Butchery ‘rapt’ with awards

The Fridge Butchery owner and operator Jayne McMillan shows off the new awards the business...
The Fridge Butchery owner and operator Jayne McMillan shows off the new awards the business received from the 100% New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards. PHOTO: RUBY SHAW
It is hard to go wrong with bacon and one Cromwell business has taken its product a cut above the rest.

The Fridge Butchery scooped up two medals — a gold and silver — for its bacon at the recent 100% New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards late last month.

Owner and operator Jayne McMillan said she was "rapt" with the awards.

"Bacon’s bacon — it’s everybody’s favourite meat," she said.

A good team who took pride in the quality of their work was key to The Fridge’s success.

They won awards in both categories they entered, beating much bigger butcheries.

"We’re competing against the big boys," Ms McMillan said.

"To hold our own against those sort of butcheries is awesome."

Their Maple Streaky bacon won gold in the Dry Cured Streaky category.

The recipe, which utilised natural maple sugar, had been tweaked over the years and The Fridge had "perfected it this year", Ms McMillan said.

"It’ll be on the shelf a lot more now."

Their Streaky Bacon won silver in the category of the same name.

Ms McMillan said her background in microbiology lent a scientific approach to the meat production.

"It’s a lot of fun, just trying different recipes and different methodologies."

The Fridge produced bacon from traditional pork as well as venison, beef and lamb.

ruby.shaw@odt.co.nz