Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams & Bacon

There's always a lot of people in line. Consider yourself lucky if you are standing 4th from rhe counter. Well, long lines here doesn't mean they are slow and lazy but it means the place is most visited because of what they sell. It's amazing and when you follow instructions on how to cook, you can never go wrong. It is not the same type of bacon we buy at Sam's or Costco. So once every month, my husband and I make sure we visit this place to get some smoked bacon and prosciutto. The crew at Benton's were the best too! Kindness goes a long way. Thank you guys! ❤️

This review is for a mail order of bacon. Upon receiving the box, the aroma took me back forty years as a child traveling to see family in rural Missouri. Every so many miles the smell of a hickory smokehouse was unmistakable. I'm currently in Indiana and Hoosiers are proud of their pork products. I have access to locally prepared bacon but they don't compete. Mostly, too much sugar is injected which makes the bacon curl and burn easily. This? This is bacon how it should be. I'm so grateful places like this are alive and sticking to the old way of making things right. I will definitely be ordering again!

The smoked baloney, country ham, and smoked gouda cheese all were delicious. We bought some bacon, too, but haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure it will be just as good. It's a wonderful little shop for all your pork needs.

I live in western NC and have been driving by Benton’s for going on 5 years. Primarily back and forth to Knoxville. I decided to stop by a couple of weeks ago to check it out. I loved walking into the storefront lobby. The visual was incredible, with the hanging hams in the back, as well as meat-cutters up front in the cutting room. I purchased a few pounds of smoked sausage as well as a couple of packages of smoked bacon. The sausage was fantastic. The bacon was nice and lean. The flavor was excellent and it didn’t shrivel up. The only disappointment was the bacon was extremely salty. I plan on desalinating the bacon on the next package by soaking in water for an hour or two, or blanching it for a minute prior to cooking it. Hopefully this will work. I don’t know if it was this particular batch, or if this is the normal salt content in the bacon. I will be returning for future purchases however. A follow-up to Benton's reply: Thank you so much for the explanation about the bacon, as well as the offer to replace it. No need. I will gladly be returning to purchase more product and also be bringing a friend the next trip over from Murphy. Love your place and your products!

Wow. Wow. Wow. In my opinion Benton's is the best smokehouse & butcher shop on the East Coast, none barred. And now they have amazing fresh baked sourdough...what!! Seriously worth the trip!!!

I stopped by and got country ham, bacon, and prosciutto as gifts for my friends and family who also love Benton’s. I called ahead since I had a large order and Mr. Benton had everything I asked for ready at the register when I arrived. Great staff and great food!

We just stayed in Vonore, TN so we could stop by this amazing Benton Ham and Bacon business. We picked up some of the world’s best hickory Smoked bacon on the way to visit friends - it’s their favorite! Tony, found out that we stayed in Vonore, just to visit their store, and he gave us a tour, Wow! What an interesting process they go through to make hams for the world. For their country ham, it’s an 8 month process of salt, sugar, spices and different temperature rooms. They also have a 2 year process for prosciutto ham. In the store and online, they sell their products along with locally made cheeses, bread, jams and sauces. I highly recommend stopping by for a tour. I had no idea about the ham process.

Made a stop here to grab some bacon I heard about. It’s slow smoked so it can be kept at room temperature, which means it will fly home with us. Trying to pick the right pack when the owner approaches and says he will help. We started talking a little bit, then the next thing we know he is giving us a guided tour of the place and telling us all about it. The hams are salt packed, smoked at 75 to 90 degrees for 3 days, and then cured for 14 to 30 months. He told us you can order online and the best way is to ask them to slice and debone it, you still get the bone! A very unique experience for us, southern hospitality still exists. ✌️😎

After being disappointed by every brand of supermarket bacon I stumbled upon the website of Benton's Smokey Mountain Country Hams. I called them to inquire if their bacon has a strong smokey flavor. They assured me it did and I ordered four one-pound packages at $38 plus shipping. The shipment arrived last Thursday and I tried it today (Saturday). I'm happy to report they did not lie, it is very smokey (delicious) but also very salty and I would not recommend it to anyone trying to limit their sodium intake. The bacon is sliced thicker than the way I prefer it and I found it to be tough and rubbery even though I followed their directions and did not over cook it. Also, although not their fault, they ship via USPS Priority Mail ($28) which is supposed to take 1-3 days but took eight days to get to me. I don't know if I will reorder.

