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    Ohio’s Own: Uncured Pepperoni from Na*Kyrsie Meats

    So, we never expected sausages like salami and pepperoni to be health food. At the same time, when scientists found that the nitrites in cured meats were associated with cancer…that was a little more than we bargained for. Salty and fattening are factors we can live with. Cancer-causing, on the other hand: that puts cured meats in the same category as cigarettes**. Dang.  

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    In response, you might have noticed a trend where the labels of bacons and sausages say something on the lines of “Uncured: No added nitrites, except for ones that occur naturally in celery.” Celery is a vegetable, so this new approach is like getting meat with a built-in serving of healthy vegetables. Win-win! 

    Uh, no. It turns out that there’s no real evidence that celery-sourced nitrites are somehow better for us. Nitrites are nitrites. 

    So here’s to Geneva, Ohio’s Na*Kyrsie meats. Na*Kyrsie has masterminded uncured, REALLY uncured pepperoni. That means you can enjoy all the other things you like about pepperoni, minus the extra nitrites. Na*Kyrsie makes more than pepperoni, though. The full-service butcher has an uncured line that includes a billion bacons, salamis, sausages and chorizo too. 

    Back to the pepperoni. Sold in a black wrapper, we anticipated it to be kinda brownish, since nitrites tend to be associated with the red color of cured meats. Nope, the slices are a deep red, maybe even a deeper red than a commercially produced pepperoni full of chemicals. Made from a pork and beef blend, the Na*Kyrsie pepperoni ingredient list includes all the expected things (“spices,” salt and paprika) minus the added nitrites or celery juice. And taste? It’s a good, lip-smacking meaty pepperoni! 

    And while Na*Kyrsie is based in Geneva Ohio, you can score its products locally in Columbus at the Beechwold Farm Market

    For more information, visit nkmeats.com.

    **Yes, an exaggeration, probably. 

    Photo by Miriam Bowers Abbott
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    Miriam Bowers Abbott
    Miriam Bowers Abbotthttps://columbusunderground.com
    Miriam Bowers Abbott is a freelancer contributor to Columbus Underground who reviews restaurants, writes food-centric featurettes and occasionally pens other community journalism pieces.
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