Pigs
Mangalitsa
“The Kobe-beef of Pork”
Mangalitsa are a rare breed of pig that originated in Hungary and are known for their curly hair, friendly and playful personalities, their history of being reserved for only Habsburg royalty… and of course for their incredible meat!
Mangalitsa were first bred in in the 1830’s by the Hapsburg royalty, after receiving a gift from a Serbian prince of Sumadija pigs, which were bred to Hungarian indigenous Bakony and Szalonta pigs. They were then recognized formally as a breed in 1927. Up to 1950 the breed enjoyed supremacy in the pork market, with its fat being the most valuable commodity… then the move towards “healthier” plant-based fats started to decrease the demand for the breed. This, along with the advent of large-scale farming, caused the near extinction of the breed. The Mangalitsa, as a lard-pig, does not do well in the modern approach to farming, requiring space, forage and much longer growing times.
Here at Naked Acres our goal is to make sure that each pig has as natural and happy a life as possible until that last day. That means the best non-GMO food, supplemented with vegetables, milk products from our farm, eggs, alfalfa and amazing pasture!… And of course, belly rubs and playing tag. We believe in pasture rotation to decrease parasite load and increase the amount of forage and environmental stimulus for the pigs, as well as being regenerative and sustainable for the land.
Mangalitsa meat is known for its high quality, low melting point fat that is high in Omega fats. Lard is coveted by pastry chefs as the best for flaky pastries, and its meat by butchers for charcuterie such as Jamon Mangalitsa, and chefs for the Wagyu-like, marbled, red, succulent meat. If you are interested in the culinary craze that is Mangalitsa, this is a good website for information on just why it is so special: https://www.offbeatbudapest.com/features/unsung-hero-hungarian-gastronomy-mangalitsa-pork/
