How did this Aussie family butcher make the world’s best bacon?
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We know Aussies like their bacon, but who would’ve thought its quality could turn heads halfway across the world?
Not many of us, that’s for sure! But that’s exactly what happened when a small family-owned butcher in regional Queensland, Meat Cellar, beat out six other competitors to take home the title of World’s Best Bacon.
At last week’s World Charcuterie Awards in London, more than 400 products from all over the world were judged in the competition.
Awards were presented for different charcuterie classes, air-dried hams, cooked hams, salamis, bacon, sausages, game, and poultry.
Judges rated the entries on their taste, length of flavour, mouth feel, appearance, but also tradition or innovation.
In the Class 6 ‘Cured Bacon’ category, Meat Cellar beat out six other competitors to take home the title of ‘World’s Best Bacon.’
The family-owned butcher shop’s Westridge Bacon Rashers were described by the judges in glowing terms.
'Visually stunning with a satisfying meat to fat ratio,' the judges wrote.
'The flavour is robust, enhanced by the smoke and lingers on in the mouth,' another judge complimented.
Co-owner Luke Jensen, who has been a butcher for over two decades, said it was flavoured with salt and honey to give it the perfect balance.
'If you get just that balance right, you’re not going “hey, that just tasted like salt”, but you’re actually getting the smoke flavour, the flavour of the pork,' he shared enthusiastically.
The award-winning bacon doesn’t come cheap, but it is worth every penny at $24.99 a kilo. And it takes up to a week of preparation with only the freshest of ingredients.
Before Meat Cellar won the competition, it served the Toowoomba community for over three decades (formerly known as Westridge Meats and The Ridge Meats).
It was then bought by Mr Jensen and his wife, Michelle, in 2017, and they have since grown the business to its present success.
In addition to the prestigious bacon award, Meat Cellar took home silver for its bone-in ham and bronze for boneless ham.
In the end, it was a Spanish producer who received the top prize for its dry-cured ham.
Nevertheless, Mr Jensen was veritably proud of the team at Meat Cellar when they achieved their incredible feat.
‘Our team that made it, a butcher and a skills-based apprentice… they’re really chuffed,’ he said in a statement.
'It’s just those little things that they get recognised for, and just sort of gives you a little bit of a spark,' he added.
When asked about why Meat Cellar focuses on selling Australian-made products, Mr Jensen proudly shared: ‘If we can keep the money local, it helps everyone grow.’
Have you tasted any of Meat Cellar’s products? We would love to hear from you in the comments below!
Not many of us, that’s for sure! But that’s exactly what happened when a small family-owned butcher in regional Queensland, Meat Cellar, beat out six other competitors to take home the title of World’s Best Bacon.
Awards were presented for different charcuterie classes, air-dried hams, cooked hams, salamis, bacon, sausages, game, and poultry.
Judges rated the entries on their taste, length of flavour, mouth feel, appearance, but also tradition or innovation.
The World Charcuterie Awards creates a unique opportunity for Charcutiers from around the world to put their products to the test. Credit: Facebook
In the Class 6 ‘Cured Bacon’ category, Meat Cellar beat out six other competitors to take home the title of ‘World’s Best Bacon.’
The family-owned butcher shop’s Westridge Bacon Rashers were described by the judges in glowing terms.
'Visually stunning with a satisfying meat to fat ratio,' the judges wrote.
'The flavour is robust, enhanced by the smoke and lingers on in the mouth,' another judge complimented.
Co-owner Luke Jensen, who has been a butcher for over two decades, said it was flavoured with salt and honey to give it the perfect balance.
'If you get just that balance right, you’re not going “hey, that just tasted like salt”, but you’re actually getting the smoke flavour, the flavour of the pork,' he shared enthusiastically.
The award-winning bacon doesn’t come cheap, but it is worth every penny at $24.99 a kilo. And it takes up to a week of preparation with only the freshest of ingredients.
The Meat Cellar was established in 2017 by Mr Jensen and his wife. Credit: Facebook
Before Meat Cellar won the competition, it served the Toowoomba community for over three decades (formerly known as Westridge Meats and The Ridge Meats).
It was then bought by Mr Jensen and his wife, Michelle, in 2017, and they have since grown the business to its present success.
In addition to the prestigious bacon award, Meat Cellar took home silver for its bone-in ham and bronze for boneless ham.
In the end, it was a Spanish producer who received the top prize for its dry-cured ham.
Nevertheless, Mr Jensen was veritably proud of the team at Meat Cellar when they achieved their incredible feat.
‘Our team that made it, a butcher and a skills-based apprentice… they’re really chuffed,’ he said in a statement.
'It’s just those little things that they get recognised for, and just sort of gives you a little bit of a spark,' he added.
When asked about why Meat Cellar focuses on selling Australian-made products, Mr Jensen proudly shared: ‘If we can keep the money local, it helps everyone grow.’
Have you tasted any of Meat Cellar’s products? We would love to hear from you in the comments below!
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