Statewide Restaurant Week Celebrates North Carolina Country Ham Tradition

RALEIGH — Eleven restaurants across North Carolina will feature special menu items Oct. 15-25 as part of Country Ham Restaurant Week.

The statewide event will coincide with the 2026 N.C. State Fair and highlight country ham as both a traditional Southern food and an ingredient being used in newer dishes.

Salt-cured, aged and sometimes smoked, country ham has long been associated with Southern cooking. Participating chefs this year will use it in dishes ranging from carbonara and tortellini to tartines, croquettas and shrimp and grits.

“Country ham is one of those foods that immediately connects you to North Carolina traditions and time-honored curing processes that brings together families and communities,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said. “Country Ham Restaurant Week is a great opportunity to celebrate that history while seeing how a new generation of chefs is finding creative ways to put country ham on the plate.”

At Ashten’s Restaurant & Bar in Southern Pines, Chef Matthew Hannon will offer a foie gras toast featuring seared foie gras, country ham, green tomato chutney, smoked trout roe, local honey and aged balsamic.

Beaufort Grocery Co. in Beaufort will feature several dishes, including Welsh rarebit with country ham and tomato, chicken saltimbocca and a Carolina Benedict.

Cast Iron Kitchen in Wilmington will serve a country ham “prosciutto” and bone marrow board with country ham fig jam, red-eye tomato chutney, pickles, local salami and crusty bread.

At Figulina in Raleigh, Chef David Ellis will offer country ham carbonara with fresh mafaldine, egg yolk, Pecorino Romano and black pepper.

Nanas in Durham will feature gnocchi fritto with mascarpone, pepper jelly and thinly shaved country ham.

Poole’s Diner in Raleigh will offer an autumn tartine with fromage blanc, red mustards, pickled kumquat and thin slices of country ham.

At Rada in Charlotte, Chef Callan Buckles will serve country ham croquettas with sauce gribiche.

Reid’s Cafe & Catering in Sugar Mountain will feature country ham scarparella tortellini with banana pepper, caramelized onion and ricotta filling served in country ham brodo.

The Hackney in Washington will offer North Carolina shrimp and grits.

Voyce Bistro in Wilmington will feature sweet corn carbonara with country ham, tomatoes and spring onion crumble.

Whiskey Kitchen in Raleigh will serve a bourbon- and sorghum-molasses-soaked country ham biscuit with caramelized onions, blackberry jam and herb-and-fig goat cheese.

“Country ham is uniquely American, and North Carolina has an important place in its story,” said Sam Suchoff, president of the National Country Ham Association. “What’s exciting about Country Ham Restaurant Week is seeing chefs take something with such a long history and make it feel new. These dishes showcase the craftsmanship of the people who cure country ham while introducing its incredible flavor to a new generation of diners.”

The event also coincides with the return of the N.C. State Fair Country Ham Competition after a 27-year absence.

The competition, sponsored by the N.C. Farm Bureau, will be held Thursday, Oct. 15, with judging beginning at 1 p.m. in Dorton Arena.

Country ham curing and cooking demonstrations are also scheduled during the fair, including demonstrations Oct. 15 in Dorton Arena and Oct. 19 in Heritage Circle.

Country Ham Restaurant Week runs Oct. 15-25, the same dates as the 2026 N.C. State Fair.