Mangalitsa Specialty Pork: mangalitsa

These curly-haired pigs, native to Hungary, are known as the “Kobe beef of pork” due to the colour and marbling of the meat, which is sometimes mistaken for beef. Mangalitsa meat is considered among the tastiest pork in the world. The meat of the Mangalitsa pig is reddish, highly marbled with creamy white fat, and is high in omega-3 fatty acids and natural antioxidants. For premium, certified organic, (thus pasture-raised; antibiotic- and hormone-free) pork. Mangalitsa lard is lighter and it melts at a lower temperature than lard from other pigs because it contains more unsaturated fat. It has a soft creamy buttery texture that will make any food taste better and it’s amazing for baking. Our pigs are lovingly pasture-raised. Mangalitsa pigs take more than twice as much time to grow than a standard pork production pig, which means that they require about twice as much feed and care during their lifetime. It costs more to buy and raise mangalitsa pigs and that is why you’ll find that these pork prices are higher than standard pork prices. Oh, but it is so very worth it. Try just one pork chop and when it melts in your mouth I bet you’ll be hooked. Three distinct colours of Mangalitsa exist: the Swallow Belly Mangalitsa, the Red Mangalitsa and the Blonde Mangalitsa – the latter being the most popular variety. The first Swallow Belly arrived in the United States from Austria in 2007, with imports of breeding stock (Red and Blonde) from Hungarian lines in 2014.