Wonderful family run business that appreciate the art of smoking meat and the aging process. They have online options for shipping if you are not in the area.

We picked up the bacon and hot dogs to have while family was in town. The bacon is very salty so the trick is to either rinse it or soak it in water. It was also recommended to cook it on the grill. We did as our friends told us and it was delicious! The hot dogs were good too and enjoyed on the grill too! We will be back for more!!

We had dinner in Townsend, TN, and they served some of Benton's fresh smoked country ham (think prosciutto) with peaches, melon, and mozzarella, drizzled with balsamic. It was delicious. We asked where it came from and they said Benton's. On our way home, we stopped at and picked some of that up, along with bacon and smoked breakfast sausage. We just had some of the breakfast sausage and WOW!!! Best we've had. We plan on stopping there on our way up to Michigan from Georgia next week to stock up. My dad was a butcher with a little meat market, so this shop hit home with me. You can see them smoking the meats, cutting and packing them as well. Definitely recommend a stop here.

We have had Benton's bacon several times, but most notably on Stock & Barrel burgers and it is incredible. We decided to go visit the store today and buy some goodies! We were excited when the owner, Allan took us on a private tour. We learned that the ham is cured with salt, brown sugar, and black pepper, slow aged, and hickory smoked to perfection. We even peaked into the smoker! The place smells like heaven on earth! We came home with bacon, smoked sausage and prosciutto! How could we not buy the bacon and prosciutto after seeing the different stages of production? Allan recommended cooking the bacon until it is flexible, not until it is hard and crispy. We love the strong flavor bacon on burgers, on meatloaf, in scrambled eggs and in pasta dishes! I definitely recommend this business!

This is the real deal! Mr. Benton still offers his time for a chat, his son taking over daily operations. Yes it's quite different if you haven't had country ham before. Knoxville & NYC restaurants create dishes specifically with with Benton's. I've had several dishes prepared with Benton's bacon or ham. A wood fired pizza with diced Benton's ham, red onion, hot honey & buffalo mozzarella. A wedge salad with blue cheese dressing & Benton's bacon bits. Brussels sprouts with bacon crumbles drizzled with balsamic glaze. The bacon, thin prosciutto like ham & country ham are all excellent! That salty/smokey flavor unique to Benton's shines through & pairs with something a little sweet. Next try is green beans with vidalia onion & the ham trimmings & home made cornbread...I'm sure it'll be excellent!

Very cool place- Down home country feel and service. It definitely smelled like a smoked ham place. We purchased, two pack of smoked bacon, massive smoked country ham, a pound of pork sausage and a pound of liver loaf for less than $200. Fair prices and quality product. Love it!! Thanks to Guy for pointing it out for us!!

Everything is great at Benton's. I'm a frequent shopper there. Sausage, bacon, ham, cheese and eggs

Absolutely fantastic place to buy all your daily necessities as a country girl. Best German bologna in the world!

If you've never had country ham before, you owe it to yourself to try it. I ordered a couple packs of the center-cut country ham slices, and they were salty, smokey, savory, and delicious. Highly recommended!

Bacon Accolades Any quick online search will reveal the numerous accolades and famous chef fans of Benton's Bacon in Tennessee But I had my first introduction to Benton's bacon where (not when) it all started: the incomparable BlackBerry Farm in Knoxville, Tennessee I won an all-expenses paid trip there courtesy of the former site @Foodspotting and not only was it one of my most memorable food experiences but I had Benton's bacon every morning The great thing is that the bacon and hams are as accessible and reasonably priced for the public as they are to chefs across America and they even encourage you to visit their smokehouse Every time, I receive an order, not only do I enjoy a stateside ham or bacon that matches Europe's best, I also remember that unforgettable trip to Blackberry Farm I ordered a T-shirt and the signature smoke aroma is almost as strong on the shirt as it is the bacon 4 one pound packs Hickory Smoked Bacon $36 ~ This bacon is dry cured by hand with salt, brown sugar, and black pepper. After about three weeks curing and drying in refrigeration, it is thoroughly smoked in our wood stove smokehouse for two to three days continuously / 8 oz. Hickory Smoked Country Ham Center Cut Slices $9 / Thinly Sliced 20+ Month Aged Smoked Ham $8 ~ aged twenty months or more is sliced as thin as possible, similar to European Aged Hams, and pairs great with cheeses, fruits, jams, or even chow chow-type relishes / T-shirt $20 Benton's Smoky Mountains Country Hams (Madisonville, Tennessee) Benton's accepts credit cards including AmEx for online orders and their prices haven't changed much from when I first visited the area 10 years ago

