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28
May
Spicy Bloody Mary Kabobs
Yields 12 Kabobs
Ingredients:
For the fried pickles:
1 jar of The Real Dill Jalapeno Honey Pickles
4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups flour
2 tbsp dry ranch dressing mix
5 eggs
4 cups panko bread crumbs
1 cup ranch dressing for dipping
For the kabobs:
1 package of Charcutnuvo Smoked Bison and Pork Jalapeno Cheddar Brats | sliced into 1 - ½ inch pieces
1 package of Charcutnuvo Wild Boar Sausages | sliced into 1 - ½ inch pieces
1 yellow bell pepper | chopped into bite sized pieces
1 red onion | chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp The Real Dill Bloody Mary Rimming Spice | add more or less to taste
2 cups fried pickles
¼ cup roughly chopped parsley
Instructions
Wash and dry all veggies, then chop the yellow pepper and red onion into bite sized pieces. Add pepper, onion, and tomatoes into a medium bowl and season with The Real Dill Bloody Mary Rimming Spice. Mix well and set aside.
Next, let's fry the pickles! Remove The Real Dill pickle spears from their jar and set on a paper towel. Transfer to a cutting board, and slice into thirds.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet to 375 F. In a large bowl, mix flour and ranch dressing mix. In a medium bowl, beat 5 eggs. In another large bowl, place panko bread crumbs.
Roll each pickle spear third into the four, then dip into the egg mixture. Roll into the flour once more, then dip into the egg once more, then roll into the panko bread crumbs. Do this with each pickle sear third and set aside.
Fry each pickle spear in hot oil for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil with tongs or a slotted spoon, and place on a cooling rack.
Once all pickles are fried, let’s build the kabobs!
Thread the seasoned veggies, Charcutnuvo Wild Boar Sausages, Smoked Jalapeno Cheddar Brats, and The Real Dill fried pickles onto your skewers, rotating each how you like.
Preheat grill to medium heat, then grill kabobs for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Place on cooling rack and garnish with chopped parsley.
Serve with ranch dressing for dipping the fried pickles and enjoy!
26
May
Outside Dining
It’s Summer of 2021 and we’re here for it! Though we’ve gotten creative in our al fresco dining experiences in the last year, the warm weather allows for outdoor dining experiences that feel a bit more “normal.” Backyards and pools are getting ready for some outside celebrations and we at Charcutnuvo are too. We want to help you have the healthiest, most delicious summer moments with your friends and families as we celebrate being together! Whether you’re sleeping under the stars or hitting the park volleyball tournament, we hope our organic and natural sausages will be on your menu.Summer Fun
As we head into the warmer months, let’s consider some of our familiar Summer activities that are back in business.Camping
Sleeping under the stars. Feeling the fresh air on our faces. Nothing says Summer like spending a few nights out of doors. The campfire is a huge part of the camping experience. Stories, laughing, and of course cooking!! Whether you bring your own portagrill or go old school with hotdogs on sticks, Charcutnuvo matches the natural environment with all natural ingredients.
If you’re looking for a fun recipe to bring to the fire pit, try our Sheet pan Jalapeno Cheddar Brats + Veggies. You can use a sheet pan or bring out the foil for an easy clean-up option. As you sit back and relax from a day of hiking or rafting you’ll get your veggies and your organic bratwurst with the added gritty flavor of the campfire. A crowd pleaser that’s both delicious and easy, hungry tummies will go to bed full after this hearty, flavorful meal.
Brunch
Summer isn’t all about the soot of the campsite, sometimes you need a weekend spread that is perfect for brunch on the patio. Get out the linens, cut some flowers from the garden, and invite your friends over for weekend brunch!
Every brunch menu needs some protein. Why not surprise your guests with the Chicken Italian Frittta? Made with Charcutnuvo’s Organic Chicken Italian Sausage, this egg frittata has roasted bell peppers, baby spinach, and feta to make an elegant menu centerpiece. Add some sliced fruit and a muffin selection and your brunch will not only present beautifully, it will be full of lean, organic protein. You can feel confident your guests will go home satisfied (and maybe even a little impressed) by your brunch spread.
Celebrations
The summer months offer many annual markers to celebrate. Father’s Day, Fourth of July, and Back to School events all pair beautifully with healthy, delicious sausages. Often days when we gather crowds of people we love, we can make sure we offer our guests the best selection of quality meats. Charcutnuvo has a sausage for every palette, so rotate a few through your summer meal plans and make sure you aren’t missing out on one of our tasty, organic sausage options.
On Father’s Day the men in your life might appreciate a unique game sausage like the Smoked Pork and Bison Bratwurst made with grass fed bison. For Fourth of July, you can’t go wrong with the classic uncured frank found in our traditional Wieners. But who are we kidding? If a quality sausage is the perfect celebration food, isn’t a quality sausage wrapped in bacon that much better?! Try our Uncured Mini Franks Wrapped in Bacon if you want to put together a party spread people will remember. A Paleo-friendly crowd pleaser that is perfect for the buffet table. They’ll be so popular, the only issue will be if you’ll make enough.
Picnics
Nothing says summer like the red and white checked table cloth, some lemonade, and a picnic table. A casual way to get everyone to meet up at the park and let the kids play or the dogs run for the frisbee, picnic food will certainly be a draw. The lovely thing about a picnic is that you can go uber casual or a bit gourmet. Regardless of your picnic vibe, incorporating Charcutnuvo’s natural meats into your menu will add flavor, texture, and protein without any added preservatives or antibiotics.
