As you arrive at the store you cannot believe that something so good comes from something so small. Simplicity in mind and practice, Benton’s store front is nothing that would stand out, but certainly something you should always remember. Once inside you are quickly taken back in time to when Allan first started in the business. In fact the only thing Allan has changed was the type of sugar used, the original company used white sugar, and since his family had always used brown sugar instead of white Allan decided to go with that. The smell is that of an old farm house where food is always cooking and being served.
Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams are slow cured using salt, brown sugar, and sodium nitrite and typically aged 9-10 months, though hams are available 1 year and older. This time-honored practice dates back to the era of our forefathers, when the preparation and preservation of meat was a way of life and sustenance. Although the hands of time and technology have sculpted many aspects of our modern world, at Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams we have upheld the traditional dry-curing process and are striving to produce world class country hams and bacon.
Our business was started in 1947 by the late Albert H. Hicks, a dairy farmer who began curing and selling country hams out of a painted block building. Allan Benton and his employees have honed the dry-curing of hams and bacon into a culinary art and have catapulted the products from a simple breakfast mainstay into the world of gourmet cooking, where they have been praised for their characteristic flavor. Benton’s Country Hams and Bacon are available either unsmoked or hickory-smoked. Hickory smoking is performed in a small, wood stove smokehouse behind the business, imparting a distinct smoked flavor that many customers prefer. Our products make excellent gifts and can be shipped anywhere in the United States. We invite you to try some today!
