JACüTERIE – A Hudson Valley Charcuterie Delivers

Imagine trading in your whisks, icing spatulas and pastry bags to create delicious desserts for grinders, stuffers and casings to craft dry-cured meats. That’s just what Jack Peele, chef/owner of JACüTERIE did. Born in London and raised in New York City, Jack said that when he was growing up he had always wanted to become a baker. After college, following his dream, he entered the French Culinary Institute to study the art of pastry.

However upon completion of his studies in pastry, Jack says he tired of sugar and turned to sausage making. The self-taught “charcutier” started experimenting with the craft of curing meats with a focus on making traditional dry-cured sausages from locally-sourced products. Salami was his specialty as it was easier and quicker than some of the other sausages. In 2007, Jack began recording his culinary creations on a YouTube channel called “jackiscooking,” which eventually moved to text format at jackiscooking.com.

When his father purchased Herondale Farm in Ancramdale, New York, in the heart of the Hudson Valley, Jack and his wife moved out of Manhattan to embark on a serious career in charcuterie. In 2013, Jack created JACüTERIE, a charcuterie where he produces a selection of handcrafted bacons, flavorful sausages and salamis, which are based on the finest traditions of Europe and beyond; all products are made at Herondale Farm with mostly locally-sourced ingredients.

Jack is in the process of expanding the curing facility with more state-of-the-art equipment including a large stuffer coming from Spain. Now his production is in small batches (100 sausages a week during winter); after Memorial Day production will increase to 300-400 weekly throughout the fall. Upon completion of his expansion, Jack will be in the final stages of gaining USDA approval so he can sell his products outside the state of New York, as well as online through his website. At this time he is only able to sell on the farm and at local farmers’ markets. His final approval is awaiting USDA’s physical inspection of the facility once his new equipment is installed, hopefully sometime this year.

Currently, his dry-cured salamis are inspired by different regions of Europe that are famous for their cured meats. Among the selections, there is a French-inspired Saucisson d’Arles flavored with pork, sea salt and thyme; Saucisson Provençal flavored with Herbs de Provence, garlic and black pepper; Soppressata, a classic Calabrian salami with crushed red pepper, garlic and white wine, and Spanish-style Chorizo made with the finest smoked paprika, garlic, salt and a pinch of ancho chile powder.

Jack’s bacons are all from locally-sourced farms in the Hudson Valley that ethically raise Berkshire pigs. The Berkshire pig is a rare breed that originated in England and is known for its juiciness, flavor and tenderness. The bacon meats are cured with maple syrup from Crown Maple and honey from Hummingbird Ranch, both in the Hudson Valley. His bacons include: Maple, Honey-Garlic and Herbs and Garlic with new flavors in the testing stages. Jack’s sausages also have an international flavor: British and Bombay Bangers, a classic South African sausage called Boerewors and a French garlic sausage. Like many small batch and handcrafted foods, the only way to succeed in a highly competitive market is to keep creating new and unique flavors.

If visiting the Hudson Valley be sure to visit Herondale Farm and the JACüTERIE store in Ancramdale; the store is open Thursday through Sunday after Memorial Day. Visit http://www.jacuterie.com for further information and updates on ordering online.