The Bacon Beat / American Made

Nolechek Family Grilling: Favorite Dishes, Favorite Stories

Nolechek Family Grilling: Favorite Dishes, Favorite Stories

Looking out the window, it’s difficult to believe that grilling season is right around the corner, but if you’re from Wisconsin, you probably don’t let the pesky cold weather stop you from living up to your Grill Master status. Grilling is in our blood at Nolechek’s and, while everyone has their favorite way to cook outdoors, the results are the same. Delicious, home-cooked food that brings everyone together to laugh, reminisce, and enjoy the fellowship that only a full table of food can bring.
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Burger Time! Nolechek’s Top 5 Best Bacon Cheeseburger Ideas

Burger Time! Nolechek’s Top 5 Best Bacon Cheeseburger Ideas

Bacon Cheeseburgers = Greatness

When was the last time you made burgers on the grill? Did you add bacon? If it's been awhile since you made a BCB - and even if it hasn't - this weekend is a golden opportunity to whip up some big, beefy burgers covered in melty Wisconsin Cheddar and topped with crispy strips of Nolechek's Bacon. Want to try some twists on your next Bacon Cheeseburger? We're sharing our Top 5 Best Bacon Cheeseburger Ideas right here, right now!

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Spring Grilling Season: Nolechek’s Sweet & Savory Bratwurst

Spring Grilling Season: Nolechek’s Sweet & Savory Bratwurst

We've got specialty bratwurst galore and we're here with our Top 3 Spring Specialty Brats - as well as new ideas for condiments - to bring your first grilled brat of spring to the next level.

Wisconsin is known for many things, like the beautiful shoreline along Lake Michigan and our beloved Green Bay Packers football team. However, one could make a solid argument that Wisconsin is equally famous for its specialty foods, in this case: the humble bratwurst.

The history of the “brat” goes all the way back to the 19th century, when German immigrants settled in Wisconsin and brought their love of Old World Bratwurst right along with them. At Nolechek's, we honor that tradition with our Traditional Fresh Bratwurst that has followed the same recipe for over 65 years and been recognized with multiple state and national awards. But as they say, variety is the spice of life, and we love our Specialty Brats - especially when topped with unexpected fixings!

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70 Years & Beyond: Nolechek Family History

70 Years & Beyond: Nolechek Family History

...but what came before all of that? How did a Bohemian like Doc Nolechek end up in Thorp, Wisconsin, and come to purchase the Locker plant, which 70 years later still exists as Nolechek’s Meats? Sit back my friends, and let me tell you a story...
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Bacon Lovers' Opinion: Thick-Sliced Bacon vs. Thin-Sliced Bacon

Bacon Lovers' Opinion: Thick-Sliced Bacon vs. Thin-Sliced Bacon

Friendly arguments between people who are passionate about great foods are nothing new. For example, folks have been heatedly debating for decades whether pineapple on pizza is scrumptious or sacrilegious. We'll leave judgment on that one up to the pizza purists; we have more important things to worry about - namely the virtues of thin- vs. thick-sliced bacon.

At Nolechek’s, our standard bacon thickness is a meaty 1/8" and our thick-sliced bacon is a hefty 1/4" thick. Bacon purchased in the store is typically 1/16". We do offer what we consider a thin-sliced bacon at 1/16”, but you’ll have to visit our retail store in Thorp, Wisconsin, to get Nolechek’s bacon that thin!

First, we'd like to say that, at Nolechek's, we don't judge. We embrace all bacon lovers equally, whether they like it thin and crispy or thick and meaty. Frankly, we love both cuts; we just use them, in cooking, a little differently. Here are some of our favorite ways to use each kind of bacon:

Top 5 Uses for Thin-Sliced Bacon

  • Served with eggs
  • As a pizza topping
  • Wrapping meats and vegetables
  • Topping salads
  • Serving a big crowd

Top 5 Uses for Thick-Sliced Bacon

  • Bacon cheeseburgers
  • BLTs & BLATs
  • Baked beans
  • Braised with greens
  • Steamed bacon bao buns (YUM)

That said, if crispy, crumbly bacon is all you crave, then fry up those thin, cracklin’ slices. If you prefer your bacon thick and chewy, then just do you, because the beautiful thing about Nolechek’s Sliced Hickory Smoked Bacon is that it's one of the best foods on earth, no matter how you slice it!

