Pepperoni with out all the preservatives?

[veloboy]

Lately my wife and I have really been trying to cut out all the excess crap chemicals and preservatives that companies seem to shove in to absolutely everything we consume, wether or not it actually needs it. Does anybody else who reads labels have any good recommendations for a tasty pepperoni that doesn't
contain questionable ingredients like BHA, BHT? I've had Applegate Farms and it's alright. Not great, but I'm sure I could live with it if need be. So, any suggestions? Been searching on line and not having any luck. Do more old school makers like Ezzo use that stuff? Can't find an ingredient list anywhere. Thanks for any suggestions.

[dellavecchia]

This pepperoni is the best compromise I have found. It is delicious. It has sodium nitrite, but I live with it since we only use this product sparingly in my house:

http://www.vtsmokeandcure.com/Natural-Smoked-Pepperoni.html

John

[veloboy]

Thanks.

[TXCraig1]

I think Hormel has an uncured pepperoni that is pretty widely available. It comes in a little brown box.

[apizza]

Not pepperoni but...
I read about this company somewhere but have never tried their products. They offer soppressata (Soupy) in 4 levels of heat. Their site says all natural and no nitrates. Not cheap. Started in RI and moved to VT.
http://www.fortunasausage.com/

[David Deas]

Lately my wife and I have really been trying to cut out all the excess crap chemicals and preservatives that companies seem to shove in to absolutely everything we consume, wether or not it actually needs it. Does anybody else who reads labels have any good recommendations for a tasty pepperoni that doesn't
contain questionable ingredients like BHA, BHT? I've had Applegate Farms and it's alright. Not great, but I'm sure I could live with it if need be. So, any suggestions? Been searching on line and not having any luck. Do more old school makers like Ezzo use that stuff? Can't find an ingredient list anywhere. Thanks for any suggestions.

Great opportunity, or excuse, to learn to make your own perhaps?

[veloboy]

Great opportunity, or excuse, to learn to make your own perhaps?

Yeah. Looked in to that too. Thanks for the replies so far. I don't want to make it seem like I'm super healthy and always choose the right things, but lately if I have two options, and one of them doesn't have the extra crap ingredients, then I try and choose that one. It even got me experimenting with trying to bake my own bread. Still don't have that one down, but only a couple of weeks in to experimenting. In the end, if a good, preservative-free pepperoni option didn't exist......well HELL, I'm still making my pepperoni pizzas anyhow damnit!    

[royalsaints]

I buy Applegate Farms pepperoni. All of their stuff is nitrate and mostly chemical free. It's been a while since I lived in Portland but I'm fairly certain they have it at Fred Meyer and most Whole Foods. At any rate, it tastes pretty good and the price isn't too far off from the more processed stuff.

[zymurgymaster]

Not sure if the body can tell the difference between natural or synthetic but here is some additional information.

http://www.applegatefarms.com/resources/nitrates_and_nitrites.aspx#synthetic

[randyjohnsonhve]

I believe the preservative issue is overstated...I make pepperone and to do it w/o nitrates/nitrites makes it taste differently...They are there to make sure the bad bacteria is killed in the process...You can make it three different ways, cured, smoked and fresh, and all three ways w/o nits taste differently than we know pepperone...No different than bacon, bacon w/o nits does not taste like the bacon we grew up on in the US...Most bacons have nits...So unless you have this real repulsion to nits, buy and make salumi w/nits...Just an opinion

RJelli

[ThePieman]

I believe the preservative issue is overstated...I make pepperone and to do it w/o nitrates/nitrites makes it taste differently...They are there to make sure the bad bacteria is killed in the process...You can make it three different ways, cured, smoked and fresh, and all three ways w/o nits taste differently than we know pepperone...No different than bacon, bacon w/o nits does not taste like the bacon we grew up on in the US...Most bacons have nits...So unless you have this real repulsion to nits, buy and make salumi w/nits...Just an opinion

RJelli

+1000

Nitrates/nitrites change the texture, mouth feel, and flavor of the cured product. Most importantly, if you are going to make fresh-smoked or dried pepperoni, it is ABSOLUTELY pertinent to use curing salt(prague 2 for dried and prague 1 for everything else) to prevent botulism growth in your final product. Some strains of botulism do not break down protein so you will never know that your product is spoiled by smelling it.

You may also notice sodium erythorbate in the ingredients. This is Vitamin C's more powerful cousin. It is a natural preservitive/antioxidant. It also prevents the conversion of nitrates/nitrites into cancer-causing nitrosamines. It also helps keep the product nice and pink.