It wouldn’t be fair to you if we didn’t recommend our signature potato salad recipe to your picnic menu must-do list. A twist on the classic picnic staple, the Potato Salad with Smoked Uncured BBQ Sausage + Pederson’s Bacon combines our Smoked Bacon Brat with BBQ Sauce with bacon from our friends over at Pederson’s Farms. With green onions, chives, dijon mustard, and baby potatoes, this falls into the foodie arena without requiring any special cooking skills. Serve it cold or at room temperature for a potato salad with solid protein.
Grilling
The weeknight staple to the summer meal plan, grilling keeps the heat outside so the cook can be part of the gathering. Fortunately all of our organic and natural sausages do great on the grill and make for an easy meal. Whether it’s the traditional hot dog in a bun or a gourmet sausage with some spice, there is something in Charcutnuvo’s selection for everyone.
For an easy take on a classic, stock up on our Bratwurst With Pork and Veal and offer a condiment bar with all of the fixings. Ketchup, mustard, relish of course. But also grilled onions, fresh onions, jalapeños, and cheese. Nothing’s off limits when it comes to what can be added to our brats. What matters is that the grill master has enough sausage to feed the crowd. He or she must be ready to offer seconds because one person’s unique topping selection will inspire another to try a new tasty combination.
A Great Summer Sampler
No matter the outdoor activity, we at the Charcutnuvo family wish your family lots of healthy gatherings this summer. We know being outside is safe and healthy and our natural and organic sausages are the safe and healthy protein option for your crew. Our CEO Eric, has picked out his favorite combination of Charcutnuvo products for a sampler package you won’t want to miss. Aptly named Eric’s Favorite Set, the bundle has six delicious sausages to get you familiar with Charcutnuvo’s wide range of options. For only $55 the sampler includes: Organic Breakfast Links Bratwurst With Pork and Veal Smoked Pork and Bison Jalapeño Cheddar Brats Organic Chicken Italian Sausage Smoked Pork and Bison Bratwurst Wild Boar Sausage Consider Eric’s Favorite Set as our insider suggestions on where to start. Once you find a product you like, you try others in the same family.Let’s Get Cooking!
Now that we’ve given you our best recipes for your outdoor get togethers, you can pick a date (maybe even tonight), gather your people (5 or 50, it doesn’t matter), and decide what your activity will be. Regardless of the setting, we know al fresco dining with hormone free, antibiotic free meats will add flavor to your fun without sacrificing your health. We’d love to see how you are using Charcutnuvo products to celebrate your summer. Tag us in your photos @charcut.nuvo and use the hashtag #charcutnuvo so we can get inspired for some new recipes. Here’s to good food, good friends, and being together. May this be a summer when we recognize how fortunate we are for health and the food on our plates reflects this value of healthy living.
26
May
Eric Gutknecht - May 23rd, 2021
For big races, I traditionally write up a long race report. I do this for my friends, family, and supporters that crave the details (both athletes and non-athletes). It saves me a lot of energy with all the texting, emails, phone calls, etc. This report is especially long at 3.5 pages. I also do this so that I can preserve my own memories and re-live the experience later on in life. Ironman is a life changing event. It affects people in different ways, and for me, I always learn a lot about myself. There is nothing better than hearing “You are an Ironman” when you complete this tremendous event. For those that don’t want to read the whole thing, I finished in 10 hours, 13 minutes, 55 seconds. This was good enough for 8th place in my age group, and I earned my place at the Ironman world championships in Kona.
Pre-Race and an Unconventional Build-Up
Ironman Tulsa has been my main objective for over a year. My entire training program has focused on competing in this race in hopes of qualifying for Kona. My wish came true on Sunday, but it sure didn’t come easy. My training program and race calendar leading up to the race was all going according to plan until I went to Miami in mid-March to participate in a ½ ironman race to measure my fitness and practice my race strategy. It all went horribly wrong on the bike at mile 20 when a fellow competitor caused a 6-person bike crash, and unfortunately, I was the 4th person in. Finished the race bloodied and bruised with head-to-toe road rash, but didn’t understand the severity of my elbow injury until the next day. Turns out I had a deep enough gash that you could see my bone and tendons.
Fast forward 6 weeks after the crash, and nothing had healed. In fact, it had gotten worse. Due to the fact that I am immuno- compromised with rheumatoid arthritis, healing didn’t even start. In fact, the tissue underneath my skin had not regenerated at all, and I developed a tunnel underneath my skin and a gigantic and disgusting looking hole in my elbow. Fortunately, I have a good Doctor friend who saw the wound and advised me to take action. After some convincing (and 3 weeks before my Ironman) I was able to get into Kaiser and build my team of Dr’s, all of whom are athletes and could relate to my goals. We had to make some aggressive decisions all centered around getting me to the start line. One decision was to not perform an immediate surgery which would have closed the wound, but would only give me 1 week in the water before my big race. With the help of some amazing doctors and close friends, we had to pack my elbow every other day with 6 inches of gauze, and then figure out a way for me to get into the water with enough water proof bandages and wrap to keep the wound completely dry. Then following each swim, my amazing friends would help me repack the wound and prepare it for the next 2 days. This worked beautifully, and although I lost 6 weeks of swim training, I didn’t lose all of my swim fitness. I lost a lot of it, but I knew I was in good enough shape to complete the 2.4 mile swim, but understood that it would not be pretty…or fast.
