Our Story

THE ART OF COUNTRY HAM IS NOT YET LOST


It's becoming harder to find the genuine flavor of handcrafted, American-made country ham. Folks are looking for the salty, smoky flavors they grew up with, and hope to pass down culinary traditions in their family. We're here to help.  Since 1926, Edwards Virginia Smokehouse is a family business that's been a producer and purveyor of dry-cured, hickory smoked hams, bacon, and sausage.  Through decades of expertise, Edwards offers authentic cured meats meant for your next family gathering.

Quality backed by generations of curing expertise.

"Times change and you've got to change with it, but once you know what's right you adhere to it." - Wallace Edwards, Jr.


In the late 1800s, the Edwards family cured hams on their Virginia farm to feed their household. The matriarch, Emma Edwards, taught her nine children the art of salting, smoking, and aging country hams.  Years later, in 1926, one of her sons, S. Wallace Edwards Sr., utilized that knowledge as a ferry boat captain. While ferrying folks along the James River between Surry County and historic Jamestown, he fed ham sandwiches to his hungry passengers. The travelers loved the ham so much that he decided to go into the ham business full-time.


The Old Smokehouse


In the many decades past, the Edwards' craft has been passed down from generation to generation.  

Tragedy struck in January 2016 when a fire destroyed the Edwards processing plant. Sam Edwards, in an effort to keep the business alive, partnered with friends in the industry to keep the Edwards Tradition going. In 2021, when the prospects of rebuilding were not feasible, Sam sold the business. Today, Edwards Virginia Smokehouse is owned by the Burger family, the same family that helped Edwards continue after the fire. With the shared goal to keep the Edwards family Legacy alive and to safeguard the flavors of the American country ham, Edwards Virgina Smokehouse continues to use the same authentic curing methods and processes as it has for generations.

Start your country ham tradition today!

Whether it's a ham for Christmas dinner, bacon for an Easter breakfast, or smoked sausage for a summer cookout, our team is ready to help start (or continue) your culinary traditions with us.