Country Ham and Egg Biscuit Sandwiches

Imperial May 13, 2026May 13, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 4 hearty servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Quick Ingredients

Biscuits: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, 3/4 cup cold buttermilk, 1 tablespoon melted butter for brushing
Country ham: 8 ounces thin-sliced country ham, 1 teaspoon neutral oil or bacon drippings
Gravy: 2 tablespoons pan drippings and/or unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole milk, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Eggs: 4 large eggs, 2 tablespoons whole milk, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
To finish: 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped chives or scallions

Do This

1. Heat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix the biscuit dry ingredients, cut in cold butter, stir in buttermilk, then fold and pat the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick square.
3. Cut 4 large biscuits, bake for 14 to 16 minutes, and brush with melted butter.
4. Sear country ham in a hot skillet for 1 to 2 minutes per side, then set it aside.
5. Make a quick cream gravy in the same skillet with fat, flour, milk, pepper, and cayenne.
6. Soft-scramble the eggs with milk and pepper, then divide into 4 portions.
7. Split biscuits, layer with cheddar, eggs, country ham, and gravy, then garnish with chives and serve warm.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic Southern comfort: Flaky buttermilk biscuits, salty country ham, creamy eggs, and peppery gravy make a breakfast that feels timeless and generous.
Big flavor without fuss: The country ham seasons the skillet, so the gravy gets deep savory flavor with just a few ingredients.
Perfectly balanced layers: Tender biscuits, rich eggs, sharp cheddar, salty ham, and a spoonful of gravy keep every bite satisfying.
Great for weekend mornings: It feels special enough for brunch, but the whole recipe comes together in about 45 minutes.

Grocery List

Produce: Chives or scallions
Dairy: Cold unsalted butter, buttermilk, whole milk, large eggs, sharp cheddar cheese
Meat: Thin-sliced country ham
Pantry: All-purpose flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, kosher salt, baking soda, black pepper, cayenne pepper, neutral oil or bacon drippings

Full Ingredients

For the Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons more for dusting the counter if needed
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup cold buttermilk, shaken well
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, for brushing the baked biscuits

For the Country Ham

8 ounces thin-sliced country ham, cut into 4 portions if needed
1 teaspoon neutral oil or bacon drippings
2 tablespoons water, only if the skillet gets very dry or dark after searing

For the Peppery Cream Gravy

2 tablespoons pan drippings and/or unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk, plus 2 to 4 tablespoons more if needed to loosen the gravy
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Salt, only if needed after tasting

For the Eggs and Assembly

4 large eggs
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese, about 3 ounces total
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives or scallions

Country Ham and Egg Biscuit Sandwiches – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Heat the oven and mix the biscuit dry ingredients

Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda until evenly combined.

Step 2: Cut in the butter and form the dough

Add the 6 tablespoons cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks shaggy, with some pea-size pieces and a few flatter butter flakes remaining. These cold butter pieces are what help make the biscuits flaky.

Pour in 3/4 cup cold buttermilk and stir gently with a fork just until the dough starts to clump together. It should look a little rough and slightly crumbly, not smooth or wet. If there are very dry patches at the bottom of the bowl, add cold buttermilk 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough just holds together.

Step 3: Fold, cut, and prepare the biscuits

Lightly dust the counter with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Pat the dough into a rough rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Fold it in thirds like a letter, then pat it down again. Repeat this folding process 2 more times. This simple folding builds flaky layers without overworking the dough.

After the final fold, pat the dough into a square or rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Use a sharp knife to trim the edges lightly, then cut the dough into 4 large square biscuits. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet with the sides touching slightly for a taller rise.

Step 4: Bake the biscuits

Bake the biscuits at 450°F for 14 to 16 minutes, until they are puffed, golden on top, and cooked through in the center. Remove them from the oven and immediately brush the tops with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Let them rest on the baking sheet while you prepare the ham, gravy, and eggs.

Step 5: Sear the country ham and make the gravy

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon neutral oil or bacon drippings. Add the country ham in a single layer and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until the edges curl slightly and the ham is browned in spots. Transfer the ham to a plate and loosely cover to keep warm.

Reduce the heat to medium. You need 2 tablespoons total fat in the skillet for the gravy, so add enough unsalted butter to the ham drippings to reach that amount. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons flour and whisk constantly for 60 to 90 seconds, until the flour smells lightly toasted but does not get dark.

Slowly whisk in 1 cup whole milk, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, whisking often, until the gravy is creamy and spoonable. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1 pinch cayenne. Taste before adding salt; country ham is very salty, and the gravy may not need any. If the gravy thickens too much, whisk in 2 to 4 tablespoons additional milk. Keep warm over very low heat.

Step 6: Soft-scramble the eggs

In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs, 2 tablespoons whole milk, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper until the mixture is smooth and no streaks of egg white remain. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.

Add the eggs and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring slowly with a spatula. Pull the eggs from the edges toward the center as they set. Remove the skillet from the heat when the eggs look soft, glossy, and just slightly underdone; the residual heat will finish them. Divide the eggs into 4 portions.

Step 7: Assemble the biscuits and serve

Split the warm biscuits in half. Place 1 slice sharp cheddar on the bottom half of each biscuit. If you want the cheese extra melty, place the cheese-topped biscuit bottoms on the warm baking sheet and return them to the turned-off oven for 1 to 2 minutes.

Top each cheesy biscuit bottom with one portion of soft eggs and one portion of seared country ham. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons warm gravy over each stack, then add the biscuit tops. Finish with chopped chives or scallions. Serve immediately while the biscuits are warm, the eggs are tender, and the gravy is creamy.

Pro Tips

Keep everything cold for the biscuits: Cold butter and cold buttermilk create steam in the hot oven, which helps form flaky layers.
Do not overmix the dough: Stir only until the flour is moistened. A slightly shaggy dough makes a more tender biscuit than a smooth one.
Taste before salting: Country ham is intentionally salty, and it seasons both the meat layer and the gravy.
Use medium-low heat for the eggs: Gentle heat keeps the eggs soft and creamy instead of rubbery.
Serve the gravy loose: Biscuit gravy thickens as it sits, so add a splash of milk before serving if it becomes too firm.

Variations

Red-eye style: Skip the cream gravy and deglaze the ham skillet with 1/2 cup brewed black coffee plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Simmer for 2 minutes and spoon over the biscuit stacks.
Pimento cheese version: Replace the cheddar slices with 1/2 cup pimento cheese, spreading 2 tablespoons onto each warm biscuit bottom.
Hot honey breakfast biscuits: Drizzle each assembled biscuit with 1 teaspoon hot honey for a sweet-heat contrast with the salty country ham.

Storage & Make-Ahead

These biscuit stacks are best assembled right before serving, but the components can be prepared ahead. Store baked biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months. Reheat biscuits in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or from frozen for 14 to 16 minutes. Cooked country ham can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Gravy can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat it gently over low heat with a splash of milk, whisking until smooth. Eggs are best cooked fresh, but if needed, refrigerate them for up to 1 day and rewarm gently in a covered skillet over low heat. For easier morning prep, whisk the biscuit dry ingredients the night before and cube the butter; keep the butter refrigerated until you are ready to mix the dough.

Nutrition (per serving)