Race Day
It was the first time Tulsa has hosted an Ironman, so some logistics and course challenges were to be expected. It was also the first race post covid, so this created a whole different set of rules and distancing requirements. On top of being a first-time race, this race was also a point-to-point race, meaning that there were different locations for the transitions. There were certainly some logistical challenges, but in my opinion, Ironman did a great job of executing a great race.
The Swim
Following a 2:45 AM wake –up call, we left for the shuttles around 3:45. Figured the first shuttle left at 4:00, and I preferred to be on an early shuttle just in case things were complicated. So glad that I did this, as it was a complete cluster. 2000 athletes were all descending into this bottleneck, and needless to say, the Tulsa police/traffic control had no idea what to do. I ended up jumping out of the car and just walking the ¾ mile. Got on the bus and headed to the lake…or so we thought. The bus driver missed the exit and caused major upheaval for the anxious participants on the bus. A complicated U-turn on the highway, and 20 minutes later, we were back on track to the lake. Got off the bus, prepped my bike, and then heard the announcement that the 1:00 hour and under swimmers needed to line up and start making the 1-mile trek from transition to the start line. This was at 5:15 and not even 20% of the athletes had even arrived yet. It was also raining so this created a few other challenges during the transition setup. My group (estimated time between 1:00 and 1:10) was next, which I promptly missed as I was still getting setup in transition. Fortunately, it was a mile walk and I had my extra pair of running shoes on, so I scurried my way through the crowds and made it to the front of this group. We loaded corals at 5:30 (25 socially distanced athletes per coral) separated by estimated swim times, and I was safe and sound in the 2nd coral. Had an hour of sitting and stretching before my time to start. Pros started at 6:20 and 6:30 and we went off at 6:40 in groups of 4 socially distanced athletes. I got in the water at 6:42. The first mile and a half went quite well then it all began to fall apart for me. Without a lot of recent swim training, my body wasn’t used to being horizontal for such an extended period of time. Things began to twinge and cramp…. both calves and hamstrings started cramping and I spent the next mile swimming from buoy to buoy with an occasional stop and stretch. Fortunately, I was able to complete the swim, but came in at 1:08 vs the 1:00 that I had originally hoped for….and perhaps had a strained calf. Turns out this was nothing. I was actually super relieved that I made it through relatively unscathed. Was 21st in my age group at this point. Had to remove my elbow bandages during my transition, and jumped on the bike in a torrential downpour.
The Bike
Got through transition and carefully navigated through the dangerous and super slick park roads onto the course. Witnessed 2 crashes in the first 2 miles so I dialed it back and made sure that I stayed to true to my motto “Upright at All Costs”. Amongst the athletes, there was a lot of anxiety and fear over the 2-3 mile Water Tower hill road around mile 10, and I wanted to make sure I was at the front of the race before hitting this section….so glad I did. This was a steep descent over a super rough road filled with pot holes, uneven and slick surfaces (did I mention pouring rain), and mud. Coming through this section, there were already 2 crashes and 3 flat tires that I saw, but I made it through fine with some white-knuckle bike handling. From what I heard, this section took a lot of competitors out of the race, so again, so happy that I was at the front of the race and pretty much had the entire road to myself. With this behind me, I settled into my groove and tried to hold 220 watts for the remainder of the race. This proved somewhat difficult as the entire day it felt like there was a headwind at every turn. This, and the constant rain, was super demoralizing. Fortunately, around mile 30, I caught up with my Spanish buddy Josep, a guy I rode with in Daytona 6 months earlier. Had no idea he was racing too, and it was fun to have someone who rides at my same pace….and help keep me motivated to maintain pace…and just to talk to as it is such a long and lonely day. My superstar cheerleader, Tatsiana, informed me that I was steadily moving up in the standings, and was around the top 10 half way through the bike. This was super encouraging, as I knew if I could be in the top 12, I for sure would qualify for Kona. Tatsiana was all over the course, and helped me tremendously. We never had a consistent group of people around us on the bike, as people really started to suffer during the last ½ of the race. There was one guy though, dressed in an all purple outfit, that drove me crazy…. he pretty much stayed right behind me for the last 50 miles and never went to the front. He definitely pushed the drafting rules and should have been penalized. With 1 mile to go, Josep and I descended the last steep hill and made a sharp 90 degree turn, and it was here where this purple cheater may have had karma catch up with him. He crashed super hard and was probably done for…. never saw him on the run.
Based on the course profile, I predicted the bike would take around 4 hours, 45 minutes. I sure was wrong about this, as I came in at 5:20 totally exhausted and demoralized by the wind and constant rain. It was probably the hardest ride I’ve ever done, and my plan on coming off the bike feeling like I just went for a leisurely 5 hour ride certainly was not the case. It was a total slog where I really started to hate the bike. It required so much mental energy and focus trying to see all the potholes and road imperfections (and stay upright) in the pouring rain and super strong and incredibly annoying wind. Tatsiana was at transition and confirmed that I had moved into 10th for the start of the run. Since I started nice and early, a lot of the guys in the top 10 may have actually been behind me on the course.
