Holiday tables in Missouri have leaned on smoked and cured meats for generations, and a handful of family shops still do the work the slow way. Some cure country hams in rural sheds, while others turn out sausages, bologna, and bratwurst made right in the building.
Ordering early matters, because December brings longer lines and tighter stock at many small shops. Here are five spots worth knowing before the holiday rush hits.
1. Baumgartner’s Boone County Ham, Rocheport, MO
Out on a gravel-and-farmland stretch of Roby Farm Road, country ham is still the whole point. Baumgartner’s Boone County Ham operates as a dedicated curing facility, not a grocery store with a ham counter.
That focus is what earns it the top spot here. Country ham is a patient product, cured over time rather than rushed, and this is a place built around that single craft.
Service has a personal touch, and many buyers come back for a second ham to send as a gift. That makes it a smart stop if a relative far away still talks about the hams from childhood holidays.
Plan around the afternoon hours. The shop opens at 1 PM Monday through Saturday, closing at 5 PM on Mondays and around 6 PM the rest of the week, and it stays closed Sundays.
There is no delivery, so this is a pickup trip. Rocheport sits just off I-70 west of Columbia, which makes it an easy detour on a holiday drive across the state.
Call 573-228-0498 before heading out.
2. Woods Smoked Meats, Inc., Bowling Green, MO
Lunch and holiday shopping can happen in one stop in Bowling Green. Woods Smoked Meats is a butcher shop and deli that serves daily hot lunch specials alongside its smoked meat cases.
The lineup goes well beyond ham. Expect specialty sausages, pork burgers, fresh cuts, peppered bologna, brats, and smoked hams, plus a smoked salmon that stands out from typical Midwest smokehouse fare.
I like this one for the variety. One trip can cover a holiday ham, snack sausages for guests, and a fish option for anyone who skips pork.
Hours run 8 AM to 5:30 PM on weekdays and 8 AM to 2 PM on Saturdays. Fridays draw the biggest crowds, while weekday evenings tend to be quiet.
Delivery and in-store pickup are both available, which helps if the Pike County drive does not fit the December calendar. The shop sits at 1501 Business Highway 54 W.
3. Frick’s Quality Meats, Inc, Washington, MO
Five generations is a long time to stick with one recipe idea. Frick’s Quality Meats in Washington is a fifth-generation, family-owned company, and its process still centers on two basics: real cane sugar and hardwood smoke.
Products are gently cured with cane sugar, then smoked over applewood and hickory. The result is a lineup of fully cooked smoked hams, turkey, sausages, bologna, and braunschweiger.
Fully cooked is the big selling point for holiday hosts. A Frick’s ham needs warming, not hours of oven time, and its tenderness keeps it a favorite for Easter and Christmas tables alike.
Hours are 7:30 AM to 4 PM on weekdays only, with weekends closed. Delivery is available, and orders can be placed by calling 800-241-2209.
Washington is a Missouri River town about an hour west of St. Louis, so pairing a ham pickup with a downtown stroll makes for a pleasant December outing.
4. Swiss Meat & Sausage Co., Hermann, MO
Over 65 kinds of bratwurst live under one roof in a village most Missourians have never heard of. Swiss Meat & Sausage Co. sits in Swiss, about 12 miles south of Hermann on Highway 19.
The family-owned shop opened in 1969 and makes all of its products in-house. It handles custom butchering and private label processing, and its deer sausages have earned awards.
For Christmas shoppers, the gift baskets are the headline. The shop keeps a large holiday selection, and the attached country store carries locally made products to round out a basket.
Fresh and processed meats share space with a solid cheese selection, so a party tray can come together in one visit.
Hours are 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Saturday. Friday and Saturday afternoons get busy, so a Monday or Thursday morning visit is the calmer choice.
There is a free on-site lot, plus curbside pickup and delivery.
5. Alewel’s Country Meats, Warrensburg, MO
Western Missouri gets its own smokehouse stop in Warrensburg. Alewel’s Country Meats calls itself your one stop meat shop, and the name fits a place built for both everyday cuts and holiday orders.
Customer service is a big part of the appeal here. Staff are known for being helpful, which counts for a lot when picking a holiday ham or planning quantities for a crowd.
Hours are generous for a small shop. It opens at 8 AM Monday through Saturday, closing at 5 PM most days and 6 PM on Fridays.
Thursdays and Saturday mornings bring steady traffic, while Friday evening is usually the quietest window. Delivery and in-store pickup are options for anyone short on time.
Find it at 911 N Simpson Dr, close to the University of Central Missouri side of town. Call 660-747-8261 early in December to get holiday orders in before the rush.
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