Preheat oven to 400°F

Place 1/2 stick of butter on a baking sheet and put into oven just long enough to melt the butter

Measure flour into large bowl

Add baking powder and sugar to flour, stir to blend

Measure shortening. Add to flour mixture. Using a pastry blender cut in shortening until it resembles coarse cornmeal

Make a well in center of flour and shortening mixture and add 1 cup of buttermilk

Using a fork, mix in buttermilk

Add half of remaining buttermilk and mix. Dough will start to become sticky

Add enough remaining buttermilk so there is no dry flour left

Turn soft dough onto floured board

Turn dough in hands until it forms a ball. Add flour to hands to keep dough from sticking

Knead dough until smooth. Roll out until 1 inch thick

Cut with biscuit cutter

Place biscuits on baking sheet on top of melted butter

Brush tops of biscuits with evaporated milk

Bake 20-25 minutes

Melt remaining butter over hot biscuits immediately after removing from oven