Toowoomba-based Meat Cellar’s bacon hailed as the ‘world’s best’

An Australian butchery business has earned recognition on the global scene, earning the distinction of being the ‘world’s best bacon’.

Meat Cellar’s cured bacon has been named the ‘World’s Best’ at this year’s World Charcuterie Awards which was held in London in the past week. For this distinction, the butchery earned a gold medal title, beating competitors across the globe in the cured bacon category.

Smoked and cured by butchers at the family-operated Meat Cellar in Toowoomba, Queensland, the bacon was praised by the awards’ judging panel for being “visually stunning with a satisfying meat-to-fat ratio, with a robust flavor enhanced by the smoke that lingers on in the mouth”. The product received the highest overall score from a panel of 40 international judges.

Husband and wife owners Luke and Michelle Jensen said that their win is a testament to their commitment to high-quality products and traditional practices.

“Our bacon is created with integrity. We use locally sourced pigs, honey and wood chips, and take our time to cure and smoke our bacon using traditional methods which achieve a superior result,” Luke Jensen said. “Shockingly, the majority of bacon in our Aussie supermarkets comes from overseas and relies on artificial flavoring and chemical smoking. Most people really don’t know what they’re missing until they taste the real thing.”

In addition to the gold medal for cured bacon, the World Charcuterie Awards also awarded Meat Cellar a silver medal for their bone-in ham and a bronze medal for their boneless ham.

Meat Cellar has been a part of the Toowoomba community for nearly 30 years, with the current owners purchasing the business in 2017.

As Australia’s only representative in the World Charcuterie Awards, Meat Cellar’s achievements have been hailed as a proud moment not only for the business but also for the country and its meat industry.