AWARD-winning Ipswich butcher Barney Nolan says the secret to a good bacon starts with the pig itself. Then it's all down to the curing and smoking process.
Barney, who has operated Circle T Meats at Riverview with his wife Karen and three staff for the past 17 years, said he selected 75 to 90kg carcases from Ipswich-based supplier Wilpak Wholesale Meats.
"Wilpak supplies me with the right product - a carcase with a good eye muscle and a good amount of fat that ultimately produces a nice-looking rasher," Barney said.
"Then I pump the brine into the pork by hand. The machines do a good job but I think I get a much better result doing it with a little more care and attention."
From there the pork is dried and smoked on site over a 24-hour period to create Circle T's award-winning bacon.
The most recent success was at the national level where the Circle T full rasher entry was judged the third best of the 135 bacons entered in the Australian Bacon Awards held as part of Bacon Week, which runs from June 21 to 27.
The bacon was judged on its texture, aroma and balance of flavour.
The overall winner of the national competition was dry-cured and smoked shortcut bacon from Pialligo Estate Smokehouse in the ACT.
Australia's best nationally available bacon was a long rindless hickory smoked entry from Bertocchi Smallgoods.
In the full rasher section Barritt's Butchery, Bundaberg, was the second highest placed entry from Queensland while Gray's Modern Meats in Toowoomba came in third.
In the short cut bacon section Slade Point Meat Specialists from Mackay, was the top ranked Queensland entry, followed by Barritt's Butchery, Bundaberg, and Downtown Butchery, Proserpine.
The NSW Northern Rivers butchery Country Meats Lismore had the second-highest overall ranked full rasher.
Circle T is well recognised as producing some of the best bacon in Queensland, having exhibited the grand champion bacon at the Royal Queensland Show on six occasions, including last year.
"We'll be back at the Ekka again this year," Barney said. "There's plenty trying to beat us but we'll do our best again this year."
Circle T also sells the increasingly popular higher fat content 'curly bacon' made from the belly pork.
"It's terrific on the barbecue. It curls up and becomes very crispy."
Barney said he preferred his bacon "not over-cooked".
"I think most people like their bacon cooked until it is a little crispy. I always say the best way to cook bacon is how you like to eat it."