Cooking Lesson #252: Benton’s Smoky Mountain Hams

The Easter Collection

Allan Benton with his smoked hams

How you doin’? I love the flavor and texture of old-fashioned smoked hams. Last year I bought a commercial brand ham and it was so “pumped” with water and chemicals that there was relatively little ham to taste after cooking, and relatively little actual ham flavor. Yes, they’re easier to cook, but if you’re cooking for compliments—forget it!
 
There are hams and then there are Benton’s Smoky Mountain Hams. They’re a little pricey and take a lot of time and effort, but they’re well worth it. Simple stated, Allan Benton produces great American hams.
 
Now, you might have noticed in the name of this post that this recipe is part of The Easter Collection. We’re posting this one a week early to allow time for you to order, receive and prepare this special ham. So, go… order it now. We’ll wait.
 
I wanted to do justice in the preparation to match the effort that went into it at the Benton smoke house. Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams are slow cured using salt, brown sugar and sodium nitrite. They are typically aged 9-10 months, although they do sell hams that are a year and older. This time-honored practice dates to colonial days when the preparation and preservation of meat was a way of life. Allan Benton has upheld the traditional dry-curing process to produce world class country hams and bacon. A Benton’s ham weighs in at between 16 and 18-pounds. You can also purchase bacon and other cuts of ready-to-cook hams on their website at www.bentonscountryhams2.com.
 
                 How to make a whole, bone-in Benton’s Country Ham
 
Preparation for the whole ham  Allow a good 6 or 7 days to do it right. Hey, you only live once, right?

1. Day 1-4. Place the ham in a giant receptacle filled with ice water (I used a bathtub). Change water every 12 hours for 4 days straight to reverse the brining. This process removes much of the salt that has burrowed deep into the cells of the meat. It also plumps the hard ham and allows it to cook more efficiently. Since the ham is fully smoked, you don’t have to worry about it being out of refrigeration.
2. Day 5: Double wrap the ham thoroughly in heavy duty aluminum foil to make sure it is thoroughly sealed.
3. Place the ham in a roasting pan and add enough hot water so the ham is halfway submerged. Turn oven to 250 degrees. Cook for 24 hours flipping the ham every six hours. Add more hot water as necessary to keep the ham halfway submerged.
4. Day 6: Remove the ham from oven, unwrap, let cool for a bit then dig in and get those giant hunks of meat off the bone until you get every last morsel.
5.  Reserve the hock for beans.
6. Take a good sharp knife and begin carving the ham against the grain. This is important as country ham tends to be a little chewy.

ChefSecret:  Benton Bacon has been a secret source for star-chefs for years. Here is the secret revealed.
 Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams
 2603 Hwy. 411 North
 Madisonville, Tennessee 37354
 Phone: (423) 442-5003
 Hours: Monday - Saturday: 8:30am 5:00pm

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