Mangalitza Pigs
Yes, they're the curly-haired ones, but there's rather more to them than that!
Mangalitza pigs are to pork what Wagyu is to beef. Their fat is thick and buttery across the loin and belly, their meat is rich and deeply flavoured, and they are arguably the finest pigs in the world for charcuterie. As piglets, they arrive striped like wild boar. By the time they're fully grown, those distinctive long curls make them unmistakable.
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They're also built for the way we farm. Mangalitzas thrive outdoors, forage naturally, and suit a slow-grown system better than almost any other breed. That extra time is what allows them to develop intramuscular fat, proper marbling, something almost unheard of in pork, and it's what gives the meat its character.
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Their fat has a reputation to overcome, but it doesn't deserve one. Our pigs graze extensive organic pastures on a completely soya-free diet, which means their fat is genuinely good for you, rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and natural antioxidants. It's nutritionally closer to quality olive oil than to the saturated fat found in intensively reared pork, and better for your heart than most people would expect.
There's a common belief that pigs won't graze pasture. Spend a day watching ours and that idea falls apart quickly. Pigs are natural opportunists. Given the chance, they seek out the most nutritious food available to them, working methodically through the pasture, grazing herbaceous plants, cover crops and seasonal vegetables before eventually rooting for tubers, insects and whatever the soil has to offer below the surface. Intelligent, purposeful foraging that shows in the flavour of the meat.
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What they don't do is stand on concrete. The intensive model produces a faster, cheaper pig, but not a happy one, and not one with flavour. Our pigs live in the open, follow their instincts, build nests in long grass to sleep in, raise piglets and find a good spot in the sun. That freedom to forage and root and roam is exactly what makes the difference on the plate.
A life well lived makes for better eating.