The Run
Fortunately, I had some dry socks in my transition bag. Put those on and headed out. The course was super flat and was 2 loops. Since I was at the front of the race, there were only probably a few pros on the course and maybe 30 runners. Over 1650 people were behind me. This made for a super boring and lonely run….no one to talk to and I really didn’t see many folks until the 2nd lap. However, I am a part of an amazing Team, Team Zoot…and there were a lot of Zooters on the course (in our neon green outfits) as well as tons of cheering Zoot fans, so I did receive a ton of encouragement. 
After the bike, I felt totally spent and I definitely didn’t feel like I had enough in the tank to hold my position. Fortunately, the first 1.5 miles of the run were downhill so I was able to get my legs going and was doing 7:30 per mile splits. My goal was to average 7:45’s, and I was pretty much dead on at mile 6. This is where my feet started to really hurt. I purchased new shoes and cushions shortly before the race, in hopes of avoiding foot pain, but it seemed like it was all for not. My feet were killing me and it just got steadily worse as the race wore on. I felt like I was going to have to stop and massage my feet, but I knew that if I had, my top 10 position (and Kona slot) would be in serious jeopardy. This is what kept me going. I decided that I just couldn’t hold the 7:45’s, but if I could hold 8:00 – 8:30 for the remainder of the race, I think I could hold my position. I knew that there would be some folks that would run faster than me, but there also would be some folks that would have to slow down for whatever reason. I felt like it was the longest and most miserable marathon of my entire life, but fortunately, I had Tatsiana driving up and down the course confirming that I was holding my 10th place position. Without this info, I may have stopped to deal with my feet. It hurt so bad and I was taking it mile by mile…. saying to myself, don’t stop…. just need to get to the next mile in under 8:30. I told myself that I wouldn’t start drinking coke until mile 13, so I had something to look forward to for the 2nd half of the marathon. Then I could look forward to future aid stations and grab my sips of coke. This just tastes so good during a marathon. The sugar provides instant energy. I felt miserable all day, and couldn’t eat anything solid, so I just used my energy gels to get me through. It was such a grind, but I persevered through the rain to finish the marathon in 3:35…. Good enough, moved me into 8th place in my age group and for sure a Kona slot. Just short of 10 hours and 14 minutes (10:13:55). Turns out that there were actually 17 slots in my age group, so had plenty of cushion. The whole race was totally miserable. I usually can figure out business challenges, life problems, math equations, personal goals, whatever during this long day, but for this event I couldn’t process anything….it was just getting to that next mile, grinding it out, and trying to erase the pain. I for sure didn’t smile as much as I usually do, but just lived mile by mile and accomplished what I was there to do. Tatsiana said I frowned and looked miserable the entire time. The pictures she took certainly show this. Next stop, Kona, and probably my last ironman distance event, unless I can figure out how to solve my foot pain issue on the marathon. I look forward to smiling more.
According to Garmin:
Got through transition and carefully navigated through the dangerous and super slick park roads onto the course. Witnessed 2 crashes in the first 2 miles so I dialed it back and made sure that I stayed to true to my motto “Upright at All Costs”. Amongst the athletes, there was a lot of anxiety and fear over the 2-3 mile Water Tower hill road around mile 10, and I wanted to make sure I was at the front of the race before hitting this section….so glad I did. This was a steep descent over a super rough road filled with pot holes, uneven and slick surfaces (did I mention pouring rain), and mud. Coming through this section, there were already 2 crashes and 3 flat tires that I saw, but I made it through fine with some white-knuckle bike handling. From what I heard, this section took a lot of competitors out of the race, so again, so happy that I was at the front of the race and pretty much had the entire road to myself. With this behind me, I settled into my groove and tried to hold 220 watts for the remainder of the race. This proved somewhat difficult as the entire day it felt like there was a headwind at every turn. This, and the constant rain, was super demoralizing. Fortunately, around mile 30, I caught up with my Spanish buddy Josep, a guy I rode with in Daytona 6 months earlier. Had no idea he was racing too, and it was fun to have someone who rides at my same pace….and help keep me motivated to maintain pace…and just to talk to as it is such a long and lonely day. My superstar cheerleader, Tatsiana, informed me that I was steadily moving up in the standings, and was around the top 10 half way through the bike. This was super encouraging, as I knew if I could be in the top 12, I for sure would qualify for Kona. Tatsiana was all over the course, and helped me tremendously. We never had a consistent group of people around us on the bike, as people really started to suffer during the last ½ of the race. There was one guy though, dressed in an all purple outfit, that drove me crazy…. he pretty much stayed right behind me for the last 50 miles and never went to the front. He definitely pushed the drafting rules and should have been penalized. With 1 mile to go, Josep and I descended the last steep hill and made a sharp 90 degree turn, and it was here where this purple cheater may have had karma catch up with him. He crashed super hard and was probably done for…. never saw him on the run.
Based on the course profile, I predicted the bike would take around 4 hours, 45 minutes. I sure was wrong about this, as I came in at 5:20 totally exhausted and demoralized by the wind and constant rain. It was probably the hardest ride I’ve ever done, and my plan on coming off the bike feeling like I just went for a leisurely 5 hour ride certainly was not the case. It was a total slog where I really started to hate the bike. It required so much mental energy and focus trying to see all the potholes and road imperfections (and stay upright) in the pouring rain and super strong and incredibly annoying wind. Tatsiana was at transition and confirmed that I had moved into 10th for the start of the run. Since I started nice and early, a lot of the guys in the top 10 may have actually been behind me on the course.
