The Bacon Beat / small batch

Hickory Smoked Pork Chops with Maple-Mustard Glaze Recipe

Hickory Smoked Pork Chops with Maple-Mustard Glaze Recipe

Have you ever made a smoked pork chop on the grill? They are about as easy to cook as boiling pasta water. Simply heat your grill to medium/medium-low and warm your smoked chops for about 3 minutes on each side or until warmed through. Our Hickory Smoked Pork Chops are pre-cooked in the smokehouse, so you aren’t aiming to actually *cook* a smoked chop, just to heat it up gently, so as not to dry it out.

Make no mistake; grilled smoked pork chops are absolutely delicious on their own, but if you want to add a little sumthin’ extra special to your next smoked chop, try this sweet, tangy Maple-Dijon Mustard Glaze drizzled on top of each chop:

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Hot Dogs Five Favorite Ways!

Hot Dogs Five Favorite Ways!

Hot Dog Upgrades are here! This week, we're talking about our favorite ways to cook - and our favorite fun garnishes for - this summer grilling classic over at our blog, The Bacon Beat. Ever tried a spiral dog? How about a bacon-wrapped dog? Well, we've got info on those succulent sausage ideas plus some other winning summer meal ideas!
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Mother's Day: Nolechek's Favorite Brunch Ideas

Mother's Day: Nolechek's Favorite Brunch Ideas

If you’re planning on seeing Mom this weekend, we've got some great ideas for an unforgettable, homemade Mother’s Day Brunch made with some of our favorite breakfast meats. Whether your mom loves a light, savory quiche or is more of a pancakes-and-bacon woman, we've got the recipe ideas that you’re looking for.
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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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Easter Sides: Just Add Bacon!

Easter Sides: Just Add Bacon!

We've got a list of some of our favorite holiday ham sides (like a smoky Cobb Salad and Bacon Mac N' Cheese), all made with our smokehouse meats:


Bacon Mac N' Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. So, how could it get any better, you might ask? …with bacon, of course! Bacon Mac N' Cheese is a crowd-pleasing side that is sure to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. Even better, with just six ingredients, it's a quick dish to throw together and toss in the oven.

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Bacon Facts: Boost Your Bacon Knowledge!

Bacon Facts: Boost Your Bacon Knowledge!

Whaddya know about bacon? You know you love it. You know it's smoky, salty, sweet, and so full of flavor that most other foods can't hold a candle to it, but we're here to share some fun bacon facts that you might not have heard of before!
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National Cold Cut Day: What's In Nolechek's Deli Case?

National Cold Cut Day: What's In Nolechek's Deli Case?

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.
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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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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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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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