As any bacon aficionado knows, not all bacon is created equal. And when it comes to premium artisanal bacon, few brands have the devoted following and reputation for quality that Nueske’s enjoys. But just where does this smoky, applewood-flavored bacon come from? In this article, we’ll explore the roots of the Nueske’s bacon brand and their traditional smoking process.
A Family Tradition of Meat Smoking
The story of Nueske’s bacon begins back in the 1880s with the Nueske family themselves. Long before establishing their famous branded products, the Nueskes were smoking meat for their own consumption as a way to preserve and add flavor. This family tradition was passed down over the generations.
Fast forward to 1933 and R.C. Nueske decided to parlay his family’s smoked meat recipes and expertise into a business. He began selling smoked bacon sausages, hams and more out of a panel truck at small Wisconsin resorts. Even amidst the Great Depression, Nueske’s faith in his smoked meats proved well-founded.
Building the Nueske’s Brand
Over the ensuing decades, Nueske’s continued expanding their smoked meat offerings while staying true to time-honored smoking methods. Their bacon products remained top sellers, cementing Nueske’s reputation for quality smoked meats.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Nueske’s experienced surging demand during the bacon-focused food trend. To meet demand while preserving artisanal processes, Nueske’s expanded their production capabilities in their longtime home base of Wittenberg, Wisconsin.
Today, Nueske’s remains family-owned and committed to traditional smoking practices from their Wisconsin facilities. They now produce over twenty different smoked meat products while still taking great pride in their signature applewood smoked bacon.
Where the Magic Happens: Wittenberg, Wisconsin
As a company intrinsically linked to their roots, Nueske’s has always produced their smoked meats in Wittenberg, Wisconsin. This small Midwest town of just over 800 residents is located in Shawano County, about 40 miles west of Green Bay.
The Nueske’s processing plant and smokehouses are centered right in Wittenberg, where they smoke approximately 23 million pounds of meat annually! Using local Wisconsin ingredients and family recipes has been core to the Nueske’s brand since R.C. Nueske first fired up his panel truck smoker in 1933.
Traditional Smoking Over Applewood
One of the keys to Nueske’s bacon is their traditional applewood smoking process. They source their applewood locally from Wisconsin orchards, then burn the wood down into embers that generate smoke. The bacon slabs hang in compact smokehouses as applewood smoke permeates the meat for a full 24 hours.
This genuine hardwood smoking imbues the bacon with subtle sweetness and fruitiness under its savory smokiness. It’s a signature flavor that’s earned Nueske’s many fans across the U.S. Plus, their small-batch process allows for meticulous control over each batch.
From Pork to Package
From sourcing to slicing, Nueske’s remains hands-on with their bacon production:
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They source from local pork providers and hand-trim each slab.
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A generations-old spice blend coats each slab before smoking.
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In the smokehouse, smokemasters monitor conditions closely over 24 hours.
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After smoking, the bacon is cooled then sliced by hand into hearty slabs.
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Nueske’s bacon is packaged right in Wittenberg for nationwide shipping.
This careful approach at every step helps explain Nueske’s premium quality and loyal consumer base. No shortcuts – just dedication to tradition.
Why Nueske’s Stands Apart
Between the applewood smoking, artisanal process, and family mastery, it’s easy to see why Nueske’s bacon is in a class of its own:
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Distinctive applewood flavor from genuine hardwood smoking
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Hand-selected pork and hand-applied spice rubs
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Over 85 years of family expertise in meat smoking
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Small batch process with meticulous quality control
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Prime cuts result in very high cooked bacon yield
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Shipped straight from the source in Wittenberg
There are many good bacon brands out there today, but none quite capture Nueske’s uncommon standards and smoking pedigree. Once you taste their applewood smoked bacon, you’ll find little else measures up.
The Takeaway
Part of Nueske’s appeal lies in its heritage. This beloved bacon brand is the end result of four generations dedicated to meat smoking traditions rooted in Wittenberg, Wisconsin. While Nueske’s has grown tremendously since 1933, they remain committed to family recipes and small batch applewood smoking that make their bacon so special. Taste the Nueske’s difference for yourself and discover why they’re bacon royalty!
How does it ship?
We ship bacon with two-business-day service and warm weather care from early April to mid-September, when it’s warmer. Dry ice and ice packs will melt, but they will have done their job of keeping the bacon from cooking on the way. From late September to the end of March, the bacon will be shipped with our flat-rate service.
Our house bacon for more than four decades, sliced thicker just for us.
The Nueske family began smoking bacon in Hillcrest, Wisconsin, more than one hundred years before we began serving sandwiches in 1982. Like many family businesses that have been around for a long time, their passion hasn’t seemed to fade in over a hundred years. “I eat bacon so much,” says Tanya Nueske, granddaughter of the founder. “In our family we put bacon on everything. ” When you taste this stuff you’ll probably do the same.
We sell a lot of this bacon, and both Zingerman’s Delicatessen and Zingerman’s Roadhouse restaurants serve it. It tastes great! After being smoked over Wisconsin applewood for up to 24 hours, it is just the right amount of sweet and salty/smoky. To me this is the Platonic ideal of bacon. This is the kind of bacon I would pick to eat every day if I had to. It sounds like heaven.
“The beluga of bacon, the Rolls-Royce of Rashers.” R. W. Apple, New York Times
Nueskes slices their bacon special for us. We ask for it thicker—10 or 12 slices per pound versus the usual 16 or more. When you fry it you get big, meaty, substantial bacon with great texture.
Nueske’s Bacon Cooking Techniques
FAQ
Where does Nueske’s bacon come from?
Who owns Nueske’s?
Why is Nueske’s bacon so good?
Who makes the best bacon in Wisconsin?
Who makes Nueske’s Bacon?
Nueske’s bacon is legendary here in Wisconsin and if you’re ever up near Wausau, you’re going to want to take a small detour to Wittenberg and visit the Nueske’s Company Store. This family business is in its third generation of ownership. The current folks’ grandpa started the company in 1933 using his own father and grandfather’s recipes.
Is Nueske smoked bacon real?
It’s genuine quality. Nueske’s makes six different types of bacon, including Canadian, slab, cherrywood, applewood, and triple thick cut. 2 lbs of medium-sliced applewood smoked bacon will cost you $25 ( $12.50 /16 oz).
Where did the Nueske family come from?
Our Nueske’s family ancestors came to Wisconsin in 1882, bringing with them European skills of Applewood smoking and dozens of recipes for spicing and curing meat. In 1933, Grandpa R.C. Nueske couldn’t find smoked meats as good as those his family made.
When was Nueske’s founded?
Nueske’s was founded in the Great Depression when R.C. Nueske began selling meats using family recipes. Nueske started marketing bacon, sausages, hams and smoked turkeys from a panel truck at small resorts in northern Wisconsin.