Classic Country Ham And Smoked Sausage Keep This Virginia Smokehouse A Favorite For Foodies

Some foods are timeless. Country ham, cured and hung for months, salty and rich.

Smoked sausage, peppery and firm, perfect sliced thin or tucked into a biscuit. This Virginia smokehouse has been perfecting both for generations, and foodies keep coming back for a reason.

The process is old-school, slow and careful, the kind of craft that cannot be rushed. I visited on a cool morning, and the smell of hickory smoke hit me before I even opened the car door.

Inside, the shelves were stacked with hams wrapped in cloth, sausages tied in links, and jars of chow chow and relish. The people behind the counter know their product because they made it themselves.

Virginia has plenty of barbecue spots, but this smokehouse is something different. It is tradition, preserved and served one slice at a time.

A Legacy Born on the Banks of the James River

Long before artisan charcuterie became a trend on restaurant menus, one family in Surry, Virginia was already mastering the art. Edwards Virginia Smokehouse traces its origins back to 1926, when founder S.

Wallace Edwards Sr. started selling ham sandwiches to ferry passengers crossing the James River. That humble beginning on the Jamestown-Scotland ferry route sparked something extraordinary.

The methods used by the Edwards family did not appear out of nowhere. Their curing techniques have roots stretching back to Colonial America, with recipes and processes refined over generations since the late 1800s.

Each product carries the weight of that history in every bite.

What makes this legacy so compelling is its authenticity. No shortcuts, no modern industrial tricks, just time-honored traditions applied with patience and precision.

The smokehouse became a symbol of Virginia’s proud food heritage, attracting chefs and food lovers from across the country. Knowing the story behind the smoke makes every product taste even richer.

The Art of Dry-Curing That Sets These Hams Apart

Not every ham deserves the title of country ham. At Edwards Virginia Smokehouse, the dry-curing process is treated like a sacred ritual, executed with meticulous care and patience.

Salt, time, and expertise do the heavy lifting, drawing out moisture and concentrating flavor in ways that refrigeration simply cannot replicate.

The curing timeline alone sets these products apart from anything found on a typical grocery shelf. Certain hams are aged for a minimum of 90 days, while select premium cuts undergo a curing process lasting up to 18 months.

That extended aging develops a complex, nutty depth of flavor that food lovers genuinely obsess over.

Virginia has a long history of producing world-class cured meats, and Edwards is one of the crown jewels of that tradition. Each ham emerges from the process with a firm texture and a rich, savory profile that rewards patience.

Chefs who appreciate real craftsmanship seek these hams out specifically because the flavor cannot be faked or rushed. Tasting one is a proper education in what American cured meat can be at its absolute finest.

Hickory Smoke and the Magic It Works on Pork

Hickory wood is not just a fuel source at Edwards Virginia Smokehouse. It is a flavor architect.

The slow, deliberate process of smoking meats over hickory imparts a distinctive character that defines the entire product line, from the country hams to the sausages and beyond.

Hickory smoke penetrates slowly and evenly, building layers of flavor that complement the natural sweetness of quality pork. The result is a smokiness that feels bold but never harsh, deeply savory without overwhelming the palate.

Getting that balance right takes years of practice and an intuitive understanding of the wood, the fire, and the meat.

Virginia’s humid climate and rich agricultural landscape actually play a role in the smoking process, influencing how flavors develop and how the cured exterior of each product forms. This is terroir applied to smoked meat, a concept that food enthusiasts find endlessly fascinating.

Experiencing the full sensory effect of walking into a space where hickory smoke has soaked into the walls and rafters over decades is something truly unforgettable. It is the kind of aroma that stays with you long after you have left Surry.

Surryano Ham, Virginia’s Answer to European Charcuterie

Foodies who adore prosciutto and jambon iberico now have a compelling American reason to redirect their enthusiasm. The Surryano ham, produced at Edwards Virginia Smokehouse, is a dry-cured masterpiece that holds its own against the finest European charcuterie.

The name is a clever nod to Surry, Virginia, the place where this remarkable product was born.

The Surryano earned serious culinary credibility when it won a Good Food Award in the Charcuterie category in 2020. That recognition was not a surprise to anyone already familiar with the product.

Celebrated chef David Chang is among the high-profile culinary figures who have embraced the Surryano as a genuinely world-class ingredient.

What makes this ham special is the combination of long aging, careful salt curing, and the particular character of Virginia pork. The flavor profile is elegant and complex, with a silky texture that rewards careful slicing and slow savoring.

Presenting Surryano ham on a charcuterie board alongside imported European options is a fantastic way to spark conversation and perhaps a little friendly debate about which continent really does it best.

Smoked Sausage Made the Way Grandma Would Approve

There is something deeply satisfying about a smoked sausage made from pure, fresh pork cuts seasoned with sage, red pepper, and black pepper, then slowly smoked over hickory wood until perfection is achieved. At Edwards Virginia Smokehouse, sausage-making is not an afterthought.

It is a craft given the same reverence as the flagship hams.

The seasoning blend used in these sausages has been refined over generations, striking a balance between warmth, spice, and the natural richness of quality pork. Both links and patties are available, giving home cooks and professional chefs plenty of options to work with in the kitchen.

The slow smoking process ensures that every link develops a beautiful caramelized exterior with a juicy, flavorful interior.

Virginia has always been a state that takes pork seriously, and these sausages are a direct reflection of that regional pride. Cooking them fills a kitchen with a smoky, savory aroma that feels both nostalgic and exciting at the same time.

