscuits in half horizontally and add sliced ham for a savory sandwich.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 biscuit and 2 1/2 teaspoons honey butter): 260 calories; Protein: 4 grams; Fat: 17 grams; Sodium: 370 milligrams; Cholesterol: 45 milligrams; Saturated Fat: 10 grams; Carbohydrates: 24 grams.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of National Pork Board.