Tender Belly was founded by two brothers from Iowa, Shannon and Erik Duffy, on the promise to craft the finest pork products possible. Growing up around hog farms, the two brothers had standards for outstanding pork bred into their blood. So they wondered: How much more would people love bacon if they knew how good it could really be? Turns out, a whole lot more!
“We created Tender Belly to push the limits in everything we do and create amazing products under a brand known and respected for always being ‘Certified Awesome,’” Shannon tells me. “We believe everything good takes time, so we put excessive care into making sure things are done right. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it results in the best tasting pork. Tender Belly heritage breed hogs are Old World pigs raised without antibiotics. They are vegetarian-fed and crate-free. They take longer to grow and mature to market weight, but the extra fattiness leads to more marbling, which means more tender meat with better flavor and juiciness. When you taste Tender Belly pork, you just know it's different...and you go for seconds.”
Unlike other brined bacon that adds or injects water to speed up the curing process, Tender Belly’s bacon is dry-cured for 12 days, allowing for the signature Tender Belly flavor to permeate the meat. The company’s Dry-Rub Uncured Bacon is nitrate- and antibiotic-free and is now offered in three lick-your-lips-scrumptious flavors: Habanero, Java, and a new No Sugar variety.
In addition to selling bacon, Tender Belly offers No Sugar Added Signature Pork Jerky and Berkshire Uncured Franks.
“The jerky is packed with only the highest quality ingredients and uses heritage breed pork loin,” Erik says. “This means the flavor is delicious and rich and packs a protein punch—33 grams per bag!”
Tender Belly’s Uncured Franks offer a great alternative to hot dogs, the two share with me, explaining that Tender Belly franks come from the hind leg of 100 percent Berkshire pork, are smoked with applewood, and then packed into an all-natural casing. Every bite delivers a crisp snap and the perfect balance of subtly sweet and delightfully salty.
Both products, they assure me, deliver on Tender Belly’s promise: No junk, ever. (A reason to feel good about my meat eating? Sign me up!)
And in May, the company is launching two new items: Signature Uncured Breakfast Sausage in a 10 oz pack and Pulled Pork with Signature BBQ Sauce.
If you aren’t already salivating and wondering where you can find these products, Tender Belly bacons, franks, and jerky are available online. They may also be found at select natural and specialty grocers in Colorado, Texas, and California.
"Tender Belly was created to push the limits in everything we do and create amazing products under a brand known and respected for always being “Certified Awesome," the two brothers express.
For a full list of participating retailers, visit the Where to Buy page on tenderbelly.com and search for retailers by zip code.
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