[{"id":13131743260,"handle":"cured-meats","updated_at":"2022-05-25T21:10:38+10:00","published_at":"2020-04-13T09:06:33+10:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","published_scope":"web","title":"Cured meats","body_html":"\u003cp\u003eAll our cured pork products are made from slow-growing, pasture-raised pigs and this is a rare thing. Think about it this way. Around 3% of Australian pigs are raised outside on pasture, healthy and free to do their piggy thing. Between 50-75% of most pigs are cured for ham, bacon, salami etc.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhich means that, at most, only about 1.5% of the cured pork sold in restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, butchers and delis is made from pasture-raised pork.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other 98.5% is made from intensively-raised pork, often imported. Pigs squashed together inside, restricted, medicated and definitely not free to do their piggy thing. Who wants to eat that?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/featherandbone.com.au\/blogs\/chew-the-fat\/pastured-pork-is-hard-to-find\" title=\"Pastured pork is hard to find\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRead more about pasture-raised pork.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","image":{"created_at":"2018-04-17T17:20:27+10:00","alt":"","width":1480,"height":1178,"src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2129\/0063\/collections\/Air_cured_pork_shoulder_whole_small.jpeg?v=1639112842"}}]
Our hams are brined (salt and sugar) and smoked and contain the lowest level of nitrite (0.002%). The legs we turn into hams arrive at our factory as whole animals direct from the farm through the abattoir.
We buy whole bodies of a range of different sized pigs on a rotating basis from a number of farms - from big baconers through to suckling pigs. Most available cuts come from porker pigs which are about 50-65 kg that are 5-7 months old. Your ham will come from whichever pork is available when you order. The pork we source is:
hormone and antibiotic-free;
born and bred entirely free ranging on chemical-free pasture;
a mix of breeds including Berkshire, Landrace, Large White, English Large Black, Duroc, Wessex Saddleback and Tamworth;
from NSW farms.
The producers we work with are entirely transparent about their processes and welcome all questions.
