The Bacon Beat / specialty

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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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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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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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 Smoky Slow-Cooker Comfort Food Recipes

Nolechek’s Smoky Slow-Cooker Comfort Food Recipes

There's a lot to love about slow-cooker cooking. If you play your culinary cards right, you can make an entire meal in one simmering pot. That means you can focus on curling up in front of the fire with a good book instead of spending hours in the kitchen. That also means that clean-up is a breeze. Here are three of our favorite simple slow-cooker dinner ideas:
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Nolechek's Smoky Thanksgiving Sidedishes

Smoky Sides for Thanksgiving

What's on the menu besides turkey (or a nice Nolechek’s Hickory Smoked Ham) and stuffing? We put some of our favorite Nolechek's side dishes together to help give you some ideas for new holiday side dish favorites. From creamy Bacon Mashed Potatoes to crisp Wedge Salads and caramelized Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, we have our Top 5 Thanksgiving Side Dish Ideas all picked out for you! 
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Fall Comfort Food: Polish Sausage from Nolechek's Meats

Fall Comfort Food: Polish Sausage from Nolechek's Meats

What's the difference between Polish Sausage and Kielbasa? The answer may surprise you...

...However you grill it, mix things up with a variety of sausage flavors from Nolechek's Meats. For a classic taste, choose from Unsmoked Polish Sausage with Garlic or Hickory Smoked Garlic Polish Sausage. If garlic isn't for you, serve up Nolechek's Plain Polish Sausage. And, for a perfect Wisconsin Polish Sausage bite, pick up some Garlic Polish Sausage with Sauerkraut.
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Meats for Your Sweet: Sweetest Day Gift Ideas

Meats for Your Sweet: Sweetest Day Gift Ideas

Did you know that Sweetest Day dates back nearly 100 years? Since then, it's evolved into a popular holiday for sweethearts, primarily men. That's right! Guys get their special day, too, and Nolechek's is your one stop (meat!) shop for Sweetest Day.
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Food History: Jaternice Sausage

Food History: Jaternice Sausage

Food is one of the strongest, most tangible connections to our past. For people of Czech descent, Jaternice - a traditional Bohemian sausage - can be traced back hundreds of years to their ancestral homeland. This hearty sausage utilizes the whole hog - including parts that are often discarded today - and is a testament to the frugality and practicality of the Czech people. Fortunately for us, Czech immigrants passed down their recipes through the generations, so that we can continue to enjoy this traditional Old World sausage today. 

For some, eating snout-to-tail may sound intimidating. On the contrary, using the whole animal is not only environmentally and economically responsible, it's also delicious! We craft our Jaternice with the highest quality barley, pork cuts, and pork skins. Seasoned with hints of marjoram, sage, onion, and garlic, Nolechek’s Jaternice is a simple and comforting specialty sausage. Squeeze the sausage out of its casing as a hash and top it with an egg for breakfast. Or spread it on crackers as a tasty snack. For a heartier meal, serve baked, broiled, or grilled Jaternice Sausages with sauerkraut, potatoes, and a crusty loaf of good bread on the side. 

Nolechek's Meats Old World Sausages

Finding authentic, Old World sausages can be a challenge. That's why Nolechek's is committed to honoring our Bohemian heritage by crafting traditional products, including Jaternice, Kishka, and Swedish-Style Potato Sausage (OK, not Bohemian but amazing). These are some of our most unique and popular specialty sausage and we ship them across the United States. We also sell these sausages in our store right here in Thorpe, Wisconsin. We invite you to "czech" them out!

P.S. If you want to ask for Jaternice by name, it's pronounced 'ya-ter-neet-sa' - it's fun to say and even better to eat!

Enjoy!

Nolechek’s Meats

 

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Nolechek's Top 5 Grilling Ideas for Labor Day Weekend

Nolechek's Top 5 Grilling Ideas for Labor Day Weekend

Grab everything you need for grilling out this Labor Day Weekend! We've got smoked pork chops, hickory smoked bacon, and loads of specialty bratwurst and weiners for holiday weekend meals. Here are Nolechek's Top 5 Favorites for Labor Day Grilling:
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