Pat O'Neill's dry cured bacon is widely sought after in the South-East and no wonder. This excellent product uses only Irish pork and is cured by hand for three weeks "using our unique family recipe with natural sea salt".
Nevertheless, the salt content is much lower than in most bacon - they say that they use 30% less salt than average - and, unlike the vast majority of bacon products, no water is added, so no phosphates are needed. The difference is plain to see in the cooking - no white gunge in the pan and very little shrinkage - and the taste.
Unlike many 'Irish' bacon products, O'Neill's Dry-Cure Bacon carries the Bord Bia Quality Mark, which guarantees farm to fork traceability and high production standards.
Recognition for this beautiful product includes an Irish Food Writers' Guild Award in 2011, and not only is it appreciated by discerning home cooks, but you will also see it on some very prestigious menus.
Although best known for their bacon, O'Neills also produce sausages and puddings, and they offer fresh Irish pork too.
Available online, from the factory (phone for details) and locally from Sugar & Spice in Bunclody (the other O'Neill business), and these great products are also widely retailed throughout Ireland -
including some supermarkets as well as specialist shops such as Ardkeen Quality Food Store in Waterford, Nolan's of Clontarf and Donnybrook Fair in Dublin; check website for full supplier list.
