In a year where “supply chain disruption”, “staying home” and “shortage” are the buzz words we challenge you to MAKE YOUR OWN Christmas gifts.

We realize that not everyone is crafty enough to whip up a Christmas Charcuterie Chalet (but now I bet you want to try). However, you can craft some of your tried and true creations in lieu of traditional gifts.

Read on for High Caliber’s 2021 “I am my own supply chain” guide to holiday gift-giving and yes, it’s ok to gift meat products (we trust you will keep preservation and food safety in mind) – homemade, local, craft, healthy – those are the buzz words we like!

Smoke something

(Anything really, if it’s smoked it’s pretty much awesome, are we right?)

If you start planning now maybe you can take your smoking skills to the next level – have you ever done a Turkey? You’ll be king of Christmas dinner with this one. If that’s too much work, try your hand at a Brisket for the holidays. Whatever you decide, we’ve got the sawdust, chips and pucks you need to get everyone in the neighborhood drooling.

Get shakin’ with the bacon

Grab some tried and true High Caliber Bacon Dry Rub and Cure and get to work. Have you ever thought about making your own bacon bits? Homemade back bacon can sometimes run on the fatty/salty side (yum!) which isn’t for everyone. But capture that explosion of flavor in bacon bits and you have a salad topper to die for. All that tasty goodness but a little easier on the waistline.

Sausage is a staple

Set up your station and settle into a sausage-making weekend. Pick up a variety of flavors and some gluten-free options and you can tackle everyone on your list! We even have beautiful freezer-grade wrapping paper that’s just dying for a hand-scrawled message and a gorgeous red ribbon. Imagine the possibilities!

Pack the perfect patties

Sometimes sausage feels like too much work. If you want to skip stuffing and linking, make burgers or breakfast patties from your ground meat. Did you know that our sausage blends work perfectly in fresh patties too? Just freeze or eat immediately and you’re good to go!

Create charcuterie boards

You’ve got this. Use up some of that pepperoni and get creative. Get the kids involved and try your hand at a Christmas Charcuterie Chalet, just promise to send us photos!

Pay it forward, High Caliber style

Another GREAT gift that the home processor can give to a friend or loved one is the gift of their expertise! Why not make up a basket of your favourite High Caliber blends and kitchen gadgets with a coupon for a day of your time to help with THEIR processing needs? (Tell us when you place your order, we might even write a personal message on the card for you!) BONUS: We bet they will even buy the beer, so it’s really and truly a gift that keeps on givin’.

As the world gets crazier sometimes it seems that getting back to basics is what it’s all about. Maybe you don’t want to wrap up meat products for under the tree, but hosting and attending holiday gatherings are great places to share your tasty creations.

Holiday downtime is an opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones and fill the freezer for next year. Be healthy, have fun and don’t underestimate the value of homemade.