We had been told about this place and it was the best for bacon and ham. So we drove over two hours to get here. Such an impressive operation and such history. We met Tony and he was so helpful. He gave us a tour of the facility and we had no idea the work and effort put into this operation. The stages were impressive and the efficiency of the employees was really neat to see. We purchased ham, prosciutto, bacon, eggs and steaks. We are anxious to try them. It is so impressive how they ship products all over the USA. The lobby is no frills and you can see the employees cutting hams for customers. It is neat how they have kept the business as is and put more into the product than an advertising song and dance.

THE BEST. I originally learned of Benton's products as a subscriber to Southern Living and ordered a few pounds of bacon as a gift for a special someone. Fantastic! Naturally when driving across TN we took a little detour to do a personal visit and bought many products. One of the best parts was that our car smelled that delicious smokey Benton scent the rest of the trip! Thank you Benton's for your commitment to quality and flavor.

I recently moved to East Tennessee and discovered that Benton's is only 10 miles from my new home. Stopped in to pick up a couple things - bacon and thin sliced country ham. I'm all about smoke, so was very happy with both. The bacon has good smoke to it, much more so than "store bought". That's a big plus for me. I had to put together a cheese board for a party, so I used the packages of thin sliced country ham in place of prosciutto. I much preferred this country ham since it had some smoke to it, unlike prosciutto. So if you like smoked meats, this is the place to come. It's not much to look at, but they make good stuff.

We go to Tennessee every month or two to visit our grandchildren. We get lots of requests from friends and family in Tulsa to bring back bacon and hot dogs. The bacon is very smoky and wonderful to cook with. We were first introduced to it at Amelia's Restaurant in Knoxville. They used in a delicious pasta dish. It's so Smokey that I don't think it would be good by itself but it is wonderful for seasoning other dishes.

Fantastic bacon and other meat products. Love the taste and the texture of all of the meat. The staff were super nice and quick. Make sure to try the milk!!

Great selection! When you walk in the smell of smoke meats make your mouth begin to water! I bought country ham and smoked bacon, I'm ready for an epic breakfast!

I love the idea of the traditional curing and smoking of bacon. I do that myself at home. We tried Benton's because this seemed like our kind of place . The smell when you walk in is amazing. Absolutely love it and was excited to try the bacon and bout a few packs. We tried it the next morning and couldn't eat it due to all the salt. A couple pieces and that was all we could manage. The smell is great and it looks really good . It would be perfect if it wasn't so salty.

I have to share this, as it has been one of the greatest Customer Service experiences of my life. I'd placed an order, but due to inclement weather and other factors, a delay in shipping. I sent an email to their support department, expecting back a simple reply. Instead, I received a call from the owner, apologizing for the shipping delay, explaining their challenges and offering to accommodate me in anyway possible. We then went on to discuss Eastern Tennessee which based off of this has me anxious to move there. Such kind sincere accommodating, and Service originated people with hands-down, the greatest bacon ever in mankind. I cannot recommend this company enough!!!

I've been smoking my own bacon for about 20 years now all of my family is from the south my wife's family is all from Texas we ordered bacon from Benton's when we got it we cooked some and it was not edible it is way over the top to smoked so much so that you can't even taste that it's bacon a waste of $38.00 bucks, I also use hickory to smoke my bacon with salt and brown sugar as the cure I'll stick to my own from now on.

I purchased bacon from watching Guy Fieri's family vacation. In a pond watching that I decided to purchase 3 pounds of bacon I think I should've stopped the order when I realized how expensive the shipping was but thought it would be nice to have some thing special. We cooked 5 slices of bacon as exactly instructed. This bacon is so salty. It's hardly edible. I think there's enough salt in one slice of bacon to give someone a stroke. I would not recommend this.

I ordered a couple of 1/4lb packs for $9 each, not a bad price, however they charged me $15 to ship a single thin envelope which wouldn't cost any more than $5. The product is extremely salty and I couldn't detect ANY smoke in it, maybe some of their other products are better but nuts on this one.

