Everything about my experience with Kite's Hams was five star. I had been eating their hams for years at Southern Kitchen in New Market, VA off the Skyline Drive. There I would get the fried center cut with pineapple and stewed tomatoes spooned over saltines. You could buy the hams wrapped in burlap at the register up until two years ago.
When I called Southern Kitchen, the woman who answered the phone directed me to Kite's and told me they ordered the Happy Hams. These are from the Midwest and cornfed, which isn't common in Virginia. The Kite family has been making hams for generations this way, and they cure about 20,000 hams a year according to their website.
The gentleman who answered the phone at Kite's was very polite and offered to take my order if I knew what I wanted, or I could call him back with any questions after looking at their website.
That website made me so hungry, I ordered a large ham, some biscuit cuts and a sampler that included the center cuts I ate at Southern Kitchen, bacon and trimmings. I got a big box of country ham a few days later. The delivery was extremely quick!
First thing I did was fry up those steaks and save the grease for red eye gravy made with coffee and a splash of bourbon. I'll have that with the slices over grits. But I ordered from them to make a ham and peanut stuffing for Thanksgiving. So, I'll take my time eating all this, but it is delicious! I didn't soak it first like some people do.
Anyway, here is my Ham and Peanut Stuffing recipe:
1/2 cup of butter
2 cups unsalted roasted Virginia peanuts, whole or coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped Vidalia onion
1/2 cup minced Virginia ham
4 cups stale bread, crusts removed and finely diced
1/2 cup crumbled cornbread
1/2 tsp powdered sage
Salt and pepper to taste
Turkey broth to moisten
Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet. Add peanuts and stir till they brown. Then add the onion, ham and bread. Cook for 2-3 minutes and season. Mix thoroughly. Use just enough broth to hold stuffing together, for it should be fairly dry. You can store it in the fridge till you're ready to use it.
The rest of the menu includes mushroom consommé to start, roast turkey with giblet gravy, bourbon sweet potatoes, onions in sour cream, Brussels sprouts, cranberry relish and pumpkin pie. read more