Louie's Links

National Awards 2026 Edition

Louie's Links Newsletter

www.louiesfinermeats.com

Welcome to the latest edition of the Louie's Links newsletter.

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CLICK HERE to enter the drawing for a $25 Louie's Gift Card! Congratulations to Tammy Winter for winning the 4th of July newsletter drawing.

Hwy 63 Bridge Closed: No Bridge, No Problem!

Construction Update

The Highway 63 bridge just south of Louie's Finer Meats is closed for the forseeable future.

*If you're coming from the north, you can drive to us as normal.

*If you're arriving from any other direction and would usually use the Highway 63 bridge, find an alternate route - the shortest route is to follow our detour signs going north on 8th Street from Highway 48, 1.5 miles east of Cumberland. Program Louie's into Google Maps or your favorite GPS app.

*If you are walking or riding a bike, there is a pedestrian path through the construction area.

Please note that the official bridge detour will not bring you to us, so be sure to watch for our signs instead. It is a short, scenic drive that adds only about 5 minutes to your normal trip.

We truly appreciate your patience, your support, and your extra effort to keep shopping local. As always, please drive respectfully near our neighbors. The alternate route is not designed for high speeds. We'll see you on the other side.

Heading north? You will be able to go straight north from here on Highway 63 without returning to the detour.

Ten National Awards!

July 11, 2026

Milwaukee, WI

We recently attended the 2026 American Association of Meat Processors convention in Milwaukee, and we came home with 10 national awards in the American Cured Meat Championships!

*Texas Red Hots - Reserve Grand Champion

*Jalapeno & Cheddar Summer Sausage - Champion

*Skin-on Wieners - Champion

*Semi-Boneless Ham - Champion

*Fresh Traditional Brats - Champion

*Braunschweiger - Reserve Champion

*Dry-Cured Bacon - Reserve Champion

*Natural-Casing Wieners - Reserve Champion

*Boneless Ham - Reserve Champion

*Jalapeno & Cheddar Stix - Reserve Champion

This is in addition to 23 awards at the Wisconsin Specialty Meat Championships in April.

Louie's is your home for award-winning Sausage, Hams, and Bacon!

Fire up the grill!

Louie's Brat Haus is open!

The Brat Haus is in Louie's Parking Lot and benefits a wide variety of local non-profits. The Brat Haus serves Louie's Brats, Natural-Casing Hot Dogs, Chips, Pop, Water, and homemade Baked Goods.

Don't let a short detour stop you from supporting our local groups!

The Brat Haus Schedule is subject to change.

Upcoming Brat Haus Schedule:

Thursday, July 16: Turtle Lake Junior Achievement

Friday-Saturday, July 17-18: Cumberland Youth Softball

Thursday, July 23: St. Anthony's Council of Catholic Women

Friday-Saturday, July 24-25: Cumberland Friends of Scouting (Scoutland)

Thursday, July 30: Turtle Lake Scouts BSA

Friday-Saturday, July 31-August 1: Cumberland High School Marching Band

Thursday, August 6: Cumberland Rutabaga Royalty

Friday-Saturday, August 7-8: Cumberland Wrestling Association

Thursday, August 13: Northern Lakes Church

Friday-Saturday, August 14-15: Barron County Fairest of the Fair

Does inflation have you feeling pinched? Check out Louie's great in-store specials!

New Specials will begin on July 28

Check our website to see our latest in-store specials:

https://louiesfinermeats.com/in-store-specials/

Recipe: Cajun Sausage & Rice Skillet

Spicy Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet is a flavorful one-pan meal featuring smoky sausage, seasoned rice, bell peppers, onions, and zesty Cajun spices. Easy to prepare and packed with bold flavor, it's a hearty choice for a quick weeknight dinner or a satisfying weekend meal.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. Louie's smoked Cajun sausage, sliced into rounds
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (adjust to taste)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 green onions, sliced (optional, for garnish)
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions:

Cook the Sausage:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set it aside.

Sauté the Vegetables:

In the same skillet, add the chopped onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the Rice and Seasonings:

Stir in the rice, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook for 1-2 minutes, allowing the rice to lightly toast and the spices to become fragrant.

Simmer:

Add the chicken broth and diced tomatoes (with their juices) to the skillet. Stir to combine, then return the browned sausage to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Finish and Serve:

Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with sliced green onions and chopped parsley before serving.

