North Country Smokehouse

Paleo is one of the biggest diet trends at the moment and for good reason: people are getting great health benefits while eating really good food. The paleo philosophy and diet plan revolve around the idea that our bodies have evolved to handle certain foods: namely vegetables, healthy fats, and animal protein. (Read: Fantastic! All the bacon you want!) Who wouldn’t love this diet? Bring on the meat tornado. 

Before you jump on the bandwagon, though, you should know about the flip side. The diet guidelines also suggest that our bodies haven’t adapted to digesting certain food groups and should be eliminated. On this list are: grains, dairy, sugar, and processed oils, just to name a few. If you’ve tried the Paleo lifestyle before, you know those restrictions can make it tough to pick healthy foods that are still delicious and packed with flavor. What’s a caveman to do?

Enter Smoky, Flavorful Paleo-Friendly Foods 

Whether you’re just dabbling in the Paleo lifestyle or a seasoned pro, there’s no reason to eat the same boring old paleo staples over and over, or deny yourself some of your favorite foods. North Country Smokehouse has plenty of options that are Paleo-friendly while still having that deep smokiness and mouth-watering flavor you’re looking for. A caveman cannot live on hard-boiled eggs alone.

Remember how we said one of the best parts of going Paleo is all that bacon? Well, there’s a catch. A lot of bacon is made with sugar, either to add flavour or as part of the curing process. Some bacon you can find at the store is sugar-free, but falls flat in terms of flavour. And there’s nothing more disappointing than disappointing bacon. But never fear, cave dwellers, we slow-smoke our bacon to add incredible, mouth-watering flavour that doesn’t rely on extra sugar or artificial flavourings. Try wrapping a few slices of our Sugar-Free Applewood Smoked Bacon around asparagus spears and roasting or grilling them, for a quick, Paleo-approved meal that’s as flavourful and delicious as it is effective.

If you’re following a sugar-free or Paleo diet while also trying to keep your family fed, you know how hard it can be to come up with meal ideas that keep everyone happy. Enter our Old-Fashioned Natural Kielbasa, redolent with onion, marjoram, and other spices, and slow-smoked to perfection. Just slice up a few links, toss them with your favorite vegetables and a bit of olive oil, and dinner’s ready faster than you can say, “20 minutes in a hot oven.” You haven’t had vegetables until you’ve eaten vegetables roasted alongside Kielbasa, where they can soak up every bit of the smoky flavor.

When you’re new to a sugar-free lifestyle, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut, eating the same old things on repeat, sacrificing flavor for simplicity and convenience. You can guess how we feel about that, right? Our Mexican-style chorizo is loaded with cumin, red pepper, and other Mexican spices, balanced with a hint of brandy, and packed with bold, punchy flavor. Served on a bed of grilled peppers, it’ll leave you saying, “Tacos who?” (Just kidding. It’s a little sad that tacos aren’t paleo-approved.)

Sugar-free and Paleo-friendly doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor. In fact, all of our sugar-free products are smoked low and slow to lock in bold flavors and give you plenty of tempting, mouthwatering options while sticking to your diet. Now that’s a lifestyle trend we can get behind.

With Father’s Day fast approaching, it’s only right that we pay homage to the ultimate grill master. We’d bet that what he really wants is a relaxed day spent with his family, preferably in the backyard standing over a charcoal grill. Most definitely, he wants to be consuming the greatest, most delicious grilled meats he can get his hands on. To make it simple for you, we spend hours slow-smoking our meats and infusing them with deep, rich flavor.

What better way to show dad how much you love him than with juicy, slow-smoked sausage? We’re dishing out ways to make your Father’s Day meal extra special, so Dad knows how much you care.

Go for the Gold

Harpoon IPA Brats, Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage, Smoked Old Fashioned Kielbasa… how’s a discerning meat lover to choose? Don’t choose. For the Master of the Grill’s special day, plan a meat-extravaganza.

Pro Tip: Throw some fresh, juicy pineapple on the grill alongside to balance the deep, rich flavor of Kielbasa, or thick slices of onion for a classic pairing with the Harpoon IPA brats.

The sky’s the limit. Get creative. Then, Dad can mix and match to his heart’s content.

No More Boring Sides

Do not, under any circumstances, permit lame macaroni salad or stodgy potato salad to sit next to the masterpiece of his BBQ. How about a flavor-packed pasta salad featuring more meat?

A double-smoked pepperoni packs a savory, smoky heat, lending incredible flavor to a pasta salad loaded with giardiniera, fresh mozzarella, and peppers.

Here are some more of our favorite sides to complement our flavor-packed sausages:

Brown Eyed Baker’s Best Ever Potato Salad (with Bacon!)

This Blue Cheese Coleslaw from House of Yumm

Julie from the Little Kitchen came up with this Sriacha Ranch Pasta Salad

Pair Dinner with Dad’s Favorite Beverage

Does pops like a stiff drink? Then the slightly spicy heat of our Chorizo is the perfect counterpoint to the sharp tang of a lime-infused, boozy libation.

If your dad’s more of a beer guy, our Harpoon IPA brats are an obvious choice, made with a bright, citrus-forward IPA for a unique, bold flavor. But for dads that love to try new things, our Andouille Cajun-style sausage is full of deep, spicy flavor and pairs well with the bright, crisp flavors of IPAs and lagers.

For dads who love a good vintage, try balancing our sweet, intensely-spiced Linguica-style sausage with a bright, crisp sauvignon blanc or even a bold, fruity rosé… ah, summer.

Whether you’re cooking for Dad or he’s retaining his hallowed spot in front of the grill this Father’s Day, make sure that what you’re grilling measures up to his exacting standards. Give him what he wants and deserves: high-quality meats that are crafted with care, smoked low and slow, and packed with delicious, mouth-watering flavor.