Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams is a producer of
cured meats in
Madisonville,
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, United States. The business was started in 1947 by the late Albert H. Hicks.
Allan Benton and his father, B.D. Benton, took over the business in 1973 and it was subsequently renamed and moved to its current location in Madisonville.
Overview
The company uses a slow curing process using
salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
,
brown sugar
Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar.
Brown Sugar may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul
* ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...
, and
sodium nitrite
Sodium nitrite is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula NaNO2. It is a white to slightly yellowish crystalline powder that is very soluble in water and is hygroscopic. From an industrial perspective, it is the most important nitrite ...
. The mixture is rubbed onto fresh hams in a maple box; the hams are then aged an average of 9 to 10 months, but often up to 18 months. Many of the hams are also
smoked in a small, wood-fired smokehouse that sits behind the shop. Benton's also produces
prosciutto
''Prosciutto crudo'', in English often shortened to prosciutto ( , ), is Italian uncooked, unsmoked, and dry-cured ham. ''Prosciutto crudo'' is usually served thinly sliced.
Several regions in Italy have their own variations of ''prosciutto crud ...
, cured
bacon, and fresh pork
sausage
A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders.
...
.
See also
*
List of smoked foods
*
References
External links
Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams
Companies based in Tennessee
Monroe County, Tennessee
Brand name meats
Meat companies of the United States
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