Pork Products

Pork Recipes

 

 

 


Our first product, developed in 1987, was Denhay Air Dried Ham, which is eaten like a prosciutto, but has a unique character of its own. In 1994, following requests from our customers for a really high quality Dry Cured Bacon, we started bacon production. We researched a unique way of curing which would give us a consistent product, not too salty, but able to bring out the full flavour of the meat. It involves attention to detail, something that we are prepared to give. We feel that our passion for producing something really special has created a bacon 'tasting like bacon used to taste'.

It comes in both Back and Streaky, Smoked and Unsmoked and medium sliced, and because no water is added, no white liquid comes out in the pan.

streaky and back bacon

 

 

 

 

 

Salt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Up until 1998, we cured a small amount of bacon. Since then we have built up a team of skilled curers. Up to 30 people are all trained and skilled in providing consistent high quality bacon made with passion and attention to detail at each stage of the curing, slicing and packing.

The bacon has proved so successful that in July 2005, we moved into a state-of-the-art factory in Honiton to accommodate the increased demand. The factory was designed to allow us to continue to make the best bacon using the skills and knowledge gained whilst at Denhay. We bought a new slicing and packing line to go alongside the existing one. Honiton is a facility that offers innovative equipment, the best in hygiene and the capacity to grow that will enable us to maintain our traditional cure but improve our performance to meet our customers’ expectations.


We source our pork from British outdoor reared herds which have the RSPCA's Freedom Foods certification.


Our Dry Curing technique involves a unique mixture of dry sea salt and nitrite, massaged into the pork loins and bellies which are then cured for between two and three weeks.


The loins and bellies to be smoked are selected and gently smoked over beech or cherry wood. We replaced our old original smoker, which was becoming unreliable, with a new smoker that smokes more evenly, uses wood better and produces less tar. This is a healthier way to properly smoke.


Once cured, the bacon is 'fresh sliced' and then shingled. Most bacon is frozen solid and pressed in to shape before slicing; we will not do that as we believe that the freezing contributes to the unwelcome white scum and harms the flavour. Shingling is the process whereby the bacon is layered so that all slices can be seen. It is also much easier for consumers to lift a slice of bacon from the pack and to see what they are buying!


Every batch of bacon we slice is eaten both when new and on the day it goes out of shelf life. The factory has been audited and achieved the BRC Global Standard accreditation at Grade A.


We have been dry curing Duchy Originals bacon using its own traditional recipe since 1998. We cure both Organic and Free Range British pork which is supplied to the multiple retailers and is available nationally. The ethos of our businesses fits well together: a care and passion for producing great products
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For more information visit the Duchy web site duchyoriginals.com

 

 

 

 

ham on a stand