For over six decades, Johnston County Hams in Smithfield, North Carolina, has been producing hand-crafted, traditionally-cured country hams of exceptional flavor. With their unique, lightly smoked aroma and mellow, lightly salted taste, their country ham has garnered accolades from numerious publications including Southern Living Magazine, the New York Times, Wine Spectator, and Men's Journal, which listed Johnston County country hams as one of their "100 Best Things To Eat In America." Below are some of the different types of award-winning country ham products available through our partnership with Johnston County Hams:

• Cooked Country Hams: These ready-to-serve country hams are slow-cooked, fully-trimmed and finished with a delicious brown sugar glaze. Whole hams range between 7 to 10 lbs, while smaller "buffet style" country hams average around lbs each. Your choices include:

• Bone-In and Boneless Whole Cooked Country Ham, Sliced or Unsliced
• Boneless Buffet Style Cooked Country Ham, Sliced or Unsliced
• Packs of Deli-Style Sliced Country Ham

• Uncooked Country Hams: This is the original Johnston County country ham, dry cured, hickory smoked and delicately aged. The 3-month cure has a more delicate flavor, while the 6-month cure is more richly flavored with a drier, saltier finish. Your choices include:

• Vacuum-Sealed Packs of Uncooked Center-Cut Country Ham
• Sliced Uncooked Half of 3-Month Cure Country Ham
• Whole Uncooked Country Ham, 3-Month or 6-Month Cure

• Curemaster's Reserve Country Hams: This is the finest country ham available, curemaster-selected and carefully aged to perfection. Curemaster Reserve Mangalitsa ham, prized for its pleasant aroma and buttery flavor, is also available.

• Country Ham Samplers: Ideal for gift-giving or sampling, the Smokehouse Sampler features ready-to-eat sliced cooked country ham, uncooked country ham center slices for the skillet, and thick-cut dry-cured hickory-smoked bacon. For an unforgettable gourmet gift or indulgent treat, the Curemaster's Reserve Mangalitsa Sampler includes Mangalitsa ham, Mangalitsa shoulder and Mangalitsa bacon.

Country Ham with Red Eye Gravy

Ingredients
2 slices uncooked country ham
½ cup strong hot coffee
Cooked grits or biscuits

Cook the ham in a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, for a few minutes per side until lightly browned. Remove ham from skillet, set aside and keep warm. Pour the hot coffee into the skillet with the ham drippings and cook while stirring and scraping up any crusty bits, until mixture is reduced by half. Serve the ham over hot grits or biscuits and spoon the gravy on top.

Okra Skillet with Country Ham

Ingredients
¼ cup diced country ham
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups sliced okra
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cup corn kernels
Hot sauce or ground black pepper

Cook the country ham, onion and garlic in a large skillet, stirring frequently, until the ham is lightly browned and onion is translucent. Stir in the okra and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and corn, cover and simmer until corn is tender, usually no more than 15 minutes. Season with hot sauce or pepper to taste. Serve as a side dish or over cooked rice.

Individual Ham & Egg Casseroles

Ingredients (per person)
1 or 2 eggs, as desired
Ground pepper or other seasoning, opt.
Cooked country ham cut into strips, approx. 2 Tbs
1 Tbs shredded or grated cheese
Coarse bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350°F. For each serving, carefully break 1 or 2 eggs into a greased ramekin or individual casserole dish. Season with a dash of pepper or other seasoning as desired. Sprinkle cheese over egg, then sprinkle with bread crumbs to cover the cheese. Place the ramekins or casseroles in the oven and bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until eggs are done.

Old-Fashioned Baked Beans

Ingredients
1½ lbs dry navy beans
1/3 cup diced country ham
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup maple syrup
1 tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Pick through and rinse the beans, then place in a large pot with 3 qts. water and soak overnight. Drain & rinse the soaked beans, add 3 qts. fresh water and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain but set aside 3 cups of the liquid. Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine beans, 1½ cup of reserved liquid and remaining ingredients in a large (3-qt) casserole dish. Cover and bake until beans are tender (approx. 4 hrs), stirring occasionally and adding more of the reserved liquid if beans start getting too dry.