Kentucky country ham is salty, rich, and made with the kind of patience most foods never get, since it relies on salt, time, and a lot of waiting before a single slice hits the skillet. The best places to buy it are not fancy stores in big cities, but family smokehouses and small-town shops scattered from the western lakes to the northern hills.
This list covers seven spots where you can pick up whole hams, sliced packs, sausage, bacon, and in a few cases a solid sandwich for the road. Save it for your next road trip, holiday dinner, or the next time someone asks where to find a real Kentucky ham.
1. Penn Country Hams, Campbellsville, KY
Out on Liberty Road in rural Taylor County, Penn Country Hams keeps things refreshingly simple. You come for ham, and you leave with a bag that somehow also holds bacon, sausage, and a jar of jelly.
The shop sells country hams alongside country sausage, country bacon, platter bacon, deli meats, cheeses, and jams and jellies. That mix makes it an easy one-stop shop for a full Kentucky breakfast spread.
If you want the ham without the prep work, the pre-sliced, cooked, and vacuum-packaged country ham is a smart pick. It is ready for biscuits with very little effort, which is exactly what a busy weekend morning calls for.
I like this stop because it goes beyond the basics. Jerky is on hand too, including a teriyaki version, plus seasonings that pair well with pork.
Prices are friendly, and the service has kept plenty of families coming back for years.
Plan your visit on a weekday between 9 AM and 5 PM, or Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM. The shop is closed on Sundays, and it is set up for quick in-store shopping and pickup rather than delivery.
2. Newsom’s Hams Old Mill Store, Princeton, KY
A ham with a name like the Preacher Ham gets attention fast, and at Newsom’s in Princeton it earns its reputation. The smoked ham is the headliner here, and slices right off the bone are the move if you can get them.
The Old Mill Store sits on East Main Street in downtown Princeton, a classic small-town strip in Caldwell County. Inside, it works as a gourmet grocery stocked with country ham, pimento cheese, and a lineup of other specialties.
Deli sandwiches round out the menu, so lunch is an easy excuse to stop. Some items are labeled as barbecue ham, but the flavor comes from real smoking, which is a nice surprise for first-timers.
Timing matters here. Hours run 10 AM to 5 PM on weekdays and 10 AM to 2 PM on Saturday, with Sundays closed.
Wednesday afternoons and Saturday afternoons tend to be the busiest stretches.
I would save this one for a western Kentucky road trip when you want a quick stop with a lot of personality. Grab a sandwich for now and a package of ham for later.
3. Browning’s Country Ham, Dry Ridge, KY
Plenty of Kentucky ham ends up in freezers far from home, and Browning’s in Dry Ridge ships a lot of it. Whole uncooked country hams from this Grant County shop land on holiday tables as far away as Texas and Ohio.
Close to home, the storefront at 12 South Main Street is more than a place to pick up a ham. It is a casual counter-service spot with seating, where lunch and dinner are part of the deal.
The Browning’s Country Ham Sandwich is the obvious order. The menu also includes a pulled pork sandwich, the Ridge Club, chicken salad, a turkey avocado sandwich, a vegan veggie wrap, baked potato salad, and fresh squeezed lemonade.
Beyond ham, the shop is known for thick-cut bacon, applewood smoked bacon, spiral sliced ham, and tender country smoked sausage with very little fat. Most meals land around 10 to 20 dollars per person.
Families will find a kids’ menu, outdoor seating where dogs are welcome, and free parking. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 AM to 6 PM and Friday and Saturday until 8 PM.
The shop is closed Sunday and Monday, and it does accept reservations.
4. Broadbent B & B Food Products, Kuttawa, KY
Broadbent’s started selling dry cured meats in 1909. That is well over a century of Kentucky ham, and the family operation has been shipping its products across the country since 1965.
The smokehouse sits on Mary Blue Road in Kuttawa, a small Lyon County town near Lake Barkley. It is a short hop off Interstate 24, which makes it a handy break for anyone heading through western Kentucky.
The award-winning dry cured country ham is the star, but the smoked bacon and smoked breakfast sausage have their own fans. Dry cured pepper bacon is another standout worth tossing in the cooler.
Here is a fun detail. Broadbent’s invites guests to visit the smokehouse and learn about the dry curing traditions handed down through generations in Kentucky.
A deli inside turns out sandwiches, including a BLT with cheese and pickles that sounds odd until you try it. Shelves also carry items like grits and duck eggs.
Visit Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM. The smokehouse is closed on weekends, and there is a free parking lot on site.
5. Meacham Hams Inc, Sturgis, KY
Some families pick one ham maker and never switch, and Meacham Hams in Sturgis is that kind of loyalty magnet. People have been known to drive in from as far as Chicago just to stock up.
This is a small business focused squarely on country ham. You will not find a big restaurant menu or a gift shop maze, just traditional cured whole hams made for folks who already know what they want.
The shop sits on O Nan Dyer Road in rural Union County, out among the farm country of western Kentucky. The setting fits the product, simple and no-nonsense.
Visits here tend to be quick. In-store pickup is available, and there is no delivery, so plan on swinging by in person or ordering through the online store.
Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to noon. Sundays are closed, so an early Saturday stop is the way to go for weekend travelers.
Picking up a whole ham here for the holidays is a tradition worth borrowing.
6. Little Kentucky Smokehouse, Uniontown, KY
Most of the action at Little Kentucky Smokehouse happens behind the scenes. Pork trucks roll in early, sometimes lining up at 5 in the morning, because this Uniontown operation is a working meat producer first.
That business-to-business focus is what makes it different from every other stop on this list. You are buying from a place that processes and smokes pork on a large scale, right in a small Union County river town.
Good news for regular shoppers, though. An on-site store sells meats along with simple, affordable deli sandwiches, which makes it an easy lunch stop for anyone passing through.
The smokehouse is located on T Frank Wathen Road, and the company is connected with Premium Kentucky Farms. Since the facility runs around the clock, it is smart to call ahead at 270-822-4350 to confirm when the store counter is open.
I would call this one a curiosity stop. It is a chance to see the working side of Kentucky pork and grab smoked meat close to where it is made.
7. Johnson’s Country Ham, Union, KY
Open seven days a week, Johnson’s Country Ham in Union is the rare ham shop that works with a Sunday schedule. That alone makes it a lifesaver when a holiday dinner sneaks up on you.
This family-owned and operated business is all about premium whole hams. You can choose cooked or uncooked, depending on how much kitchen time you want to spend.
Not feeding a crowd? Prepackaged ham is available for smaller meals, and the 2 pound sausage rolls are an easy grab for weekend breakfasts.
The shop sits on Old Union Road in Boone County, a growing corner of northern Kentucky that still holds onto its small-town roots. Friendly service is part of the draw, and the staff make picking out a ham quick and easy.
Hours run from 10 AM to 6 PM every day of the week. Delivery is not offered, so plan a quick visit in person.
For anyone in the Cincinnati and northern Kentucky area, this is a convenient way to bring home a proper country ham without a long drive south.
From Kuttawa to Union, these seven stops prove that good ham still comes from people who take their time. Pick one near you, or plan a road trip and try them all.
Enjoyed this story?
Add Fast Food Club as a preferred source to see more of our reporting on Google.