Joe’s is now the exclusive retailer for a new smokehouse out of Muncie, IN named Ancestral Meats. Using high quality meats and a variety of recipes dating back to the late 1800s, they will be showing off their hand crafted salami’s, hams, sausages, bologna’s, and much more.
The Artisans
Gary S Abbott
Raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Gary is steeped in old German butchery and sausage making. He earned his associate's degree in the culinary arts in Muncie, Indiana. Gary has a passion for old school techniques in sausage making, curing, and the smoking of meats. He loves to develop new flavors bringing a new flair to old techniques. He believes in the sustainable raising of and utilizing the whole animal, leaving nothing to waste. Gary loves sharing this passion with others.
David “Rocky” Fuller
Rocky’s interest in curing meats started several years ago when he ate bacon at an Indianapolis restaurant that was so good that he had to learn how to make it. He researched recipes and techniques and after his first attempt, he was hooked. His love for making sausages was passed down from his father who always hunted and made sausage and jerky from his successful deer hunts. Rocky went to Ivy Tech and earned a degree in the Culinary Arts after his retirement from General Motors and Delphi Automotive Systems. That is where he met his friend and cohort Gary Abbott. Their shared interest in Charcuterie led them to meet Jon Godar. Jon was their source for the Heritage Berkshire Pork. The desire to start a Charcuterie business led to a chance meeting with Michael Wolfe. “Once we met Michael we found a shared interest in starting a business. We also found out we had a shared friend, Jon Godar, and I think you can put the rest together. Ancestral Meats was born.”
Jon Godar
Jon is a 5th generation farmer from Connersville, IN. Originally a medical sales executive, Jon bought the family farm 12 years ago with the vision of growing the best quality animals the old fashion way without all the antibiotics and hormones on pasture or free range. The venture with Ancestral Meats allows his farm, Eli Creek Family Farms, to bring the full potential of the animals to market. Joe Lazzara was Jon's first contact for selling his farm's meat and has been a good mentor for him through the years. He is very excited to be working with Joe's Butcher Shop in this new venture.
Michael Wolfe
Michael was raised on a hobby farm in southern Johnson County. Thanks to his father’s skill and experience as a farmer and a butcher, he was able to experience raising animals on the land, feeding them a known food source, and butchering them on the farm turning them into foods with known ingredients. This experience of pure, local, food identity was lost when he moved away. The quest to find that again in Muncie is what led to Michael seeking out partners and creating Ancestral Meats. “We believe that local, sustainable, quality artisan products are not to be taken for granted and we value this craft and want to share it with you.”
The Meat
Ancestral Meats is dedicated to using the most high quality meats. At Jon Godar's farm and for Ancestral Meats, they have exclusively used the famous Heritage Berkshire and Gloucestershire Old Spots breeds. Dating back to the 1600s, Heritage Berkshire pigs have become the crown jewel in the industry. They were originally raised for kings, and they treat them like that at Eli Creek Farms. Along with being the old fashioned pure genetic breeds, the pigs are pastured, which allows for more muscle and flavor.
The recipes that Ancestral Meats have used date back to the early 1800s. Michael and Gary have found recipes all over the country, including the Lebanon Bologna which is an old Amish recipe from the 1850s originating from Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Ancestral Meats is launching 12 different products with plans for 19 more in the next few months. Come to Joe's on April 1st to taste all of these products and meet the artisans of Ancestral Meats
Featured Meats– Tasso, Braunschweiger, Tasso Nduja, Maps (their version of spam), Mortadella, Lebanon Bolognam, Andouille, Currywurst, Boerewors, Goetta
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