Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a heavy baking sheet.

Into a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. With your fingers or a pastry blender, work in the lard until evenly distributed and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the buttermilk, cheese, and ham and work in until just incorporated and the dough is still slightly sticky, being careful not to overwork the dough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured board and pat out into a rectangle, about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into rounds with a floured 3-inch cutter, then gather scraps and cut additional biscuits. Place on the greased baking sheet and bake until golden brown and risen, about 20 minutes.

Serve hot with butter.