Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about Benton’s Bacon and Country Ham, including shipping, shelf life, storage, cooking recommendations, and wholesale information.

My order arrived unrefrigerated - is this normal?

Yes. We ship orders without ice packs or refrigeration. Our time-honored dry curing process makes our country ham and bacon safe to ship unrefrigerated, even if the products arrive warm to the touch in the summer months.

Once your order arrives, we recommend refrigerating our products for the best quality or freezing for long term storage.

How should I store my country ham or bacon and what is the shelf life?

Upon arrival, we recommend refrigerating our products for the best quality or freezing for long term storage.

Our bacon will keep unopened in the vacuum-sealed package for at least several months. We recommend freezing it for longer term storage.

Our country ham will keep unopened in the vacuum-sealed package for at least 3 weeks. We recommend freezing it for longer term storage.

Country ham bones, skins, and hocks that are wrapped in paper should be used or frozen within a few days of being received.

Our whole, bone-in hams do not require refrigeration. We recommend refrigerating the ham once it’s been deboned or sliced.

What’s the best way to cook Benton’s bacon and country ham?

We recommend cooking our bacon gently, over low heat on the stovetop or around 350°F in the oven. Take the bacon off the heat when it is beginning to brown, but still has some bend to the slices. It will continue to firm up as it cools. Cooking it until it is completely brown and crisp can make dry-cured bacon like ours a little tough and accentuate the saltiness. One of our favorite ways to enjoy our bacon is on a BLT in the summer with a good local tomato. Also, be sure to save your bacon grease — it is liquid gold in the kitchen!

For country ham slices, we recommend frying them in a hot skillet with bacon grease or oil for less than 30 seconds on each side. Like our bacon, take care to avoid overcooking. One of our favorite ways to enjoy our country ham is on a hot biscuit with a little jelly or jam.

We do not recommend baking our Country Hams whole, as they tend to turn out saltier and tougher than many folks like. While you may find recipes for cooking dry-cured country hams whole, the process is quite different from baking a honey-cured or fresh ham and can include several days of preparation.

Is country ham supposed to be salty?

If you’re accustomed to a milder deli or honey-baked ham, country ham will taste noticeably saltier. Country ham is a dry-cured product, and salt is an important part of the traditional curing process. As a ham ages and loses moisture, its flavor becomes richer and more concentrated. As mentioned above, taking care not to overcook country ham will help keep it tender and avoid accentuating the saltiness. The flavor can be downplayed a little by adding something sweet to the pan while frying, like cola, apple juice, or brewed coffee with a pinch of brown sugar.

Is mold on a whole, bone-in country ham normal?

Yes. Surface mold is a normal and expected part of the country ham aging process, much like some cheeses. The mold can be removed by scrubbing with a stiff brush and a little warm water and/or vinegar.

Can you ship your country sausage?

We make a small batch of our country breakfast sausage each week and offer it in mild, hot, and smoked varieties. It is seasoned simply with salt, sage, and pepper. Our sausage is a fresh pork product and requires refrigeration. Because of this, we are not able to ship the sausage at this time, but that’s all the more reason to stop by our store.

Do you offer wholesale accounts for restaurants and retailers?

Yes. We’ve been fortunate to work with restaurants and retailers across the country for many years. If you’re interested in carrying Benton’s products or using them in your restaurant, we’d be happy to hear from you. Visit our Wholesale page to learn more and get in touch.