Louie's on the Lake restaurant

Casual Dining

Follow the Louie's on the Lake Facebook Page for updates and specials!

Our team is excited to serve you with great food and warm hospitality despite the ongoing road construction. We're looking forward to serving you. See you soon, and come hungry!

How to get to Louie's on the Lake

*By car on the south side of the bridge closure. Drive down Main Street Cumberland until you can't drive any farther!

*By ATV/UTV using the City of Cumberland road routes - use the side streets south of the bridge closure.

*By boat from Beaver Dam Lake!

*Walk or bike to us from the north, from Louie's Finer Meats, using the pedestrian path through the bridge construction area.

Casual Dining on the shore of Beaver Dam lake

Outdoor patio dining when the weather is nice!

Get a close up view of the bridge construction from our patio!

1780 Arcade Ave.

Cumberland, WI 54829

715-671-0186

Daily Specials

(Full Menu also available daily)

Wednesday (Lunch): Baconator BLT

Thursday: Louie's Smoked Pork Chop

Friday: Friday Night Fish Fry

Saturday: Pizza Special

Pictured: Reuben

(Photo Credit: John Bavier)

Louie's Lodge is next to Louie's Finer Meats and offers a wide range of beers, wines, and spirits, along with a great variety of non-alcohol options. Explore our big beer cave which showcases affordable prices and many craft beers. At Louie's Lodge, you can find Louie's meat products during the extended evening hours. We also provide after-hours pickup for meat orders placed at Louie's - call 715-822-4728.

Stop and see what's new!

Follow Louie's Lodge on Facebook! www.facebook.com/louieslodge

Follow Louie's Lodge on Instagram! www.instagram.com/louieslodgewi

Watch for our wine and beer sampling events!

Pictured: New! Duck Club Bourbon

Bring your empty aluminum cans to the collection trailer, currently behind the Cumberland Fire District Inc. in Cumberland! Proceeds from aluminum recycling benefit Scoutland - Cumberland Area Friends of Scouting. The address of the fire hall is 1060 Water St, Cumberland, WI 54829. The collection trailer is across Arcade Ave.

Come see us in the historic Comstock Creamery!

Cheese - Sausage - Sandwiches - Take & Bake Pizzas - Fudge - Coffee - Wine - Beer - Fresh Baked Goods - Ice Cream - and more!

Meat & Cheese Trays are available in Comstock!

Fresh squeaky curds weekly

*Outdoor Cheese Curd Wagon now open weekends!*

Comstock Brats exclusively available in Comstock

Featuring Cheese Curds & Beer

https://www.facebook.com/comstockcheeseandsausage

Find us at:

1858 US Highway 63

Comstock, WI 54826

Visit us by car on Highway 63 or visit us by ATV on the Joe Kasper trail between Cumberland & Turtle Lake

Stop and see us for your lunch break!

715-822-0698

Comstock Store Hours

8 AM to 5:30 PM Monday-Saturday

10 AM to 4 PM Sunday

We'll see you this week at the Barron County Fair!

July 15-19

Rice Lake at the Barron County Fairgrounds

https://www.barroncountyfair.com/

Louie's has now been awarded with 13 "Best of Show" titles at state and national contests!

1991: Wisconsin Summer Sausage

1993: Summer Sausage

1999: Packer Bratwurst

2011: Lebanon Bologna

2013: Summer Sausage

2017: Kalberwurst

2019: Dry Cured Mushroom Romano Salami

2021: Dried Beef

2021: Bohemian Cream Ring Sausage

2022: Italian Dry-Cured Salami

2023: Weisswurst

2025: Dry Cured Pepperoni

2026: Coarse Ring Bologna

Click Here to view Louie's Upcoming Events Page

Welcome ATV/UTV Riders

Area ATV trails are open! Stop and see us while you're out exploring beautiful Northwest Wisconsin.

*Please note that the Highway 63 Bridge is closed. You will need to go around Cumberland using the legal road routes. See the map below for a suggested detour. Please drive cautiously as car & truck traffic is also detouring on this route.

*Reach Louie's Finer Meats on the road routes north of the bridge closure.

*Reach Louie's on the Lake restaurant on the road routes south of the bridge closure.

*Reach Comstock Cheese & Sausage on the Joe Kasper trail between Cumberland and Turtle Lake. Trailside parking!

Louie's is a supporter of the Island City Snowmobile & ATV Club.