Swine are not indigenous to North America; they originated in Eurasia and were brought here by humans. When Queen Isabella of Spain insisted that Christopher Columbus carry eight hardy pigs on his second voyage to the New World in 1493, pork became entwined with the story of America. Yet it was Hernando de Soto who earned the title "father of the American pork industry," landing at Tampa Bay in 1539 with just thirteen pigs. In only three years, de Soto’s herd had multiplied to 700, excluding those consumed or gifted to Native Americans, who quickly developed a taste for pork.

Pigs became so plentiful and unruly that New York colonists had to put rings in their pigs' noses—and even built a street with a wall to keep the hogs from uprooting their orchards and gardens. That street is now known as Wall Street.

 

In 1587, long before country ham became a Southern staple, Sir Walter Raleigh’s expeditions landed on Roanoke Island in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. They brought dreams of a new life, along with European livestock and foodways. Though the fate of the “Lost Colony” remains shrouded in mystery, archaeological finds, such as mature pig teeth, suggest that some of America’s very first pigs took root in North Carolina’s sandy soils, surviving and foraging long after the colonists themselves had disappeared. It’s easy to imagine that the descendants of these hardy hogs laid the foundation for the pork traditions that would later shape the region.

 

As English settlers pushed further into the fertile lands of North Carolina and Virginia, they brought with them their own sows and centuries-old curing techniques. The unique climate of the “Ham Belt”—with its cold winters and mild springs—made it possible to salt-cure and air-dry hams without refrigeration. Each winter, farm families would gather to slaughter hogs, pack the hams in salt, and hang them in pack houses, letting time and mountain air work their magic. Over generations, every community added its touches—brown sugar, black pepper, longer or shorter curing times—creating a patchwork of flavors that became the hallmark of the authentic Country Ham we recognize and savor today.

 

By the 18th century, the tradition had flourished. Hams from places like Smithfield and Surry, Virginia, were shipped across the colonies and even back to England. The art of curing Country Hams was embraced by the nation’s founders, too: George Washington was known for gifting hams from his smokehouse, and Thomas Jefferson continued the tradition at Monticello, further rooting this practice in the heart of the Ham Belt. Jefferson’s skilled workers, Ursula Granger and John, salted, smoked, and aged hams to perfection.

 

Jefferson’s meticulous records show his attention to the craft, though the full secrets of his process were likely passed down by word of mouth and careful hands. In his Farm Book, he documented details such as the yield from curing and the amount of salt needed: “1 lb of salt is necessary for curing every 10 lb of pork for bacon,” and he noted the weight loss during the curing process. These records highlight his technical approach to curing pork, though they don’t offer a complete narrative of the country ham process.

 

Today, the legacy of those early settlers lives on most vibrantly in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Here, the cool, crisp mountain air and the natural rhythm of the seasons created the perfect environment for slow-curing hams.

 

Country hams cured in the higher elevations of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains possess distinctive qualities shaped by both geography and tradition. Producers in this region still hand-rub hams with a classic blend of salt, sugar, brown sugar, and pepper—just like Jefferson’s era—but with the advantages of modern technology. They now monitor preservation and moisture stabilization through a series of rooms that replicate winter, spring, summer, and fall, closely following the natural rhythms of the Blue Ridge Mountain climate.

 

This careful process results in a salt-forward, intensely flavorful, and notably robust ham with a deep, concentrated character. Enzymes and natural molds are allowed to develop, imparting a rich umami flavor, a subtle "funk," and a complex aroma that sets Blue Ridge Mountain hams apart, unmatched by any other.

 

These mountain-cured hams are the product of multi-generational family traditions, with recipes and techniques handed down since the colonial era. Today, a handful of producers—often descendants of early pioneers along the area known as "Thunder Road"—continue to cure hams much as their ancestors did, blending time-honored methods with modern food safety practices. The result is a country ham embodying the heritage and terroir of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

 

So as you savor your Sunday morning, remember: every slice of country ham is a taste of history, shaped by the land, the weather, and the hands of generations. From the sandy shores of Roanoke Island to the misty heights of the Blue Ridge, the story of America's pigs and Country Ham is, at heart, a tale of resilience, ingenuity, and the enduring flavors of history. That is why every package of Rays Country Ham boasts that it is truly—

 

"A Taste from Another Place in Time."