Zingerman's Gunthorp's Hickory Smoked Duroc Bacon

Old breed bacon from Indiana.

Greg Gunthorp and his family have a small pasture-based livestock farm in northeastern Indiana where they raise pigs, chickens, ducks and turkeys. Greg's not a Johnny-come-lately to raising animals naturally. His fourth generation farm never added chemical inventions to its practices in the first place. "We never use antibiotics, hormones, growth promotants or animal by-produts in our feed,”  Greg told me.

Greg raises Duroc hogs; an old breed whose heritage goes back to the 1800s. Durocs are famous for their flavor. A friend of mine once described it—accurately—as almost a beef-pork blend, like the delicious result of a transgression between a pig and a cow.

Gunthorp bacon is dry 'cured' for a week with a simple dry rub of salt and celery powder (so technically it's 'uncured'). It’s smoked over hickory logs (not chips) for twelve hours. That leaves it lightly smoky, just a little sweet and all the way delicious. 

"WOW that is BACON. I mean it is bacon, not spiced, not salted, not cured, lightly smoked, but it has a presence that says I AM BACON. Just pure bacon that satisfies!! Tell Greg et al GREAT JOB!"
Merv, Merced, CA