"I read about Freedom Farms in a newspaper article, a glowing report i might add. So i gave your Xmas ham a go and - WOW, we loved it! will definatley be our choice from now on!"
Auckland, NZ
" Thank you for creating a natural and happy environment for animals."
Wanganui, NZ
FAQS
But...If the label says "made from NZ pork" surely this means it's better?
Do they really inject piggies with growth hormones?
Are we certified organic?
What's a "tricky" chemical?
How should I store my bacon?
Can you freeze bacon?
What's with the water in my bacon?
Are our farms better for the environment?
We say... NO CRATES, NO CAGES, NO PENS... how you know we aren't telling porkies.
Why does our Naturally Cured bacon taste so good... but looks the colour of cardboard?
What's the deal with imported pork?
Why doesn't my Cafe serve free farmed bacon ?
How do I store my Xmas ham?
How do I glaze a ham?
Do we castrastrate our piggies?
Want to know the answers to more ?
questions?
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But... If the labels says "made from NZ Pork" surely this means it's better?
... Well it depends on what's important to you...
Most piggies produced here in NZ are farmed intensively indoors.
Crates, cages and indoor concrete fattening pens are just as common in NZ as the countries we import from.
If you believe like us and all our restaurants (and the SPCA) that piggies should be raised more naturally without crates, cages and concrete pens, then make sure the label says so!
We say... the more natural the environment, the happier the piggy and the more you will enjoy the pork.
Do they really inject piggies with growth hormones?
Sadly, yes they do (but not ours) ... the most commonly one used is Porcine Somatotropine (PST).
PST is registered for use in NZ... but farmers here voluntarily choose not use it.
However most bacon and ham consumed in NZ is made from imported pork. Because no traceability exists for this pork, consumers have no way of knowing if the bacon they are eating has been made from piggies injected with PST.
Simple solution...if you want to be sure... make sure the brand you buy guarantees NO GROWTH HORMONES... Like Freedom Farms.
Are we certified organic?
... No we aren't. The main reason is the feed we use. To get certification we need to use certified organic feeds... this means we would need to import grain from overseas... something we don't believe in.
Often our farmers grow their own grain for their piggies so our goal is to encourage them to grow it organically.
What's a "tricky" chemical?
... Piggies grown overseas are often fed chemicals designed to trick the body into putting on lean muscle rather than fat... we don't use these chemicals as we believe natures way is the best...
How should I store my bacon?
... In the fridge.. after opening remove it from the the vac pack and store it in an airtight glass container to prolong the life and stop it drying out.
Can you freeze our bacon?
... Sure you can... it stores really well frozen... and it hasn't been frozen before you buy it.
What's with the water in bacon?
... Sadly more and more bacon and ham sold these days is made cheaper by pumping it up with lots of water to increase the weight...
We say buy bacon not water... yes you will see water in our ingredients listing... it's in our brine... but our goal is to produce dryer style products.... we think that's what people want...
Are our farms better for the environment?
... We think so. Sustainable farming practices are really important to us. Intensive pork farming produces an enormous amount of sewerage which when being disposed of can easily end up in our waterways... not good we say.
By raising piggies in fields the soil benefits naturally. And when piggies are raised on deep beds of straw they are busy enriching the straw with their manure. The by-product is a wonderful compost/mulch which can be spread over the fields or used by other farmers and gardeners... we love this...
No Crates / No Cages / No Pens / No Growth Hormones
"how do you know we aren't telling porkies?"...
Because all our farms are audited by the SPCA... don't you think all pork farms should be?
Why is our Naturally Cured bacon the same colour as cardboard?
... Because it's got no Sodium Nitrite in the cure. This preservative helps retain the colour of the meat. The bacon may not look a pretty pink colour... but it tastes real great.
What's the deal with imported pork?
... Most ham and bacon sold in NZ is made from imported pork. What this means is you have no way of knowing anything about it. You simply can't be sure where it has come from, how it was raised, what chemicals and growth hormones have been used, what it has been fed... we say check the packaging... if it doesn't say farmed in NZ... without crates, cages, pens and growth hormones... why not?
Why doesn't my cafe serve free range bacon?
... Well they probably just don't know you care... just tell them it's important to you and you are willing to pay a little more to be sure you are getting great bacon farmed more naturally.
How do I store my Xmas ham?
... Well it's NOT in a plastic bag on the backseat of the car.
- The best way is to remove the ham from it's wrapping and wipe away any residue.
- Mix 2 cups of cold water with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a large bowl.
- Soak a cloth ham storeage bag(or a clean pillow slip) in the mixture for 2-3 minutes.
- Squeeze excess moisture from the Ham Bag.
- Place your ham in the Ham Bag and refrigerate.After you have finished slicing your ham always return it to the fridge ..dont leave it sitting on the bench for hours.
Note: It is advisable to repeat steps every 3-4 days. This will ensure that your ham is always fresh and moist.
How do i glaze a ham?
We asked Fiona Smith at Cuisine Magazine rather than Customer Services at Auckland Glass Ltd.
She Said...
Ingredients:
1 Cooked Free Range Ham
1 cup dark cane or brown sugar
¼ cup fine julienne or grated ginger
2 tablespoons whole seed mustard
330ml dark beer such as Guiness or Monteith's Black.
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Carefully slide your fingers between the ham rind and fat layer. The rind will come away easily but can tear so work slowly, gently forcing your fingertips between the layers. You need to retain as much fat as possible for scoring. This can be done with a small knife, but may result in an uneven, cut up surface.
2. Using a sharp knife, score the fat in diagonal lines 3cm apart. Repeat from the other side of the ham to create a diamond pattern.
3. Place the ham in a large baking dish. In a bowl combine the sugar, ginger and mustard with just enough beer to form a thick paste, set aside. Pour the remaining beer over the ham. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, basting with the beer half way through.
4. Remove the ham from the oven and carefully smear the scored fat all over with the sugar paste. Return to the oven and bake for a further 30 minutes or until golden, basting halfway through.
5. Remove the ham from the oven and place on a ham stand on a platter. Cut a triangular wedge out of the top of the ham close to the knuckle and parallel to the platter. If you have a champagne ham (bones removed apart from the knuckle) you can place it on a platter and carve from the base up.
6. Remove the wedge from the ham and begin carving thin slices towards the bone, removing the slices as you go.
7. As you work down the ham make sure you cut all the way around the bone, always slicing parallel to the plate.
Absolutely no castration of our piggies takes place at all.
