There are few things that signify weekend brunch quite like the aroma of bacon sizzling in the pan. Let’s be honest – it doesn’t even have to be the weekend to enjoy a rasher or two. So it’s with great joy that we announce the start of Bacon Week in Australia, seven days dedicated to celebrating the deliciously salty pork rasher in all its crispy glory.

The day is made even tastier by the announcement of the country’s top purveyors of bacon, with two quality producers taking home accolades in the Australian PorkMark Bacon Awards at this year’s Australian Bacon Week:

Overall winner: Griffith The Butchery, Griffith, ACT
Best Full Rasher: Griffith The Butchery, Griffith, ACT
Best Shortcut: Barossa Fine Foods, Edinburgh North, SA

The country’s first national competition for bacon and ham excellence, the Australian PorkMark Bacon Awards is open to butchers and small goods companies who make bacon and ham using Australian pork.

Hundreds of artisan producers enter each year, with their wares tried and tested in raw and cooked states. A panel of judges then critiques products in two categories, Full Rasher and Shortcut, marking each entry on appearance, aroma, texture, taste and more.

It’s easy to see why these companies have been awarded. Griffith’s animals are free range and grass fed without herbicides, pesticides or hormones – they’re locally and ethically raised, to ensure the finest quality products. Barossa Fine Foods, meanwhile, is dedicated to traditional processing methods, which means incredibly flavourful smallgoods.

There may be no better way to show your support for these winners and the Australian bacon industry as a whole than by indulging in the salty meat all week. Dessert god Adriano Zumbo will be offering up perhaps the sweetest take on the breakfast favourite – the Porky Pig Donut. The limited-edition treat is a pink iced donut filled with strawberry and bacon custard, topped with a chocolate Porky Pig face. It will be available in all stores for the whole of Australian Bacon Week (June 26 to July 2).