Volunteer tailgating in Big Orange Country is steeped in an all-y'all welcoming hospitality, trade secret recipes, and a fierce loyalty to the young men who give their all for Tennessee. Whether you're tailgating close to Neyland Stadium, joining the Vol Navy, or tenting it on campus, there are homegrown staples that never disappoint. Long before she was West Knoxville Lifestyle Co-Publisher, Amy Campbell created The Tennessee Farm Table radio show and podcast, chatting with favorite local family-owned producers. This month, Amy's farm-to-football feature may solve your tailgate brunch blues with a must-bake ham biscuit recipe.
Country ham is synonymous with Tennessee. And smoking hams in Appalachia has been a food preservation technique here for centuries. East Tennesseans are fortunate to have one of the world’s premier ham smokers right down the road in Madisonville. And he just so happens to be married to one of the finest biscuit makers in Tennessee as well. This dream team is Allan and Sharon Benton, who along with their son Darrell Benton, are family owners of Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Ham.
I offer that one of the most perfect foods for a tailgate is the humble Country Ham Biscuit. While it is true that people go all out with Tennessee tailgating, what with Big Green Eggs, portable grills, arugula, and fine tableware. All that is appreciated, but if we get down to brass tacks, a country ham biscuit is the real crowd pleaser for brunch to sunset tailgates.
There is comfort and convenience in wrapping a warm ham biscuit in foil and going on down the road. For those without dietary restrictions, I’ve rarely seen a person turn it down, especially when it’s a biscuit made with Sharon Benton’s recipe, laden with Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Ham. Talk about a Tennessee treat. Now that’s good eating.
Schoolhouse First. Smokehouse Second.
Allan’s first job out of school was as a high school guidance counselor. One look at his first paycheck, and he knew he needed to do something different to make a living. Sharon went on and made quite a name for herself in education, supervising curriculum in Monroe County, but is now retired. When I asked her if she made biscuits every day, she looked at me, laughed, and said, “No, I’m retired!” It is highly doubtful that Allan will ever retire. He wakes up seven days a week at 4:30 a.m., ready to get to work. Allan’s culinary reputation for curing ham gets the national attention, but it’s Sharon who steers the ship. She is the pillar of the family.
Allan bought his business from the late Albert Hicks when he began renting the business from Mr. Hicks in 1973. Mr. Hicks was a dairy farmer who began curing and selling country hams out of a block building when he started the business in 1947.
It was not always easy for the Bentons. Allan had several years of not knowing if his business was going to make it. But with his goal to create a world-class product, a regional fine-dining scene, and five-star chefs heralding Benton’s products, fast forward to today, and Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams actually are now famous the world over. Benton devotees were delighted in 2024 when Darrell Benton made a career change from a radiologist, reading film in a dark room all day, to working alongside his father running Benton’s. Comparing the two, Darrell likes to say, “There are no ham emergencies.” In the early days when Allan and Sharon’s kids were small, Darrell and Allan didn’t get to spend much time together, so they both cherish this time working together now.
Better Biscuits On the Go with Cruze Farm Buttermilk
I wanted to share Sharon’s biscuit recipe with you (with Sharon’s blessing). She first learned to make biscuits from her mother by cutting in shortening, but she developed this recipe with trial and error so that the biscuits won’t crumble and fall apart. She used to use legendary White Lily flour, but after it sold, she found the wheat that is used was not the same, so she switched to using Our Best flour.
She also uses Cruze Farm Buttermilk which means she omits shortening in her recipe. Cruze Farm Buttermilk is a churned buttermilk so it’s richer in butterfat and gives the biscuit dough elasticity. The types of buttermilk in the big stores will not work as well. Use Cruze Farm Buttermilk (or a churned buttermilk if you can find it) so your tailgate guests can eat “on the go” walking to the stadium and won’t lose half their biscuit in the process.
Sharon Benton’s Biscuit Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups self-rising flour (Our Best brand)
1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups high-quality churned buttermilk (Cruze Farm Buttermilk)
Melted butter or margarine for topping biscuits
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400°
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour.
- Add buttermilk a little at a time so it doesn’t get too moist.
The less you stir and handle the dough, the less tough the biscuits will be. Try your best to handle the dough as lightly as possible.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Sharon uses a pastry cloth that she keeps in a drawer for easy cleanup. The dough should be moist.
- Work some flour into the dough from the floured surface until the dough is no longer sticky.
- Pat your dough out to ½ inch and cut straight down with a cutter. Do not twist the cutter!
- Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Let the sides touch for a softer biscuit, for finished sides. Use all of the dough.
- Brush tops of biscuits lightly with melted butter.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Brush with more butter if desired. And serve at once.
How to Cook Country Ham:
Baking or frying is recommended. Frying is easiest for tailgating. Or, make ahead of time and bring them to your tailgate.
Frying Method:
- Trim fat from the ham slices.
- Place a small amount of the ham fat (or bacon grease/vegetable oil) in a heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat. (If desired, soak ham slices in milk or water for at least 30 minutes to reduce saltiness.)
- Once the fat has rendered and begins to bubble, place the ham slices in the skillet.
- Cook the ham for a short amount of time, turning frequently, until lightly browned (only a few seconds per side for ham steaks) and drain.
"I pat out the dough with my hands until it is about ½ inch
thick. You can use a rolling pin, but that's one more thing
to wash!" — Sharon Benton
Find Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Ham at independent markets in the area, such as The Horn of Plenty (Maryville), Butler and Bailey, Three Rivers Market, Pratt’s Market (Knoxville), and BentonsCountryHam.com.
Find Cruze Farm Buttermilk at Whole Foods, Farm Fresh Produce, Cruze Farm Dairy, Pratt’s Market, and CruzeFarm.com/find-our-milk
Find Our Best Flour at BoonvilleMillingcompany.com/
Find Amy at TennesseeFarmTable.com