Cola Biscuits

Place butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Transfer skillet to oven; preheat oven to 450°F. Once butter is melted (8 to 10 minutes), remove from oven, and set aside. Do not turn oven off.

Meanwhile, pulse together flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined, about 10 pulses. Scatter cubed shortening evenly over flour mixture; pulse until well combined and mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 12 pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl, and whisk in brown sugar.

Make a well in center of flour mixture, and add sour cream; stir gently using a rubber spatula until mixture is crumbly. Make another well in center of mixture, and add cola; fold gently until dough forms a ball with no dry bits of flour remaining.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and dust top of dough lightly with additional flour. With floured hands, pat dough into an 11- x 6-inch rectangle (about 1/2 inch thick). Fold short ends of rectangle toward the center, 1 end on top of the other, creating a trifold. Dust dough lightly with flour, and pat down again into an 11- x 6-inch rectangle; repeat folding process. Repeat patting and folding process for a third time.

Pat dough to 3/4-inch thickness; cut into 8 biscuits using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter (do not twist the cutter), reshaping and cutting scraps as needed. Place biscuits side by side in reserved skillet with butter. Bake until biscuits are golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through baking time. Brush with additional melted butter; serve warm with softened butter or bacon jam.