I was so excited to read about Benton's bacon rating on the internet and ordered 4 lbs. to be delivered to my home in Cali. I cooked it on my Traeger grill this morning and it looked and smelled really good. I followed the instruction on not overcooking and did not let the bacon get crispy. I'm sorry to say that it was so salty that my family could not even finish one slice. I am so disappointed in the product and have no idea what I am going to do with the remaining 3 pounds. Maybe chop up and use on baked potatoes or in omelets? I'm really bummed.

The ham, cut thin like prosciutto, was so salty that it was inedible and I'm definitely a salt person. Two ounces of this ham is 2100 mgs of sodium, 88 % of the recommended daily allowance. We threw the entire order in the trash. Expensive mistake. So disappointed.

I'm not sure why the nay Sayers Have an issue with this bacon but it brings me back to my camping days on the coast. If they have an issue with the cost of shipping stay with your local store. Keep doing this GREAT job Jim

I already knew I didn't like country ham, even when soaked to get SOME of the salt out, but this place is famous so we decided to try the bacon. Also VERY salty. Did not like by itself, but the smoke and salt make make for nice baked beans or something. It's too expensive to just throw out.

Hands down the best bacon ever.. Phenomenal products & top notch customer service. Thank you Benton's

Baconlicious...dang...I have to have my bacon...and OMG...OMG...this place fills the bill and then some...cool country area...nice weekend road trip...plenty of fun stops...huge slices...and the taste lingers...Cadillac of bacon...support locals...can't wait to try a ham...

Wow, what in the heck have I been waiting for!? Benton's Bacon shop has practically been in my backyard and I have never taken advantage of it. Man am I glad I went to check this place out. Literally in the middle of no where sits this little country ham & bacon shop that is so admired by so many people. We arrived in the afternoon with quite a few cars in the parking lot and a bit of a line on the inside. Everyone was waiting to order a variety of hams, bacons, Bologna, prosciutto, ground sausage, steaks, cheeses, etc. When it came upon our turn, I stated that we had never been there and would they mind if I looked around the corner, our friendly host, Tommy said, "I'll give you the full tour if ya want it." Of course I was in! Tommy was extremely pleasant and very educational about the processes the hams and bacons go through here (some hams will be there aging for 2 years before they are sold). He said the hams are the longest process. He took us in all the different rooms (aging steps) of the hams and also showed us the smoker (which was at the time smoking the bacon = YUM!). The last room we saw was a guy grinding up sausage. All I have to say is that if you haven't been here you should definitely check it out. For some reason I was a little scared and thought it was like a slaughter house for pigs, well the good news is they don't actually kill the pigs. They come to them already slaughtered, if that gives you a little peace. I wish I could have met Mr. Allan Benton himself as he seems like an incredible individual, but he was out of town in Charleston for the Food festival down there. No big deal I will definitely be back!! Overall a wonderful experience and a big thank you to Tommy for his hospitality and educational info I walked away with a big grin like a kid in a candy shop, all because I learned the processes of how they do things there. Again thank you Tommy & Mr. Benton for having such a wonderful staff. Oh yes we left w/ a couple packages of bacon, ribeyes & prosciutto. All delicious! NOTE TO SELF: Wear clothes that you don't mind if they smell like a smokehouse afterwards. Seriously they will smell for 2 weeks, so I've been told. I'm on Day 2 and I'm still airing them out :) Cheers & Enjoy!

In reading some of these reviews, it has become apparent that some folks just aren't hip to certain facts. This bacon can be stored at room temperature, and it's going to be a little bit more salty than "other" types of bacon. Same goes for the ham products. Benton's meats are COUNTRY STYLE which means salty and smoky. Lots of salt, lots of smoke. Imagine yourself blazing a trail across the country in a covered wagon, behind you is a barrel of meats that are literally packed in rock salt. This meat will keep your family alive through the months of arduous travel in the months ahead. This is original country style meat preservation. That being said, much of the salt can be leached out of the meats during preparation and will season your food in a way that you probably couldn't imagine until you tried it. If you like baked beans, you'll love them after you simmer for hours with chunks of Benton's country ham in there. No need to add any salt to your molasses, brown sugar and other ingredients. The smoke and salt will permeate your homestyle recipe to perfection. Ever make S.O.S.? That's creamed, chipped beef in white gravy over toast. Well, just try that recipe with some of Benton's thinly sliced ham instead of beef. Even dedicated beef lovers will ask for it next time. What about Benton's hot dogs? Oh. My. God. Best anywhere. Do yourself the favor and stop in to patronize this very localized small business, doing things the old fashioned way.