The Run
Fortunately, I had some dry socks in my transition bag. Put those on and headed out. The course was super flat and was 2 loops. Since I was at the front of the race, there were only probably a few pros on the course and maybe 30 runners. Over 1650 people were behind me. This made for a super boring and lonely run….no one to talk to and I really didn’t see many folks until the 2nd lap. However, I am a part of an amazing Team, Team Zoot…and there were a lot of Zooters on the course (in our neon green outfits) as well as tons of cheering Zoot fans, so I did receive a ton of encouragement. 
After the bike, I felt totally spent and I definitely didn’t feel like I had enough in the tank to hold my position. Fortunately, the first 1.5 miles of the run were downhill so I was able to get my legs going and was doing 7:30 per mile splits. My goal was to average 7:45’s, and I was pretty much dead on at mile 6. This is where my feet started to really hurt. I purchased new shoes and cushions shortly before the race, in hopes of avoiding foot pain, but it seemed like it was all for not. My feet were killing me and it just got steadily worse as the race wore on. I felt like I was going to have to stop and massage my feet, but I knew that if I had, my top 10 position (and Kona slot) would be in serious jeopardy. This is what kept me going. I decided that I just couldn’t hold the 7:45’s, but if I could hold 8:00 – 8:30 for the remainder of the race, I think I could hold my position. I knew that there would be some folks that would run faster than me, but there also would be some folks that would have to slow down for whatever reason. I felt like it was the longest and most miserable marathon of my entire life, but fortunately, I had Tatsiana driving up and down the course confirming that I was holding my 10th place position. Without this info, I may have stopped to deal with my feet. It hurt so bad and I was taking it mile by mile…. saying to myself, don’t stop…. just need to get to the next mile in under 8:30. I told myself that I wouldn’t start drinking coke until mile 13, so I had something to look forward to for the 2nd half of the marathon. Then I could look forward to future aid stations and grab my sips of coke. This just tastes so good during a marathon. The sugar provides instant energy. I felt miserable all day, and couldn’t eat anything solid, so I just used my energy gels to get me through. It was such a grind, but I persevered through the rain to finish the marathon in 3:35…. Good enough, moved me into 8th place in my age group and for sure a Kona slot. Just short of 10 hours and 14 minutes (10:13:55). Turns out that there were actually 17 slots in my age group, so had plenty of cushion. The whole race was totally miserable. I usually can figure out business challenges, life problems, math equations, personal goals, whatever during this long day, but for this event I couldn’t process anything….it was just getting to that next mile, grinding it out, and trying to erase the pain. I for sure didn’t smile as much as I usually do, but just lived mile by mile and accomplished what I was there to do. Tatsiana said I frowned and looked miserable the entire time. The pictures she took certainly show this. Next stop, Kona, and probably my last ironman distance event, unless I can figure out how to solve my foot pain issue on the marathon. I look forward to smiling more.
According to Garmin:
- 45,262 steps
- 8399 calories
- 1:46 per 100 meters on the swim
- 206 watts average on the bike
- 95 mph bike average
- 8:12 minutes per mile on the run
- And Garmin said I was unproductive…. ha
29
Apr
Whether you are enjoying all or just one of the recipes below, our Gourmet Hot Dog Bar makes for the perfect family night treat. Simply start with your go-to hot dog buns, grill up our Uncured Bison Wieners, and pile on the toppings!
For best flavor, grill our Uncured Bison Wieners for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
Bánh Mì
½ cup Shredded or julienned carrots
½ cup Julienned radish
1 thinly sliced jalapeno
Chicago Dog
1 tsp Black sesame seeds
2 dill pickle spears
1 sliced medium tomato
½ cup sweet and spicy pickle relish
2 tbsp yellow mustard
4 pepperoncini peppers
½ cup chopped white onion
Celery salt to taste
Hawaiian
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
1 sliced jalapeño
Mango pineapple salsa
- Mix carrots, radish, and jalapeno well with fresh lime juice from half a lime.
- Mix 1 cup mayo with 1 tbsp sriracha. Mix in salt and lime juice to taste.
Chicago Dog
1 tsp Black sesame seeds
2 dill pickle spears
1 sliced medium tomato
½ cup sweet and spicy pickle relish
2 tbsp yellow mustard
4 pepperoncini peppers
½ cup chopped white onion
Celery salt to taste
Hawaiian
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
1 sliced jalapeño
Mango pineapple salsa
- 2 cups diced pineapple
- 2 cups diced mango
- 1 cup red pepper
- 3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup lime juice
- Mix well with salt and pepper to taste
29
Apr
The Difference Between Natural and Organic
We’ve all been there, standing in the grocery aisle, reading a product label not sure what the terms actually mean. We want to find the healthiest ingredients, but are confused by the labels. We think, “All natural” sounds good. ‘Organic’ is never bad, right?” But what do these standards mean as far as quality of meat? And how are they different from each other? Is one better than another? Charcutnuvo knows organic sausage and natural sausage well and can help the discerning shopper understand what quality meat product is right for every family. We’ll take away some of the mystery of these terms so you can plan your purchases and menus and eat quality, antibiotic and hormone-free sausage!
The Basics
Let’s cover the terms. For starters, natural and organic are not the same. In general, “organic” has to do with the process with which the product is grown, produced or handled. Whereas “natural”, as defined by the USDA, has a little to do with how animals are raised, but a lot to do with what has or hasn’t been added to the product during processing.
