I'm lazy. I buy sliced turkey pepperoni in a bag from Hormel which I immediately freeze because it lasts longer that way. I remember when you had to peel the paper off though. That was a pain!

It's hard to find what I call "real" pepperoni. The snootier stores sometimes have it.

Does THIS look familiar? World Market is NOT where I buy food...but...they sell it. I'm making my pepperoni & sausage pizza tonight...I'll use what I've got...but next time...I wonder if Trader Joes has good pepperoni?

Nicole, that’s so funny. I was just going to post a pic of the Monte Pollino Pepperoni. It was part of a gift basket we received for Christmas.

DH buys pepperoni at TJ’s. Some in slices in the refrigerated section (with lunch meats and cheeses), and some not refrigerated, unsliced and wrapped in paper.

Thanks chloebud. I haven't been to a Trader Joes in years....but...we drive right by one going to the gym. ??? I looked it up...it's uncured. Better for you, no nitrates.

Check if there's celery powder or extract. That's a "natural" cure which isn't really any better for you, and the old aged curing way is supposed to neutralize the chemicals, whereas the no-age, celery was does not. This is received information, from prior discussions, so hearsay, rather than citeable fact, but worth looking up.

It's going to be cooked to death...on a pizza. :0) I think uncured is edible....right?

@plllog my DS is a chef and has been doing charcuterie / curing meats for decades. He says exactly what you said about ” curing” . The real deal is better for you. Celery etc may be touted as ” safer” but it isn’t true. c- Trailrunner

Just saying that uncured isn't better for you and likely worse. (We know and trust Trailrunner's son from old, so that's a good source) It's still a salami, fat, salt and all. :) There are all kinds of things that are okay in moderation, including pepperoni of any kind.

My sausage and pepperoni pizza! YUM!

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Trail runner....Carolyn...the internet agrees with your son! :0) I try NOT to eat synthetic "anything". This is a rare instance for us to eat pork. My father was a chef and had a Jewish family. He was a 1st generation immigrant from Czechoslovakia who came here/Manhattan to escape Jewish persecution. I never had pork, until I left home.

We have a fancy cheese and charcuterie shop that we go to maybe once a year (it's pricey!) . Your delish looking pizza might be for February birthday boy :)

@colleenoz...Thanks! Great tip! I'll try that.

Here is a link to a article from Zingerman's on the real difference between nitrate cured and celery cured meats. it's very clear.

@laceyvail 6A, WV...I read the article. Thank you! The quick curing chemical "sodium Nitrate" is the one to avoid...all other methods should be fine.

@Nicole , you have a typo. "The problem is when the cure is rushed, the nitrite, NO2, doesn’t disappear like it does when you cure traditionally over thirty days. It’s still present in the meat. NO2 is a carcinogen."

yes...I read the article. We want to avoid the carcinogen when the meat is cured quickly. " non-traditionally cured meat"

Quote: Meats may be cured with sodium nitrite—not nitrate—and rushed to market when the nitrite carcinogen is still present.

Yeah. Just a typo in your previous, Nitrate vs. nitrite.

😂 Ooops.....

I apologize....I'm always in such a hurry. I'm terrible @ time management.

I get it! I have typos all the time. I just thought this one was an important enough to point out.

Correction for my post. What DH gets at TJ’s (unsliced/not refrigerated) is salami, so milder in flavor than pepperoni.