These 7 Tennessee Smokehouses Still Make Country Ham The Old-Fashioned Way
One Tennessee ham shop sells a prosciutto-style country ham called Tennshootoe. Yes, that’s a homegrown take on Italian prosciutto, cured right here in the South.
I have to admit, that name made me laugh out loud. Then I learned some of these hams hang around for up to 18 months before anyone slices them.
That’s longer than most of us keep a pair of sneakers.
Country ham is not the pink, wet stuff from the deli case. It’s dry-cured with salt, aged slowly, and often kissed with hickory smoke.
The results are salty, deep, and pretty serious about flavor.
A handful of family shops still do it the patient way. Some have been at it since before your grandparents were born.
So which one deserves a spot on your biscuit?
1. Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams & Bacon
Chefs across the country know the name on this sign, yet the shop itself sits along a plain stretch of highway. Talk about a humble home for famous bacon.
The business started in 1947 under a dairy farmer named Albert H. Hicks.
The Benton family took over in 1973, moved the operation, and gave it the name you see today.
Curing here follows century-old Appalachian methods. The hams get rubbed with salt, brown sugar, and black pepper, along with a little sodium nitrite.
Then comes the waiting game. Most hams age eight to ten months, while some stretch to a year or even 18 months.
Many of them finish in a small, wood-fired smokehouse behind the shop. Hickory wood provides the smoke, giving the meat its distinctive, deeply smoky flavor.
Bacon is the other big star. It’s slow-smoked and has landed on menus at leading restaurants nationwide, which says plenty about its reputation.
You can also find sausage and prosciutto on the shelves. If you love a good charcuterie board, that prosciutto is worth a look.
The shop smells like an old-time smokehouse packed with hanging hams. Honestly, you might leave smelling a bit smoky yourself, and nobody will complain.
Plan for a quick stop, since this is a grab-and-go kind of place. Friday tends to be the busiest day, while Tuesday mornings run quieter.
It’s open Monday through Saturday and closed Sunday. Bring a cooler for the ride home.
Address: 2603 US-411, Madisonville, TN 37354
2. Rice’s Country Hams
Back in 1933, a family in Mt. Juliet started curing hams, and the holiday tables of Middle Tennessee haven’t been the same since.
Three generations later, the family still runs the place.
That staying power earns it a neat title. It’s known as the oldest retail business still operating in Mt.
Juliet.
The family describes its approach as the Old Fashion Way. In practice, that means patience, because the country hams cure for at least ten months.
Ten months is a long time to wait for dinner. Then again, good things rarely come from a microwave.
You can buy hams whole or pre-sliced. Pre-sliced is handy if you just want salty slices for Saturday breakfast without wrestling a whole ham.
The shelves go beyond ham, too. Look for thick-sliced smoked bacon and hickory-smoked sausage, plus other Southern treats.
Many families make a yearly trip here for their holiday ham. It’s the kind of tradition that sticks once it starts.
The shop keeps a relaxed feel, so you won’t need to rush. Ask questions about cuts if you’re unsure what fits your crowd.
Busy schedule? Curbside pickup and delivery are both options, which is a nice bonus during the holiday scramble.
The retail store opens Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM. Sunday is a day off, so plan your ham run accordingly.
Address: 12217 Lebanon Rd, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122
3. The Hamery
Tennshootoe. Say it out loud and try not to grin.
That clever name belongs to this shop’s Tennessee-style prosciutto. It’s a fun twist from a business that has cured ham since 1968.
For more than 50 years, the Woods’ curing process has guided the work here. Hams are carefully cured, then smoked with hickory and apple wood before aging.
The result is artisan aged country ham with plenty of character. You can buy it cooked or uncooked, depending on how much kitchen work you want.
Hungry right now? Grab a biscuit with ham or sausage, because angel biscuits are a big part of the menu.
Thin-sliced meats are another specialty. They’re perfect for stacking on biscuits or tossing into a skillet with eggs.
You’ll also find fresh pork sausage and country bacon. Then there are the jars of jams, pickles, chow chow, and sauces to round out a Southern breakfast spread.
The shop sits near downtown Murfreesboro. It also shows up at the downtown Farmer’s Market from May through October.
In the colder months, it hosts the Winter Farmer’s Market from November through April. That’s a clever way to keep folks coming by year-round.
Weekday hours run 9 AM to 4 PM. Saturday is a short morning, 8 AM to noon, so early birds win.
Address: 411 W Lytle St, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
4. Tripp Country Hams
Four generations of one family have kept the smokehouse fires going in Brownsville. Since 1962, that dedication has made this a West Tennessee name worth knowing.
