Smoky Mountain Country Hams, better known around these parts as just simply Benton’s Bacon has been around since 1947. Just outside Madisonville, TN, the unassuming block building with its recently expanded parking lot and building, sees a lot of traffic in and out of that parking lot every day but Sunday.
The time-honored practice used here dates back to the era of our forefathers, when the preparation and preservation of meat was a way of life and sustenance. But Benton’s has honed the dry-curing of hams and bacon into a culinary art and have catapulted these products from a simple breakfast mainstay into the world of gourmet cooking, where they have been praised for their characteristic flavor.
Today, Benton’s is not only popular with area restaurants, but is sold to restaurants around the country with a golden reputation to match. But, thankfully, you and I can still drive a short distance up Hwy 411, drive right up to the door and be welcomed inside by friendly staff who want to help us find just what we’re looking for. And the smell inside, well, there’s nothing that can describe the amazing smell that wafts through that building when you open the door. You just have to experience it!