National Cold Cut Day: What's In Nolechek's Deli Case?
"Cold Cuts" is a term we don't hear so much, these days, but whether you call them cold cuts, deli meats, sandwich meat, or something else, March 3rd is National Cold Cut Day! We love these fast, easy proteins and we've been crafting them for decades. Our hickory smoked dried beef, liver sausage, and pork & chicken loaf are all prime candidates for top Nolechek's deli meats...and our hams and summer sausages make great sandwich ingredients, too. And if you're local, our smoked ham, mustard seed salami, and Krakow or New England (both are Polish pork-and-beef lunch meats) are available for serious sandwich makers. So grab some good bread and pile on the cold cuts!
Cold cuts have an impressive history, dating back to around 500 B.C. when Ancient Romans and Etruscan populations found that salting and smoking meats, such as ham and prosciutto, helped to preserve them longer. However, we can thank the Earl of Sandwich for popularizing cold cuts as we know and love them today. Back in the eighteenth century, he famously asked for slices of bread to surround his meat so that he could continue his gambling game.
Since then, cold cuts have become part of most cultures' cuisines, including our own. In fact, Americans consume around $2 billion worth of cold cuts annually. Bologna, the most popular U.S. cold cut, has at some point graced most American schoolchildrens’ lunch boxes. What kid didn't look forward to wolfing down a hearty slice of bologna sandwiched between two slices of white bread slathered in mayonnaise? For many kids (and grown-ups) there is no more perfect pairing than a bologna sandwich washed down with a cold thermos of milk.
At Nolechek's, we appreciate the history of cold cuts. That's why we use only the finest ingredients in our meats, like our Traditional Liver Sausage https://www.nolechekmeats.com/collections/liver-sausage-lunch-meat/products/liver-sausage that's made with rich, lean pork sourced from the Midwest. If you like a little more kick, try our Liver Sausage with Horseradish, made with Silver Springs Horseradish from Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Another deli case favorite, our Hickory Smoked Dried Beef, is cured and smoked using 100% natural hickory chips to create the perfect combination of meaty texture and smoky, beefy flavor.
For those seeking a taste of the past, our Pork & Chicken Loaf is loaded with toasted chopped onion and black pepper and is a delicious spread for sandwiches or crackers. Not many delis take the time to make old-fashioned products like this one!
At the time we’re publishing this post, we are crafting a special, limited run batch of our Special Reserve Salami. We have two recipes available; Italian Style with Wine and Traditional with Garlic & Black Pepper. Salami is a fantastic sandwich ingredient but we’re not shy about hunkering down with a “simple” salami and a block of good Wisconsin cheese and enjoying the complex flavors that we’ve created.
So, here’s to “cold cuts”, especially those made by small, craft meat suppliers. We would love to have you stop in and visit our shop in Thorp, Wisconsin, and check out all our deli case has to offer. We know you’ll find new, unique smokehouse products to bring home and enjoy.
Happy National Cold Cut Day!
- Nolechek’s Meats
