Oh, For the Love of Bacon!

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posted on

March 23, 2017

I haven't met many people who don't love bacon, you can do anything with bacon and right now bacon is back in style and good for you, thanks to the paleo diet, but honestly, we believe bacon never went out of style or was ever "bad" for you in the first place.

You know what's better than store-bought bacon? It's our bacon. Take the tastiest, healthiest pig you have ever tasted and then cure it and something magical happens. It actually tastes like bacon, the flavor it amazing and your taste-buds rejoice.

Now the good and bad news.

The good news: That we now have bacon available to buy now. It is almost impossible to find pastured pork bacon (and ham) and now it's available all the time!

The slightly bad news: The "bacon" comes in 5-8 lb sides. This might be difficult to understand, but basically you have to buy half of a pork belly that has been cured. "BUT WHY?!" Some of you might ask... It's an insanely difficult thing to explain, but the USDA makes it extremely difficult for butchers to cut/wrap meat and cure meat all at the same facility. I have one butcher who cuts/wraps it but will not cure it by USDA standards. I have another processor (GEM pack) who is willing to cure the pork belly's for me, but does not have the ability to cut them any smaller than 1/2 a pork belly. This means you will be getting a big chunk of bacon, but you can slice it to whatever thickness you like. My recommendation is when you get it, cut it into whatever sized amounts you would eat in a week and then freezer the rest of the bacon for another time. Then just get the chunk of bacon for the week, cut, cook and enjoy.

The bad news: Despite tons of phone calls and pleading there is no curing facility within 200 miles that does not use nitrates or MSG in their cure. So unfortunately the bacon does have nitrates and MSG. Why does GEM pack use MSG and nitrates? Well, according to them the nitrates are the preservatives and the MSG is used to kill botulism. Regardless of whether we wish it wasn't in there GEM Pack is not willing to take the risk of curing meat that could potentially harm people if not done according to scientific standards. So, if you really want bacon and ham, that's what you have to understand and accept.

The balanced news: We all have balance in our life. Some people cannot tolerate MSG or nitrates at all in their diet, it makes them physically ill, but for most people a little bit of both will not kill us. If you eat bacon wrapped everything and eat bacon at every meal, then you might start feeling some of the effects of these products, but for the average person a little bit of these ingredients will not hurt.

The Best News! My search is not over! I am constantly looking for new sources of people who are willing to cure bacon without MSG and nitrates. It is a difficult task, but I am hoping to find a closer source in the future, that is not over 100 miles away.

Saddened by this news? Fear not, bacon can be easily made at home, even overnight! Stay tuned to the next blog post which will explain how to make bacon from fresh side pork overnight!

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Bacon

Boise Pastured Pork

Whole Pastured Pork

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Cured Pork Belly

Pork Belly

Full 2026: Series on The Big Grass Fire "It Starts with a Spark!"

Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Standing Together During the Big Grass Fire When wildfires threaten our communities, they don’t stop to ask whose land they’re on. They move quickly, changing lives in a matter of hours. But in rural communities like ours, something else moves just as quickly—neighbors stepping up to help neighbors. As the Big Grass Fire continues to impact parts of Idaho and Oregon, Sean Cunningham of Cunningham Pastured Meats has joined countless ranchers, volunteers, firefighters, and first responders working tirelessly to support those directly affected. But, in spite of the effort to mitigate the damages, the devastation is real to life and property. While the Cunningham ranch has not been directly impacted by the fire, Sean has been spending long days assisting neighboring ranchers whose grazing lands, livestock, fences, and livelihoods have been threatened. Whether helping protect cattle, building fire lines, moving equipment, or supporting firefighting efforts wherever needed, the work reflects something deeply rooted in ranching culture: when one neighbor is hurting, everyone shows up. With but a brief reunion with Sean after his 3 days of fire service. As you can imagine, while Sean is all smiles to finally be home for some much-needed rest, tears were shed by the littles in his reunion with the family! As many of you know, Liz and Sean, while still only in their late 30s, have seven children and one on the way. To date, Liz and Sean have spent days apart, each taking on the role in their own capacity against the fires. Sean on the dozer in the field and Liz capturing the story in a digital war to garner the attention of news agencies like KTVB7, the Lt. Governor's office, the White House, electric company CEOs and others for much needed assistance and support for the communities who are now at the mercy of a rogue grass fire, The Big Grass Fire and simultaneous fires stretching thousands of acres throughout the Jordan Valley and beyond. That spirit of service and capitalizing on each person's strengths to wage the war against the fires is nothing new to ranchers. Across the West, ranchers have long been among the first to respond when wildfire strikes. Their knowledge of the land, equipment, water sources, and terrain often makes them invaluable partners alongside local, state, and federal fire crews. Many volunteer through Rangeland Fire Protection Associations, organizations that have become an essential part of wildfire response throughout Oregon and Idaho. These partnerships help firefighters respond more quickly while protecting communities, grazing lands, wildlife habitat, and homes. For ranching families, these fires aren’t simply headlines—they’re deeply personal. A single fire can erase years of stewardship, destroy fencing, eliminate forage needed to feed cattle, and disrupt generations of hard work. Yet even in the face of tremendous loss, ranchers continue helping one another because that’s simply what neighbors do. We are incredibly grateful to every firefighter, volunteer, dispatcher, law enforcement officer, ranch family, and community member working around the clock to protect lives and property. Their courage and commitment remind us that the strength of rural communities isn’t measured only by the land we steward—it’s measured by the people willing to stand together when it matters most. Please continue keeping the families directly affected by these fires in your thoughts and prayers. Recovery will take time, but our communities have always been built on resilience, compassion, and a willingness to lend a hand. As of Wednesday July 29, 2026 at 8 am the non-official update includes official agencies holding the line with the yellow circles area in the image below a wild card. With potential winds pushing north again, critical barriers may not be enough to hold the fire from encroaching on Silver City. The blue circled area on a post seen here with images is the most difficult to manage, with juniper trees, canyons, and rock formations making it difficult terrain to navigate intervention and support. See more details and images here From all of us at Cunningham Pastured Meats and Cliff’s Country Market, thank you to everyone serving on the front lines and behind the scenes. We are honored to stand alongside a community that continues to embody the very best of what it means to be neighbors helping neighbors. We continue to remain steadfast in prayer in the midst of a very active and devastating fire season.Watch Sean's interview with KTVB news.

Full 2026: 6 week series is housed here: real food, real health, and why quality meat matters

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Oh, For the Love of Bacon!

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