The company proudly calls its product Old Fashion Award Winning Tennessee Country Ham. That’s a mouthful, but so is a good slice of their ham.
A traditional smokehouse process sits at the heart of the operation. Nothing flashy, just time-tested curing done the way the family learned it.
The ham menu reads like a guide to the whole hog leg. Whole bone-in hams, center slices, biscuit slices, boneless slices, and hock slices all make the list.
Cooking for a small household? Biscuit slices are made for exactly that kind of breakfast.
Seasoning pieces and end cuts are a smart buy too. Drop them into a pot of beans or greens and watch the flavor jump.
Fully cooked options take the guesswork out of dinner. Country bacon, gift boxes, and samplers fill out the lineup.
Gift boxes make a great present for that relative who has everything. Nobody ever returns country ham.
Some fans make the drive several times a year for ham, hocks, and bacon. That kind of loyalty speaks for itself.
Hours run Monday through Friday from 7 AM to 3 PM. Weekends are closed, so plan a weekday stop.
Address: 207 S Washington Ave, Brownsville, TN 38012
5. Clifty Farm Country Meats
Spotted a Clifty Farm package at the grocery store? There’s a good chance it started its trip in Paris, Tennessee.
Yes, Tennessee has its own Paris, complete with a small Eiffel Tower. Here, though, the real local treasure is cured pork.
This is a fourth-generation producer of traditional country ham and Southern cured meats. The family uses its own curing, aging, and smoking methods to make award-winning hams.
Dry-cured and fully cooked country ham are both specialties. The cut list covers whole bone-in hams, center slices, biscuit slices, boneless slices, and hock slices.
Seasoning pieces and end cuts deserve extra love. They’re prized for adding salty, smoky depth to beans and greens.
The product line stretches further than ham. Look for pulled pork barbecue, summer sausage, pork skins, and peppered pork side meat.
Bacon and sausage round things out nicely. Basically, you could build an entire Southern breakfast without leaving the brand.
Clifty Farm products show up at retailers like Walmart, Publix, and Kroger across the Southeast. Select items can also be ordered online.
That wide reach is impressive for a family operation. Still, the methods remain rooted in old-school curing.
Clifty Farm’s Paris location is primarily a production and wholesale facility, so visitors should contact the company before planning an in-person purchase.
Address: 1500 US-641, Paris, TN 38242
6. Greer’s Tennessee Country Hams
Most ham shops sell you the meat and send you home to cook it. In Franklin, you can sit down and let someone else handle the skillet.
This longtime Franklin business specializes in traditionally cured country ham and has also operated a weekend restaurant. Traditional Southern-style cooking shares the spotlight with specialty country ham.
That combo is rare on this list. It means you can taste the ham first before deciding how much to haul home.
Diners call it some of the best country ham they’ve had. The Southern hospitality gets plenty of praise too.
Franklin itself is a popular Middle Tennessee town with lots of history. A stop here pairs nicely with a day exploring the area.
The hours are a little unusual, so check before you go. Weekdays generally run from morning into early evening, with Sunday hours starting at noon.
An appointment may be required, according to the listing. A quick call ahead can save you a wasted trip and a grumbling stomach.
Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons tend to get busy. Monday is usually calmer if you prefer a slower pace.
Plan for a quick visit rather than a long lingering meal. That still leaves plenty of time for a second helping.
Country ham this good deserves your full attention. Just maybe skip the extra salt shaker.
Address: 3128 Southall Rd, Franklin, TN 37064
7. Silverstone Hams
Blink and you’ll miss it, because this shop opens only one day a week. Saturday mornings in Mountain City are when the ham magic happens.
Visitors should contact Silverstone Hams to confirm its current retail hours before making the trip.
Mountain City sits in the far northeast corner of Tennessee. The drive up winds through some of the prettiest country in the state.
Silverstone Hams lists its main office in Mountain City, Tennessee, but its ham-curing operation is based in Zionville, North Carolina.
Fans call the ham some of the best they’ve ever eaten. For many households, it has become a regular favorite at home.
Silverstone Hams offers online ordering, and customers should contact the business to confirm in-person pickup arrangements.
Think of it as a reason for a weekend road trip. Pair it with a scenic drive or a mountain hike nearby.
Bring a cooler if you’re traveling far. Country ham travels well, but it’s always smart to plan ahead.
Arrive early for the best chance at what you want. Saturday only comes once a week, after all.
Address: 114 S Church St, Mountain City, TN 37683