Pair them with local eggs and fresh biscuits for a breakfast that genuinely celebrates the best of Southern food traditions. Simple ingredients, exceptional results.

Bacon That Makes Every Morning Feel Like a Special Occasion

Bacon has a reputation for making everything better, but not all bacon is created equal. The cured bacon produced at Edwards Virginia Smokehouse operates in an entirely different category from the thin, watery strips sold in most supermarkets.

This is bacon with genuine personality, crafted using the same time-honored methods applied to the smokehouse’s legendary hams.

Thick-cut, properly cured, and kissed with hickory smoke, each slice delivers a deeply satisfying combination of salt, fat, and wood-fired flavor. The curing process locks in moisture while developing a complex savory depth that transforms simple dishes into memorable meals.

Breakfast, salads, pasta, sandwiches, the applications are practically endless.

Food lovers who have tasted properly cured artisan bacon often describe a moment of clarity, a sudden understanding of what they had been missing all along. Edwards Virginia Smokehouse produces that kind of revelatory product.

Bringing a package home from Surry and cooking it up on a lazy weekend morning is one of those small pleasures that makes life genuinely richer. Virginia’s cured meat tradition shines brightest in products like this, where simplicity and mastery meet in perfect, sizzling harmony.

Surviving a Fire and Coming Back Stronger Than Ever

Resilience is a quality that gets tested in unexpected ways. In January 2016, a devastating fire destroyed the Edwards processing plant, threatening to erase nearly a century of culinary tradition in a single night.

For a lesser operation, that might have been the end of the story entirely.

Instead, Edwards Virginia Smokehouse demonstrated the kind of determination that defines truly great institutions. The company continued operations with critical support from industry partners, preserving every recipe and every method intact.

Nothing essential was lost, because the knowledge lived in the people, not just the building.

The story of recovery added a new chapter of meaning to every product the smokehouse produces. In 2021, the Edwards family passed ownership to the Burger family, who had been instrumental in supporting the operation through its most difficult period.

The shared commitment to preserving authentic American country ham traditions ensured a seamless transition. Virginia’s food community rallied around this beloved smokehouse, and the result is a business that emerged from crisis with its integrity and quality fully intact.

That kind of story gives every purchase a deeper significance worth appreciating.

A Petite Country Ham That Packs a Serious Flavor Punch

Not every household needs a full-sized country ham, and Edwards Virginia Smokehouse knows that perfectly well. The Petite Country Ham offers the same authentic dry-cured, hickory-smoked experience in a more manageable size, making it an ideal choice for smaller gatherings, adventurous home cooks, or anyone trying a genuine Virginia country ham for the very first time.

The smaller format does not compromise on flavor or craftsmanship in any way. Every Petite Country Ham goes through the same meticulous curing and smoking process that defines the entire Edwards product line.

The result is a beautifully complex ham with a firm texture, a golden-brown exterior, and that signature hickory-smoke character that makes the smokehouse famous.

Gifting a Petite Country Ham is one of the most thoughtful ways to introduce a food-loving friend to genuine Virginia culinary tradition. It arrives ready to impress, whether served as a centerpiece at a festive table or sliced thin for an elegant charcuterie spread.

Surry, Virginia may be a small town, but its contribution to American food culture through products like this is genuinely outsized and proudly celebrated by food lovers nationwide.

Why Top Chefs Keep Coming Back to Surry for Inspiration

When celebrated chefs like David Chang publicly champion a product, the food world pays attention. The Surryano ham from Edwards Virginia Smokehouse earned that endorsement not through marketing campaigns but through sheer, undeniable quality.

Chefs at the highest levels of the culinary world are always searching for ingredients that bring something irreplaceable to their kitchens.

What draws professional cooks to Surry, Virginia is the combination of authenticity, consistency, and flavor complexity that Edwards products deliver. The smokehouse does not chase trends or reinvent itself seasonally.

It simply maintains an unwavering commitment to doing one thing exceptionally well, and that kind of focused mastery is exactly what professional kitchens need.

The Good Food Award won by the Surryano ham in 2020 placed Edwards Virginia Smokehouse firmly on the national culinary map alongside the most respected artisan producers in the country. For chefs building menus around locally sourced, heritage-quality ingredients, this Virginia smokehouse represents a genuine gold standard.

Visiting Surry and sourcing directly from the smokehouse has become something of a pilgrimage for serious food professionals who understand that great cooking always starts with great raw materials.

Plan Your Visit to This Legendary Virginia Smokehouse

Getting to Surry, Virginia is part of the adventure. The town sits across the James River from Williamsburg, and many visitors arrive via the scenic Jamestown-Scotland Ferry, which feels beautifully appropriate given the smokehouse’s own origin story.

The drive through the Virginia countryside leading into Surry sets the mood perfectly for a visit rooted in tradition and regional pride.

The shop formerly known as the Edwards Ham Shop and now operating as Meats of Virginia at 11381 Rolfe Hwy, Surry, VA 23883 carries on the legacy with an impressive selection of cured meats, sausages, and specialty products. The phone number for the shop is +1 757-294-3688, and the current hours run daily from 10 AM to 7 PM, making it easy to plan a stop any day of the week.

Virginia’s Surry County rewards curious travelers who venture off the main tourist trail. Picking up a genuine Edwards Virginia Smokehouse product, whether a whole country ham, a pack of smoked sausage, or a slab of hickory-cured bacon, means bringing home a piece of authentic American culinary history.

Pack a cooler, clear your schedule, and make the trip. Your taste buds will thank you enthusiastically.