Natural - The main requirement for “natural foods” is that they are “minimally processed.” The USDA has a very broad definition of “minimally processed”, so the term has been easily manipulated in order to apply the natural moniker to products that don’t feel natural when closely examined. Antibiotics and other harmful chemicals such as liquid smoke and natural flavorings are allowed in “natural” foods. Hormones are allowed in beef, but are never allowed in pork or chicken. Many processors therefore use very low quality chicken and pork that are full of antibiotics….and are still allowed to claim the product as “All Natural.” Their labels will state that their “All Natural” chicken and/or pork products are raised without hormones (which are not allowed anyhow), but will make no mention of antibiotics. If it does not explicitly state “no antibiotics”, you can safely assume that the meat is full of harmful antibiotics. When you see the Charcutnuvo label of “natural” we mean antibiotic and hormone free, humane treatment of animals, no added chemicals. If you are purchasing “All Natural”, make sure that the labeling also indicates “No antibiotics added”.
Organic - Organic is a USDA designation that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods and meets certain requirements. Organic products come from animals that aren’t given any antibiotics or growth hormones, and from ranchers that don’t use conventional pesticides, herbicides, genetically modified ingredients in their feed or fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients, bioengineering or radiation. The land that is used to raise these animals has to be free of harmful pesticides and herbicides for five years, thus ensuring there are no residual and harmful chemicals left in the soil. There are many steps along the way to ensure that the product meets all of the NOP (National Organic Program) standards throughout the entire process. For example Charcutnuvo meats come from land that has been certified organic, the animals have also been certified organic, their feed has been certified organic and non-GMO, and then the processor where animals were harvested had to be certified organic. Finally, the meat comes to us….where, you guessed it, we have to be certified organic. The organic standards describe the specific requirements that must be verified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent before products can be labeled “USDA organic.” There is an increasing demand for organic food because of the high nutrient content and benefits to our land resulting from supporting organic.
What This Means at Charcutnuvo
At Charcutnuvo, we may eventually transition to entirely organic. We believe in organic and all of the benefits it provides, but currently certain proteins simply are not readily available as organic: elk, bison, pheasant, are just a few of the items where only a limited supply of organic exists. We also have so many loyal customers that are loyal to our natural line. Our natural and organic proteins are actually quite similar in how they are raised, treated and processed. Both our organic and natural lines are non-GMO, never administered antibiotics or hormones, are treated humanely, and have access to the outdoors. The main difference is in the feed and on the land in which they graze. Organic requires organic feed and certified organic land.
Natural vs. Organic Sausage
At Charcutnuvo we know a lot about what makes great organic and natural foods, and we know a whole lot about organic and natural sausages. In fact, we are an industry leader as we create delicious sausages from the most quality ingredients. We don’t skimp on quality because we know our customers are looking for only the best. So how do you choose between organic and natural when it comes to sausage selection?
The great thing is at Charcutnuvo you don’t have to. We offer both.
Organic Sausage
Whether you’re looking for spicy or sweet, pork or chicken, our 100% organic sausages meet the strict USDA organic standards. From brats to uncured sausage links, we know that every palette, no matter the preferences, can taste the difference when ingredients are grown without antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides. It turns out that organic flavor is delicious!
The good news is we have over 14 sausage offerings that are labeled organic. You have the chance to sample a number of them in our Organic Sampler. Six different types of organic sausages are available in this bundle for only $55. Good food at a good price, is the Charcutnuvo way, but this unique package of products are only available at this price for a limited time. This sampler includes:
-Organic Breakfast Links
-Organic Hot Links
-Organic Beef Polish Sausage
-Organic Tree Hugger Pale Ale Beer Bratwurst
-Organic Chicken Apple Sausage
-Organic Mini Franks
From grown-up to kid preferences, this organic sausage bundle has something for everyone in the family. If you are wanting to make a shift to more organic meats in your diet, this is a great way to fill your freezer and your people’s tummies with delicious, nutritious meats.
Natural Sausage
If all-natural sausage is what you’re looking for, Charcutnuvo is your sausage supplier. With 16 varieties of natural sausages to choose from, you get a selection of flavors without sacrificing quality. We skip any of the preservatives, hormones, or unnecessary extras for clean, lean proteins. The flavor and ingredient variety in our Natural Sampler is exceptional. From bison to antelope, pork to chicken, you can try exotic game and comfort-food bacon in one variety pack. For only $55 you are getting a deal on this all natural meat selection that will make everyone in your group happy for lots of reasons. The textures, flavors, and ingredients are purely good. A limited time offer, you can get these incredible sausages bundled in a way that is good for your body and your billfold. The Natural Bundle includes:
-Jackalope Sausage
-Chipolatas
-Bison Wieners
-Chicken Pheasant Sausage
-Dales Pale Ale Beer Bratwurst
-Smoked Uncured Bacon Sausage with Barbeque Sauce
Now that you know the difference between natural and organic sausages and see the variety of options Charcutnuvo offers in both categories, it’s time to start making some choices. You could buy it all (I mean really, why not? You could!) But if your freezer space or guest list is limited and you need to start somewhere, remember the Organic Sampler and Natural Sampler are only available for a limited time. Those are two great options you can use as a place to start. But how to choose even between these two healthy meat options?
Choosing Your Sausage
As you consider your choices between our wide variety of organic and natural hormone-free sausages, consider what you are looking for:
Choose organic when you want:
-A certified meat product is produced, manufactured, and handled using organic methods defined by certifying bodies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under its Organic Food Products Act.
