Victoria's best bacon has been announced as Australian Bacon Week is underway.
Australian Bacon Week runs until June 27 and celebrates 100 per cent Australian bacon, while drawing attention to the competition local bacon faces from imported products.
Australian Pork Limited’s Peter Haydon said bacon was about enjoyment for many people and integral part of many favourite dishes.
“Bacon is so versatile we find it’s part of dishes from dawn until dusk,” Mr Haydon said.
“Many people are shocked to learn that more than 70pc of bacon sold in Australia is made from imported pork and so it (Australian Bacon Week) is also about sharing the tips on how to identify Aussie.
"The pink PorkMark logo or the words ‘Product of Australia’ mean the bacon is true blue.”
As part of celebrations, the Australian Bacon Awards. Three specialist judges independently scrutinized the entries for appearance, flavor and other characteristics. Judges fleischmeister Horst Schurger, who has a Masters degree in
butchering and smallgoods; experienced judge and chef, Simon Bestley, and Australian Pork’s Mitch Edwards, assessed 135 entries over two days.
While the title of Australia’s Best Artisan Bacon went to Canberra’s Pialligo Estate Smokehouse for the second consecutive year, Thomastown’s Bertocchi Smallgoods also
went back-to-back. The company again took out the Best Nationally Available Bacon title, this year with its Bertocchi Brothers’ Long Rindless Hickory Smoked Bacon, which is
available in the chilled aisle of Coles stores. Judges said it had the perfect aroma with a nice, gentle smokiness, minimal shrinkage and a great balanced taste.
The judges also revealed Victoria’s best Full Rasher and Shortcut bacons. Numurkah’s Meat on Melville took out the state’s Best Shortcut title, with their product placing third nationally. Mordialloc businesses rounded out the top three in the Victorian shortcut competition, with Batory Continental second and third to Butchery and Cook. Montrose Smokehouse, Montrose, took out first place in the full rasher competition, with Wattle City
Meats, Maryborough, second and Bertocchi Smallgoods third.
Full Rasher
1. Montrose Smokehouse Montrose Vic 0417 561 698
2. Wattle City Meats Maryborough Vic (03) 5460 4637
3. Bertocchi Smallgoods Thomastown Vic (03) 9355 5109
Shortcut
1. Meat on Melville Numurkah Vic 0403 651 564
2. Batory Continental Mordialloc Vic 0433 222 538
3. Butchery and Cook Mordialloc Vic 0425 722 558
Some Victorian restaurants are also flying the Bacon Week flag, including: The Commoner (Fitzroy), Lee Ho Fook (Collingwood), Gelato Messina (various stores nationally, Adriano Zumbo Patissier (South Yarra and Waverley).
Pialligo Estate Smokehouse will also be serving its award-winning bacon to attendees of the Australian Tourism Exchange 2015 conference at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition
Centre on today and tomorrow.