Broadbent's Grand Champion Kentucky Country Ham, Whole Bone-In (16–18 lb)

Grand Champion Country Ham - Whole, Uncooked (16-18 lbs) - Broadbent

Twenty-three-time State Fair champion. Hand-cured, hickory-smoked, aged to perfection.

This is the country ham that's won the Kentucky State Fair Grand Champion title 23 times—more than any other producer in the competition's history. Broadbent's whole uncooked country ham is hand-rubbed with a proprietary cure, aged longer than most commercial operations dare, and hickory-smoked over weeks until that rich, nutty aroma comes through in every slice. This isn't a mass-market product. It's a bone-in, salt-cured masterpiece that demands patience, respect, and a willingness to learn the old ways of Southern ham preparation. It is salty by nature, and it is nothing like a spiral or honey-baked ham—see the notes below before you buy. Broadbent has been dry-curing country ham in Kuttawa, Kentucky since 1909, and their methods haven't changed—because when you're this good, you don't need to. This is the ham that sold for $10.5 million at a 2024 charity auction. That's not hyperbole. That's championship pedigree.

Bake it whole for Christmas or Thanksgiving and glaze it with brown sugar and honey, or have it sliced into steaks for red-eye gravy and biscuits all winter long. Either way, it's the centerpiece your guests will remember for years.

This is heritage. This is craft. This is the ham that sold for millions.

Salty by nature. Here's how to handle it.

Country ham is dry-cured with salt and hickory smoke, not injected with water like a spiral or honey-baked ham. That's why it keeps without refrigeration, and it's why it tastes the way it does. Expect it to be noticeably saltier than any ham from the grocery store.

• Slice thin, serve small. Two or three thin pieces is a serving. Think prosciutto, not a holiday ham slab. A whole ham like this feeds a crowd—plan on 40 or more servings.
• Soak before baking whole. Scrub the ham, then soak it 12–24 hours in cold water, changing the water once or twice. This is the traditional step that pulls the salt back to where most people like it. Slicing it into steaks instead? Soak the steaks 30 minutes to 2 hours in cold water or milk—or skip it, plenty of folks do.
• Let it do the seasoning. Skip added salt in anything you cook with it. Pair it with biscuits, eggs, grits, beans, greens, or something sweet like honey or apple butter.

Full instructions for soaking, slicing, frying, and baking whole: How to Cook Country Ham →

Details

• Whole bone-in country ham, uncooked, 16–18 lbs
• Dry-cured, aged, and hickory-smoked by Broadbent B & B Foods, Kuttawa, Kentucky
• Serves 40+ when sliced thin
• Ships unrefrigerated. Store in a cool, dry place; it keeps for months and gets drier and saltier as it ages
• USDA inspected

FAQ

Is this ham salty?
Yes. It is dry-cured with salt, the way country ham has been made for two centuries. Soak it 12–24 hours before baking and slice it thin, and it lands where most people like it.

Does it need to be refrigerated?
No. Keep it in a cool, dry place until you're ready to cook it. Once cooked, refrigerate.

There's mold on the outside. Is that normal?
Yes. A little surface mold is normal on an aged country ham. Scrub it off with a stiff brush and warm water before soaking.

Do I have to cook it?
This ham is meant to be cooked—baked whole or sliced and fried. If you want a country ham to slice and eat as-is, see the prosciutto-style Heritage Dry Cured Country Ham below.

New to country ham? Start with the Country Ham Starter Pack. Want one you can slice and eat as-is? Try the prosciutto-style Heritage Dry Cured Country Ham.

Explore more Country Ham →