-To know your meat is hormone-free and plant ingredients are pesticide free.
-Humane treatment of animals and our planet.
-A longer shelf life.
Choose natural when you want:
-Food items that are not altered chemically or synthesized in any form.
-Ingredients derived from plants and animals.
-Clean meats without any additives or preservatives.
-A freshness that can’t be matched.
If you’re looking for delicious flavor and rich texture that is a healthy protein for you and your family, you can’t go wrong with Charcutnuvo’s natural or organic lines. Full of variety you have options on type of meats, seasonings, and sizes. No matter what gets thrown on the grill tonight or included in your week’s meal plan, you can be confident our natural and organic sausages are just what you’re looking for.
As always Charcutnuvo guarantee’s customer satisfaction. If you try our organic sausages and decide they aren’t what you are looking for, no problem we’ll work to make it right. If you make a purchase of our natural sausage and decide it doesn’t meet your standards, we are happy to hear from you to get you what you need. We make organic and natural sausages because we believe they are better for the planet and better for humans’ bodies. We believe in the quality of our meats and sausages to the point we guarantee you will be satisfied with the quality too.
08
Apr
Yields: 3-4 Servings. Time: 10 minutes prep. 30 minutes total.
Ingredients
1 package of Charcutnuvo All Natural Smoked Beef and Pork Bratwurst or All Natural Pork and Veal Bratwurst
1 18oz container of Wildbrine Probiotic Kraut
1lb of red new potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh parsley | roughly chopped
Optional condiments: Spicy Brown Mustard and Sour Cream
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450F. While the oven is heating, prep the potatoes. Wash and pat dry, and thinly slice. Add potatoes to a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss, then spread out on the backing sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Toss once midway through cooking.
While potatoes are cooking, cook the sauerkraut and bratwursts. Heat the second tbsp of olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet. Add sauerkraut to skillet and cook for 5-10 minutes or until golden. Toss occasionally to cook evenly.
Cook bratwursts on the grill or stovetop. Score both sides of the bratwurst to evenly cook. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned on both sides. Take care not to over cook if grilling, cooking time on each side may vary with different grills.
Season sauerkraut and potatoes with chopped parsley and plate with bratwursts. Serve with spicy brown mustard and sour cream. Guten appetit!
26
Mar
It Takes a Team
Charcutnuvo is a team effort. We work with U.S. ranchers to bring us the best quality all natural, organic, antibiotic and hormone free meats on the market. We then partner with select retailers and distributors to bring quality organic sausages to your table. The sausage making is our part of the puzzle and that too is a team effort. We have men and women dedicated to bringing you hormone free sausages and everyone does their part.It Takes a Leader
At the head of our Charcutnuvo team is our owner and CEO Eric Gutknecht. Eric is a fourth-generation sausage maker. Born in Zurich, Switzerland, Eric immigrated to the US at the age of three. The family settled in Denver, Colorado and Continental Sausage was born. In 2003 Eric and his wife Jessica purchased the company from his parents and began to make it their own. Eric honors his family’s European sausage-making heritage while bringing a fresh take with organic and all natural quality ingredients to the process. This pivot toward organic ingredients put his mark on the product. Charcutnuvo was born out of this fusion of tradition and intense attention to detail.
We don’t want you to take our word for it. You can hear directly from Eric about his commitment to quality. Here are excerpts from a recent conversation we had with him on building a company dedicated to bringing customers the best quality sausage in the market.
What does it mean to be a fourth generation sausage maker? What prompted you to take over the family business?
On Change
What is the evolution of Continental Sausage to Charcutnuvo? What does Charcutnuvo mean?
Eric: As we expanded nationally with Whole Foods, we ran into some potential trademark issues and decided that changing our name made sense. Since many of our long term customers considered us to be at the front end of the charcuterie movement, we took charcut from “charcuterie” and “nuvo” as a clever way of spelling the French word for new, nouveau.On Quality Ingredients
Why did you transition to a product with clean ingredients when you took over the company? Why didn’t you just continue to do things the way they had been done in the past?
Eric: I learned about the harmful effects of antibiotics and hormones through ranch visits and getting to know folks in the natural space. I met Bill Niman, the founder of Niman Ranch, and spent some time with him and his family on his ranch in Bolinas, CA. He helped me understand the importance of natural meat sourcing. We had our first child, Alex, in 2002, and did not want to feed him any products that could potentially be harmful to him in the future. When we purchased the company a year later in 2003 we switched some things around. We committed to never, ever using antibiotics or hormones and removed the nitrites from all of our sausages.On Animal Welfare
Animal welfare is obviously a hot topic in conversations around meat, is animal welfare a concern of yours?
Eric: Absolutely. Animal welfare is very important. We firmly believe that animals should grow up in as natural a state as possible. They should be free to roam and forage. We work with ranchers who share our values in this. It’s not only best for the animals, we believe it’s best for our customers because it produces the most quality meats. You will be able to taste the difference as a result.On Locally Made
You make everything in your own facility in Denver, why do you feel it’s important to have your own production plant rather than using a much larger company to make it for you?
Eric: We are all about community and like to support the community in which we live and work. Manufacturing ourselves allows us to directly employ many folks. It also allows for better quality control, higher quality production, and the ability to be fluid and flexible and adjust to meet customers’ changing needs. If we were to use a large manufacturer to produce our product, the quality and taste would certainly suffer. We would also lose the ability to control raw inputs and make necessary adjustments. Our commitment to quality is reflected in every part of our production and every intentional decision along the way.On Innovation
What is the process behind creating a new product? Where do the ideas come from?
