THE points have been tallied, the officials have checked everything is in order, and the results are now in.
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As part of celebrations for Australian Bacon Week - which runs from June 21-27, Australia’s bacon was put to the test in the Australian Bacon Awards.
Three specialist judges independently scrutinised the entries for appearance, flavor and other characteristics.
Judges this year were fleischmeister Horst Schurger, who has a Masters degree in butchering and smallgoods; experienced judge and chef Simon Bestley and Australian Pork’s Mitch Edwards, who assessed 135 entries over two days.
For the third year in a row, Jason and Delvene Mathie's Mathie's Meat Shoppe at Clare took out the full rasher bacon for SA.
Just behind them in second place were Schulz Butchers, Angaston, and Barossa Fine Foods rounded out the top three.
In the shortcut category, Newbury and Watson, Mount Barker, took top honours, with Barossa Fine Foods second and Balhannah Butchery third.
The title of Australia’s Best Artisan Bacon went to Canberra’s Pialligo Estate Smokehouse for the second consecutive year, and the Best Nationally Available Bacon title was awarded to Bertocchi Smallgoods for its Bertocchi Brothers’ Long Rindless Hickory Smoked Bacon.