Saw an on line video about their bacon making process. Very impressed with their dedication to the product so, ordered the minimum of 5 lbs. When I opened it up the smoke smell was immediately overwhelming and then cooked half of a pound package. You know how when you go camping and the campfire smoke permeates everything, and it takes weeks of airing things out and doing laundry to make the smell go away? This is that. When the wife tried it she spit it out and got out the freebreeze to try and get rid of the odor. I threw the remaining 4.5 lbs in the garbage. Hey, I get it, some people like the strong taste of smoke. For me, too much just taste like charred firewood. I'm learning Tennessee is the "if a little is good, a lot is better" state....whether it's smoke flavor or alcohol content. I like the nuance of smoked meats but, this product is slightly bacon flavored smoke.

I've read several articles & seen Benton's on several food shows. We've been blessed to have had a chance to stop here after visiting the smokey mountain national park. Actually the original plan was to visit Benton's & since the smokey Mtn was on the way, plans were rearranged. I've ordered bacon & ham from Benton's twice in the past to ship to Seattle & finally had a chance to visit here. They ship their products all over the world. It was a privilege & pleasure to meet Mr.Benton. He kept saying how honored & how appreciative he was that we went out of our way & took time out of our vacation to stop by his store. He is the most humble person, very genuine! We will definitely return on our next trip to Tennessee!

Benton's is a small and unassuming looking place by the side of a state highway 15 miles or so off the interstate and about an hour south of Knoxville. From the outside, you would never guess this is the home of the world's finest bacon and some of the best country ham in the country. If you are in the neighborhood, you will save yourself a lot of money picking it up at the factory rather than paying shipping. Once you try it, you will be hooked if you like hickory cured and smoked country style pork products. Many of the finest restaurants in the country buy their bacon and feature products from Benton's. If you are interested and ask, friendly employees will be glad to give you a quick tour of the facility. Deceptively simple in the curing operations, the smoking is what sets their products apart- if you take the tour you'll smell like hickory when you get home. You'll smell the bacon through the shrink wrap packaging all the way home as well. All of the ham and bacon are cured and heavily shrink wrapped to require no refrigeration until opened so you don't have to worry about transporting it home. If you purchase any fresh products like sausage or cut meat, which they also sale, they will require refrigeration. If you purchase a whole country ham, be sure to have them skin, debone and slice to order before you leave. They do it very fast and free and do an outstanding job. The skin, scraps, ham hocks and bones for use in cooking as seasoning will be cut to size and wrapped along with your deboned center cut sliced ham ready to fry and enjoy with hot biscuits and red eye gravy. Older aged country ham is available sliced paper thin, prosciutto style. I expect this place to be on the National Register of Historic Places any day now.

I have trouble with the 1 stars. I've been a fan of Benton's Bacon and Ham since forever. I grew up on a ranch/farm - where my full bloodied Cherokee grandmother Salt cured her hams and bacon. Reminds of hers. I don't find it salty at all and the smoked flavor is perfect.... much better than you can buy in stores. And the bacon grease, makes the best cornbread ever! I'm closer to the shop now and I just found out Greene's seafood in my town carries the bacon. I love the bacon pieces as it makes the corn and potato soup taste better than ever. Not sure about chemical smell, etc....no chemical used in salt cured meats. I've never smelled anything but bacon whether I do it on the stove or in the oven. It's perfect every OMtime! And the country ham slices for biscuits. Nothing better. I just ordered more!!

I have been a customer of Allan Benton and his company, Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams, since mid-2006. Gourmet magazine featured Mr. Benton in 2006 and I promply ordered 10 pounds of his award-winning (richly deserved) bacon. Let me tell you, the bacon lives up to it's reputation. Sure, there's upscale Artisan bacon here in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but I continue to have Benton's bacon flown in. The rich, smoky smell is strong even before you open the 1-pound package. Whether it's for breakfast, cutting up for pasta sauce, or wrapping around scallops, my family and friends are delighted whenever they are treated to some Benton's bacon. Note: There is an order backlog due to overwhelming demand so order early and be patient! Enjoy! -EBS Worth price and the wait.

