History of Virginia Country Ham

From Jamestown to World Renown

The curing of pork dates back hundreds of years. Exactly when the first pork was cured and who cured it no one really knows. History traces the first attempts to the ancient Gauls who are purported to have salted, smoked and dried pork.

In Virginia, around 1608, the Indians taught the Jamestown colonists the secret behind the famous Virginia cured ham. Their methods of salting, smoking and aging venison were adapted by the white man to preserving the meat of the plentiful razorback hog. These techniques were refined and passed down for generations, accumulating legend and lore throughout the centuries.

Today, the renowned taste of the Virginia country-cured ham is achieved by essentially the same traditional process developed by the early settlers.

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