In St. Mary’s County, stuffed ham isn’t just a meal. It’s heritage.

The county is the birthplace of the centuries-old dish, which historians say traces its roots to the kitchens of Sotterley Plantation, where Black cooks developed a method of cooking ham by packing it with greens and spices.

“It wasn’t just about flavor,” said Karen Stone, Museum Division Manager for St. Mary’s County. “It may have been born out of necessity as a way to help the ham last longer and not spoil.”

It’s a tradition that has stuck, and three centuries later, stuffed ham remains deeply woven into daily life in St. Mary’s County.

“It’s on our holiday tables, in our restaurants, and in our local stores,” Stone said. “If you go to a St. Mary’s County family home and it’s not served, you’re probably not from here.”

It’s such a part of the culture that on Sunday, March 29, the birthplace of the centuries-old dish will be officially recognized when a historic marker is unveiled at the St. Clement’s Island Museum.

The marker, funded through the William G. Pomeroy Foundation’s Hungry for History program, credits Black cooks in St. Mary’s County in the early 1700s for creating the dish.

The preparation of stuffed ham is as distinctive as its history. In ″300 Years of Black Cooking in St. Mary’s County, Maryland,“, published by the St. Mary’s County Library Board of Trustees in 2005, a basic stuffed ham recipe is outlined. A whole ham is cut, stuffed with a mixture of chopped greens, spices and seasonings, then tightly packed and cooked.

And like many family recipes, the ingredients vary.

“The spices and greens can differ widely depending on who’s making it. Some make it with spinach, others with kale and spices can be different based on personal taste,” Stone said. “Every family has their own version.”

A tradition still on the table

Richard Collins, who now lives in Atlanta but grew up in Oakville, Maryland, said stuffed ham is one of the foods he misses most about home. “I like it better than regular ham, and it’s so easy to get in St. Mary’s,” Collins said. “My family still makes it, and I miss it. Sometimes they even send it to me in the mail.”

The dish can still be found all around the county in sandwiches or sliced portions to full holiday hams at local spots such as Chaptico Market and Chief’s Barbecue.

Church dinners across the region often feature the dish as well, keeping the tradition alive.

“The art of making stuffed ham is being passed down to the next generation,” Stone said. “Diets change, and people try new foods, but stuffed ham remains. It’s part of who we are.”

The hometown ham gets its due

For local historians, the recognition with a marker is long overdue.

“A team member saw the marker for Smith Island Cake when they were visiting St. Michaels and thought, ‘We need one for our stuffed ham,’” said Stone. They reached out to the Pomeroy Foundation, which funded the marker for the Smith Island Cake — a Maryland favorite known for its delicate and moist layers — and requested their own for the stuffed ham.

Immediately following the public ceremony, a reception will be held next door at The Potomac Gardens where visitors can taste the history for themselves. Several area restaurants and Sotterly descendants will be on hand serving their versions of the St. Mary’s classic.

There will be special guests in attendance with ties to the county ,including Maria Derisavi, Miss Maryland 2025. Derisavi grew up in St. Mary’s County and the dish was a staple for family holidays. She enjoys being an ambassador for St. Mary’s and will be one of the hosts of the celebration.

“I’m looking forward to celebrating food that carries so much meaning and memories for Marylanders,” Derisavi said.

Collins hopes others will like stuffed ham as much as he does.

“It’s the mixture of all the greens that does it for me,” he said. “It’s one of my favorite dishes, period.”

LaDawn Black is a Baltimore-based media maven and author telling stories about the people, art and culture that define Baltimore and beyond. Follow her @iamladawnblack.