I have bought bacon there for a few years however the last time the bacon had very little smoke flavor & was extremely salty. I remember when I cooked the bacon in the past the smell of the smoke would linger for 2 days. Not sure what happened this time. I hope it's a fluke

Excellent bacon and ham lunch meat. We live local can we buy their office? They're smoked hams are excellent bacon is extremely delicious.

Mr. Benton's business is a really magical place. The ham is (rightfully) the main draw, but don't pass on the butcher counter. I recently got ribeyes, and they went to the back, cut them off a slab and vacuum sealed them. They tasted incredible.

Yesterday I stopped in for another visit to get some more bacon. For more than a dozen years I have enjoyed the Hickory Smoked Bacon and a few of the other products that Allan sells at his unassuming store. Its the kind of place that's disappearing these days, but when you find them you keep going back. Sure its gotten famous, and sure sometimes you have to dig around the box to find that perfect blend of marbled meat and fat that you are looking for, but like pearls & people, everyone is different. Allan was his pleasant self listening to my ramblings about how my brother-in-law rants to people about how he once met Allan. Bought 4 lbs. 1 for me, 2 for the BIL and the thanksgiving feast, and another as a gift. I'll be back, its close.

I am sheltering across the country from my 76 yo mom but we try to talk to each other on FaceTime every day. She is pretty savvy about most things but doesn't quite understand grocery delivery so my sister often does Trader Joe's runs for her locally. My sister is a vegetarian and my mom had been telling me that she is really craving bacon and she doesn't want to subject my sis to this moral dilemma. Thus my quest began to find the best bacon I could have shipped to mom across the country. My internet searches led me to Benton's, and boy am I glad they did. Once I got an order confirmation from Tommy at Benton's, I told my mom to keep her eyes peeled for UPS because I was sending her "a book" lol.Today I got a flurry of texts from mom about her bacon delivery, especially how much she loved smelling that sweet sweet smoky aroma. Many bacon pics followed -- my mom is over the moon about this product. She even said she fried it up without a fan so she could enjoy eu de bacon all afternoon. Thanks Benton's for warming the heart of an elder who is sheltering in place, and her daughter who wishes she could personally deliver the bacon (and possibly have a slice or two).

After Thanksgiving breakfast, I wanted to chop it up and put it on the table to mix in with the mac and cheese it was so good.

Full Review below. TLDR - this bacon is high quality with an unparalleled smokiness. The saltiness is over-powering and precludes eating it by itself unless you are a salt-fiend (my wife & my neighbor loved it). It's perfectly suited to being an accent/enhancement flavor to a larger dish. Benton's is lauded as one of the finest and if you choose based on chefs' opinions, best bacons in the country. I respectfully disagree. I wanted to love this bacon from the moment I picked up the package from the little farmer's market that carries Benton's in Knoxville. I was so happy I didn't have to drive to Madisonville to get it, and I could smell the smokehouse right through the cryovac. This is a good, good sign. Opening the bacon smacked me with more smoky goodness and the slices were thick and beautiful. The fat-to-meat content was perfect. I chose the oven cooking method as I find it produces bacon in the texture I most enjoy. The smell while cooking this stuff was heavenly. It reminded me of parents' smokehouse growing up. I was very torn upon my first bite of pure, unadulterated Benton's bacon. The smokiness was no disappointment. It exploded in my mouth and my mind raced with crazy thoughts of campfires, pulling shoulder from the pit, and making rope as a boyscout. I'm not lying either. Smell is rumored to evoke the most vivid memories and so, by extension, does taste (as long as its above the normal salty, sweet, sour, bitter combo). Some reviews I've seen have complained Benton's is too smoky. I disagree. The smokiness of that bacon is slap-your-momma good. I've covered what I loved in that first bite, now I'll tell you why I was so torn in one word: salt. I'll admit I try to go easy on the salt, but I enjoy salt as an accent and a flavoring including big, fat crystals of seasalt lounging on my tomatoes. Benton's bacon takes it too far. I believe I could actually feel my blood pressure rising with every bite. This was incredibly difficult for me to deal with considering how much I loved the smokiness. I wanted to eat more, and I did, but each bite made me feel a little worse. I had to chase every slice with a glass of water. I won't lie, this is not exactly my first rodeo with Benton's bacon. I've had it in several dishes, and I understand why its used by chefs If you eat the bacon by itself, it's just too much salt, but if you cut a chunk off a slab and put it on top of a baked oyster, its the perfect accent. Also, the beautiful coloring and fat-to-meat ratio add to presentation in a way normal bacon can't. In summary, this bacon is high quality with an unparalleled smokiness. The saltiness is over-powering and precludes eating it by itself unless you are a salt-fiend (my wife & my neighbor loved it). It's perfectly suited to being an accent/enhancement flavor to a larger dish.

