Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet with parchment paper or butter and flour your cast iron pan. 

Whisk together flour sugar, salt and baking soda until thoroughly combined. 

With your hands or a wooden spoon, add butter and work into flour mixture until course crumbs are formed. Add raisins or currants to the mixture. 

Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the buttermilk and the beaten egg. Use a wooden spoon to combine ingredients until a course dough forms. 

On a lightly floured surface, knead dough a few times until workable enough to shape into a round loaf. Do not knead dough too long or the bread will end up tough. Knead just long enough to create a round loaf. Place on pan with parchment paper or in a cast iron dutch oven or deep pan. 

Using a serrated bread knife, lightly cut an X into the top of the loaf. 

Bake for about 45 minutes. It may take a shorter amount of time on a baking sheet and a bit longer in a cast iron dutch oven. Bread will be done when a baking tester comer out clean and tapping on the bottom of the loaf makes a “hollow” sound. 

Place on a baking rack to cool. Serve warm with butter and strawberry jam.