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USWM Heritage Breed Pasture-Raised Pork

Heritage pork

Thank you for your interest in our pork!

What makes our pork products special? Lots of things, so we decided to assemble all of the information in one place.

Our pigs are sourced from Heritage Foods Farms, a small cooperative of like-minded family farmers with their origins in the foothills of the Ozark mountains. These farms all use sustainable agricultural practices and are certified by the Global Animal Partnership (G.A.P). Our animals are raised with integrity and respect, outdoors, with room to roam, supplemental 100% vegetarian feed, and with no shortcuts, no antibiotics and no added hormones.

All US Wellness Meats pigs are GAP certified, Prop 12, unconfined with access to the outdoors, with access to fresh air and sunshine. Raised with USDA organic practices, free of artificial pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, synthetic hormones, GMOs, or other synthetic contaminants.

What breeds do you raise?

Our farms raise Heritage Breed Duroc and Chester White pigs

What do they eat? 

Pigs are foragers, and most of our pigs are outdoors every day (weather permitting) to forage for bugs, sticks, roots, etc.  Since pigs have a single stomach, unlike the four-chambered stomach of cattle, we cannot raise a healthy animal on grass alone, so their diets are supplemented with non-GMO corn and soy.  

What about antibiotics & hormones?

We do not feed any antibiotics or growth hormones throughout the life of the animal.

What about nitrites? 

It is near-impossible to find pork in grocery stores that does not include some type of nitrites or nitrates.  They are usually used in the curing process, and unfortunately have been suggested to be possible carcinogens. Most of the “nitrite-free” pork products are cured with celery salt, however, this is another possible danger, as celery salt contains naturally occurring nitrates. The Weston A. Price Wise Traditions Magazine explored this subject in great depth as related to bacon. While there are countless ways to make bacon – the actual health benefits of this popular product depend on a host of factors, from the raising and processing, down to the cooking process.

The Wise Traditions article suggested that our ancestors had bacon figured out a long time ago.  All it takes is a dry rub (we use sea salt) and a cure (ours cures for 2-3 days) then a slow smoke (our bacon is hickory smoked).  The end result is deep pork flavor, healthy fat, and a new family favorite.

Sugar-Free Bacon Is One Of Our Most Popular Products

What makes our bacon so special? The only ingredients are pork bellies and sea salt.  That’s it – no sugar, maple syrup, spices, honey, or sweeteners of any kind.  We do not use any nitrites, nitrates, celery salt, or MSG in the making or processing of the bacon.  We worked with Whole30 to develop a sugar-free bacon to meet their program’s approval.  After months of trial and testing, we unveiled our new Whole30 bacon in March of 2012 and it has been a best-seller ever since.  We are very proud to partner with Whole30 for this project!

nitrate free bacon

Our Pork Breakfast Sausage is an office-favorite and a staple in our kitchens every morning.  The new recipe contains only: pork, salt, rubbed sage, ground red pepper, and black pepper.  No sugars, sweeteners, nitrates, nitrites, or MSG, and the flavor is amazing!  Make sure to check out our Breakfast Favorites category for more wonderful selections like Sugar Free Canadian Pork Bacon Slices.

Sugar Free Heritage Pork

Sugar-Free Ham Is A Holiday Favorite

A holiday favorite is the Sugar-Free Ham.  This petite ham has the same ingredients as the bacon: pork, sea salt, and water.  Be sure to check out the Sugar-Free Options section online for more sugar-free choices.

A very popular pork offering is the highly sought after Pork Lard.  After numerous customer requests and a new kettle purchase, we are able to render pork lard now.  Lard is full of healthy fats and a very versatile oil to cook or fry in.  We offer the pork lard in a 2-lb pail.

We also carry whole roasting pigs for those special occasions when you need to feed a lot of people with a memorable meal. We offer these in two sizes: Small Roasting Pig (16-22 lbs) and Large Roasting Pig (23-32 lbs).

Looking for pork recipe ideas?  Not sure how long to cook a ham?  Here are some of our favorites pork recipes by some of our favorite chefs:

Easy to Make AIP Breakfast Pork Sausage

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Banh Mi Bowls

Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder Roast

Bacon Jalapeno Burger with Dill Relish & Awesome Sauce

Grilled Bratwurst with Onions Braised in Beer & Mustard