I have ordered their bacon online numerous times for I don't live close. It was always the best with real smoked flavor. To the reviews that complain how strong it is, these meats are physically smoked with actual smoke from burning smoldering wood. What you get at the supermarket is bacon dipped in liquid flavored smoke. Not the " naturally smoked" false advertisement on the wrapper. I have made my own bacon in a smoker but doesn't come out as good as Benton's. To why I gave this 3 star is that my wife bought me 4 pounds for Christmas, but this batch was really tough and chewy. I wanted to email them but there is no email address to contact them. This is the only bacon I eat. If I do not have Benton's, I will on occasion buy some from the grocery store and smoke it myself.

Best Bacon you can buy. Period!! Hell everything they sell there has been great, they make the best prosciutto you've ever had baring you not from Italy. The breakfast sausage is fantastic, you can't go wrong and their prices are a little high, but you get what you pay for.

I placed an order online that indicated free shipping. Then received a call sever days later and was told the order qualified for the wholesale price and they just needed run my card again and would credit back the original purchase. I assumed I would be charged less, was busy and did not ask any questions. The person was so nice and friendly. What I was not told was the I would be charged over $100 for shipping and in fact the total went up. What rip-off!!!! If that was not bad enough the bacon and ham is so salty it is inedible. It is like eating semi rancid salt. I smoke quite a bit meat and know what good smoked meat should taste like. That is not what this is. I now have $400 worth of pork that I can't even give to the food bank. So, actually I paid $400 for pork that is worth nothing and will have to tossed in the trash. I don't know how a dishonest business with such a horrible product can stay in business. Maybe ownership changed or they just purchase good reviews. It literally left a bad taste in my mouth for hours.

Recently, I was able to tour Benton's Bacon. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and nice. Most of the staff there have been there for a longtime. I purchased the country ham bits. I must say that it made my Collard Greens tasty.

We just left the show room. And it just looks like you stepped right into the 1950s. Everything is done hands-on racks of smoked meat hanging around. We've had both the bacon and the country ham. Our first order was mail-order. This time we picked it up at the store. We went out of our way because the center cut country ham is spectacular. Not just good ......spectacular

Everyone loves their bacon but I highly recommend picking up a full jar of the sourwood honey combs. Absolutely delicious on just about anything!

This review is strictly based on my online ordering experience. After seeing Benton's on a food show and knowing how much my husband loves bacon AND smoke, I thought this would be the perfect gift for him. I placed an online order for bacon on 12.19 and the site was very specific to state that due to holiday demand, it may take some time before shipping the item. Unlike Amazon and other online retailers, my card was IMMEDIATELY charged the full amount, but the bacon didn't ship for over two weeks. From a business practice perspective, I understand the need to ensure a charge will process, but I feel that if you have that type of a backlog on orders, you should charge the consumer at the time you are ready to process the order/ship versus it hitting their credit card more than three weeks before they receive the item. When I received my shipment notification on 12.30 I was horrified to see that the expected delivery wasn't for another 10 days (01.09). I selected the ground shipping, which seemed expensive for 4 lbs of bacon, but I assumed it was due to the extra cost of packing and dry ice, etc. My options from TN to CA were ground at $22, 3-day for $44, 2-day for $58 or next day for $103. I have no idea why the shipping charges are so high for something that came in a plain brown box - I'm assuming it is probably the standard UPS charge for delivery. I'll admit that when I received the package and it was just bacon in a box at room temperature, I was a bit concerned. They do provide a disclaimer that due to the curing process they are able to ship their product unrefrigerated to anywhere in the US. I don't know if there was a disclaimer I missed in the ordering process...but I was shocked to receive it like that. There are specific instructions on how to cook the bacon to ensure the best flavor. It states to remove the bacon from the pan before it gets crispy to prevent the salty flavor from becoming more prominent. Since I don't like crispy bacon, it was easy to cook the bacon to where it is easily bent. With that being said, both my husband and I found the bacon to still be way too salty and the smoke flavor almost overpowering. I understand salt and smoke are a personal preference, so my rating isn't specific to the bacon itself, but the overall experience, cost and taste for what we received.