Yours Through Thick & Thin,

- Nolechek’s Meats

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Nolechek's Best Valentine's Day Gifts for Meat Lovers

Nolechek's Best Valentine's Day Gifts for Meat Lovers

Did you know that Valentine's Day actually began as the Feast of St. Valentine? That's right; long before the greeting cards and roses, Valentine's Day was a day to feast in honor of St. Valentine – although there was more than one Valentine and historians aren’t entirely sure which one was originally associated with February’s celebration of love. So, what better way to celebrate a day for love and feasting than to give your favorite meat lover a taste of Wisconsin's finest hickory smoked meats?!
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Nolechek's Polish Sausage FAQ: Wisconsin's Fourth-Generation Smokehouse Talks Kielbasa, Polish, & Old World Sausages

Nolechek's Polish Sausage FAQ: Wisconsin's Fourth-Generation Smokehouse Talks Kielbasa, Polish, & Old World Sausages

Let’s take some time to address one of the age-old questions of our time…and no; it’s not, “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” The question today is, “What is the difference between polish sausage and kielbasa?”
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Super Bowl Party Food: Bring Nolechek's Specialty Bratwurst

Super Bowl Party Food: Bring Nolechek's Specialty Bratwurst

...did you know that Nolechek's specialty Wisconsin bratwurst comes in a wide variety of flavors? We have sixteen (16!) types of specialty bratwurst...and that’s not even including our Traditional Bratwurst, Chicken Bratwurst, or our signature Hickory Smoked Brats.

Here’s an introduction to the Sixteen Nolechek’s Specialty Bratwurst Varieties that we craft at our place in Thorp, Wisconsin:

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Nolechek's Best Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

Nolechek's Best Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

Nothing says winter comfort like a toasty-warm bowl of soup, especially our hearty Loaded Baked Potato Soup with all of the fixings! The crispy crown jewel of this steamy winter dish are the savory bits of Nolechek’s Hickory Smoked Honey Cured Bacon that we generously sprinkle on top of each bowl, plus the melty Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese we like to heap on top. Easy to make and even easier to love, this potato soup recipe is one of our all-time favorites and we know everyone at your house will love it just as much as we do!
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Shopping Local at Nolechek's Meats

Shopping Local at Nolechek's Meats

For us, at Nolechek’s, the answer has become that shopping local is about relationships that are built with the businesses we patronize and receive supplies from. I appreciate doing business with people that take the extra time to chat or the ones that remember specifics. Even though businesses may not be able to source everything locally, somewhere, someone is making that product, slaughtering those animals, or transporting supplies. And those individuals are living in communities where they’re shopping locally and supporting their communities. So, we’re all part of a bigger (local) picture.
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Nolechek's Even More Wisconsin Bratwurst Sausage Sampler

Send Wisconsin’s Best Meat & Cheese: Nolechek’s Top 5 Gift Picks

We've created our list of Nolechek's Favorite Holiday Gift Picks to help you with your holiday shopping. Covering everything from gifts for your favorite bacon lover to snack assortments for people who like to party, plus peeks at some of our featured Wisconsin cheeses, we'll help you choose the perfect Wisconsin-made gifts for friends and family. 
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Giving Thanks at Nolechek's Meats

Giving Thanks at Nolechek's Meats

One of the most profound realizations I’ve had the past two years is how thankful I am for my faith, family, and friends. I am beyond grateful for the people in my life – whether past, present, or the ones I have yet to meet; whether they relate to my personal life or I know them through the business.
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