2026 American Cured Meat Championships in Milwaukee
Over the past 77 years cured meat artisans and purveyors have gathered together once a year to crown their kings or queens of ham, bacon, mortadella, baloney, and every kind of sausage under the sun.
In the early days, beginning in 1949, it was just a few dozen men having fun, eating meat, drinking beer and enjoying the camaraderie that comes with being butchers, farmers or rural charcuterie experts.
Bragging rights were at stake.
That first year sixty-five hams were judged in four classes. Now the event is a colossus with hundreds of meat products being judged across dozens of classes.
If you like cured meat it’s a sort of Roman orgy for charcuterie lovers.
I’ve reached out to some fellow meat industry vets to secure a list of winners for 2026. Keep abreast of this space. More reportage soon.