Eric: Mike Sells (our operations guy) and I are both deeply involved with R&D (Research & Development). Sometimes I come up with the concept, and he figures out how to execute it…..or he comes up with his own concepts and mixes and matches until it works. We have a very collaborative approach to R&D, and believe that there is no idea that is too out there. As business owners we know if we’re not constantly trying to innovate, we’ll get left behind. But we also want to be continually responding to our customers’ needs. As we hear what people are looking for, we try to give them the best quality sausages in response. The world moves at such a rapid rate and I think we are just scratching the surface on creating new sausage profiles.On Personal Excellence
Tell us about your experience as an elite triathlete. In what ways does being a high level athlete demonstrate your commitment to excellence?
Eric: This is a tough question to answer, as I never like to talk about myself for fear of “bragging”, but I’m a very driven and determined person. I never quit and I set super high goals and am very motivated to meet my goals. (both professionally and as an elite triathlete.) My ultimate triathlete goal is to become a world champion in some discipline of triathlon. I was national champion in 2018 and 3rd in 2019, and will continue training and fighting until I reach my goals. Triathlon has many distances and specialties, from sprint distance to olympic distance to ironman distance, and specialties range from the traditional triathlon (swim, bike, run), to the duathlon (run, bike run), to the aquathlon (swim, run), and to my favorite: the aquabike (swim, bike). I’ve competed in all specialties and all distances, and have been ranked as high as 6th in the world (my current ranking in aquabike ½ ironman distance), and 41st in the world in the biggest category (olympic distance triathlon – like they do in the Olympics.) In business, I utilize this training structure and focus to better our company.
On Excellent Sausage
How does this commitment to excellence spill over into your company with regards to both the food and the company culture?
Like in triathlon, the details matter. Every step and every action affects our overall time. It is the same in production. We strive to be super efficient and over prepared so that any challenge we face can be overcome. We also strive to be the best with the greatest quality and flavor profiles that capture the delight of both sausage consumers and athletes. I care deeply about what I put in my body as I need to consume 3500 – 4000 calories a day in order to sustain what I do physically. We happen to produce products that are perfect for the athlete and for the person or family that cares about healthy, organic foods for fuel. For me, this means eating healthy proteins and carbs that will fuel me for that great workout or race. Because of my intense training regimen, minimizing inflammation is critical. On top of this I have rheumatoid arthritis, so reducing inflammation is especially critical to me. This is one of the reasons why we don’t add any sugars to our meat products and focus on regenerative farming, grass-fed beef, free range chicken, and non-GMO products. Needless to say, I eat a ton of sausage and we have so many incredible varieties, that I’ve never once been sick of eating it. I am for sure the largest individual consumer of our products. Charcutnuvo is more than sausage. It’s family, heritage, adventure, and excellence. Eric’s values are evident in every quality sausage on your plate. There is a reason he guarantees your satisfaction. He works to make the best product with you in mind.
24
Mar
Potato Salad with Smoked Uncured BBQ Bacon Sausage + Pederson's Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 package of Charcutnuvo Smoked Uncured BBQ Bacon Sausage | sliced into round and then diced into fourths
- 4 oz of Pederson’s Farms Bacon | diced into small pieces
- 3 ½ lbs of baby potatoes | chopped into fourths
- 1 red onion | diced
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 6 green onions sliced
- 2 tbsp chives sliced
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- Bring a large stock pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until fork tender. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.
- Add bacon to a large nonstick skillet and cook until crispy over medium high heat. Remove from skillet and set aside. Next, add Charcutnuvo sausage to the same skillet and cook until browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Add red onion to the skillet and cook until translucent. Stir in dijon mustard and vinegar, and let cook for another 2-3 minutes. Next, stir in oil and let cook for another minute. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour onion mixture over the cooked potatoes and mix well.
- Garnish with parsley, chives, green onions and enjoy!
20
Mar
We are proud to be a provider to We Don’t Waste — an innovative provider of food for the hungry. We Don’t Waste collects unused food from venues, caterers, restaurants, and other food purveyors, and distributes the food to Denver’s underserved populations. Their efforts augment existing food and supplies needed by community-based non-profit agencies, with high quality protein, high quality produce along with wholesome, nutritional and varied “restaurant-grade” meals.
04
Feb
Gluten-free, dairy-free, and crafted with pure organic ingredients, our Organic Uncured Mini Franks make cooking up healthy family staples a breeze. These Bacon Wrapped Mini Franks make a paleo-friendly game day meal that even your kids will love! Simply combine our organic uncured mini franks, bacon, and coconut palm sugar for a craveable sweet and savory indulgent treat.
Pro tip: make sure your bacon wrapped mini franks are packed tightly in a glass baking dish. This will insure the coconut palm sugar stays on top of the franks and creates that sweet, caramelized sugar taste we are looking for.
Shop our Organic Uncured Mini Franks online at charcutnuvo.com or stock up at your local Natural Grocers.
Ingredients
- 2 packs of Charcutnuvo Uncured Mini Franks
- 1 pound Bacon (not thick)
- 1 cup Coconut Palm Sugar (Can use brown sugar if you’re not sticking to paleo requirements)
- 1 cup Paleo BBQ Sauce
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