In 1949, small business meat processors gathered in Chicago to enter their hams in the First Annual National Ham Show. Sixty-five hams were judged in four classes. This competition started a tradition that is known today as the American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC) – the only national event of its kind in North America.
This event has expanded over the years to cover a wide variety of products including hams, bacon, jerky, and sausages. Now hundreds of products are entered in 25 – 30 classes each year. Meat processors enter their products for evaluation by judges who are meat scientists and specialists in the meat industry. This evaluation provides information for product enhancement that could result in greater sales and business opportunities.
-
The Evaluation of Processed Meats – Presentation given by Jay Wenther to the American Meat Science Association at the 57th Reciprocal Meat Conference. – Posted on 7/28/04 by JBW
-
2014 ACMC RULES - Rules for the 2014 American Cured Meat Championships in Milwaukee, WI. The rule booklet will be mailed automatically to processors that have entered products in the ACMC in the past three years.
 Andouille Sausage |
 Bacon (Heavyweight) (Lightweight) |
 Braunschweiger |
 Country Bacon – Dry Cured |
 Cured Specialty Meat Products |
 Dried Beef |
 Frankfurters/Wieners (Coarse Ground) |
 Frankfurters/Wieners (Emulsified) |
 Ham – Bone-In (Heavyweight) (Lightweight) |
 Ham – Boneless (Commercial) |
 Ham – Boneless (Traditional) |
 Ham – Semi-Boneless |
 Jerky – Restructured |
 Jerky – Whole Muscle |
 Luncheon Meat – Large Diameter |
 Meat Snack Stick |
 Ring Bologna – Cooked |
 Semi-Dried Sausage – Cooked,Non-Fermented |
 Small Diameter Smoked/Cooked Sausage |
 Smoked Turkey |
 Specialty Game Meats |
Specialty Flavored Small Diameter Cooked and Smoked Sausage |
 Summer Sausage – Cooked |
The next competition will be held in conjunction with the American Convention of Meat Processors & Suppliers’ Exhibition, in Springfield, Illinois, June 18-20, 2015. Anyone who is a processor member of the American Association of Meat Processors, produces their own products, and is a registered attendee at the Convention, may enter the ACMC competition.
Official Sponsors of the 2014 American Cured Meat Championships – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
 |
 |