Unlike traditional bacon, which is cut from the belly, cottage bacon is cut from the pork shoulder. It is meatier and less fatty, and has a flavor somewhere between ham and bacon. Cottage bacon ends are the smaller pieces that are left over from cutting the strips. They can be used in any recipe that calls for chopped bacon, and are perfect for adding to eggs, pasta, soups, and more!
Our pigs are raised on pasture all summer, without hormones or antibiotics. We buy in a small herd of piglets each May that is made up of a mix of heritage breeds, including Tamworth and Old Spot. We feed our pigs non-GMO grain, but being raised outside means they also forage for tubers, roots, berries, grubs, and more. From May to November, we rotate the pigs into new paddocks, allowing them to explore and express their natural rooting behaviors, while also fertilizing those areas with manure.