Mangalitsa Estates mangalitsaestates.com There are several porkers that are considered the best in the world, and this is one of them. The Mangalitsa pig originally came from Hungary and in many ways looks kind of like a sheep. It has a curly wooly coat and is an old fashioned pig. This company is one of the few that have this breed. "Japanese grocery clients wanted a pork product with marbling similar to that of "Kobe beef". We studied the genetic options available and found the Mangalitsa from Eastern Europe that Heath Putman had imported in 2007, had the desired qualities that were needed to make the "Gourmet pork" product being sought by the leading chefs in this country. The Mangalitsa pork is bright red with marbling similar to "Kobe beef". "Mangalitsa pigs are fed an all-natural vegetarian diet with no antibiotics. These hogs are developed in loose housing and fed the Wheat or Barley diet the last 60 days or so. They are typically harvested between 11-18 months of age. Harvesting the animals at an older age allows them to develop their wonderful flavor. There is a limited supply of this product. " "The Mangalitsas were imported from Europe by Heath Putman of Wooly Pigs in the early 2000's. The breed has been famous since its creation in 1833 by the Hungarian Royal Archduke Jozef. They are often referred to as "Wooly Pigs" due to their wooly like hair. They are recognized as a Heritage Swine Breed" Why Mangalitsa Pork Costs More: Longer Rearing Time: Mangalitsa pigs take over twice as long to reach market weight (15-20 months) compared to standard factory-farmed pigs, which takes roughly five months. Pasture-Raised and Sustainable: They are typically raised outdoors, requiring more space, labor, and specialized care than factory-farmed hogs. Lower Production Yield: They are smaller, have smaller litters, and produce less meat relative to their fat content than modern, leaner breeds. Slow Growth Rates & High Demand: Their unique genetics, which emphasize intense intramuscular fat and flavor over speed of growth, increase the cost of feed per pound of meat. Niche Market Product: Due to their rarity and specialty status--nearly going extinct in the 1990s--they remain an artisanal product, which generally fetches higher prices. Often called "lard pigs," their fat is highly prized by chefs for being light, healthy (high in omega-3s), and having a lower melting point, making it exceptional for charcuterie and cooking. Now that you know something about the breed, let me tell you about the pork. I first tasted this pork a number of years ago and was so impressed by it that I kept looking for a source to buy from. This past year I finally found Mangalitsa Estates, a family farm in Iowa that has one of the largest herds in the U.S. Among the first items I ordered from them were pork chops. They use excellent shipping boxes that can be reused for keeping items on ice or if you want to ship something that needs to be kept cold. But, I digress. Thick, beautiful pork chops with a nice layer of fat still on them and weighing about 14 ounces each. Vacuum packaged in heavy duty bags they keep beautifully in the freezer. Those first pork chops were lightly seasoned and cooked in a fry pan on the stove. It was a memorable meal, served with fried apples and slow baked sweet potatoes. It's hard to describe the fabulous taste and mouth feel of eating real, old fashioned pork. Absolutely nothing like what you buy in the supermarket. Since then I have ordered more and different cuts from the company and have never been disappointed. Price: Not cheap, but neither is a Rolls Royce, and this is the Rolls of pork. It's a special occasion item and not something you will serve on an every day table. If you want to have something really special for a special meal, this is it. So tender you could cut it with a spoon if you didn't have a knife. No, I have no financial interest in the company, though I'm sure my raving about their product makes it seem that way. It's just that of all the pork I have eaten including Duroc, Iberico, Berkshire, and Kurobuta but none of them are anything like this pork. I'm happy to share my thoughts about this. The company has a web site where you can order from and see the product. Shipping is fast and they only ship on Monday or Tuesday so your package doesn't sit in the UPS terminal for a weekend. I easily give this 5 stars and if I could give it 6 stars I would! read more

I ordered a large Bone-in Loin from Mangalitsa Estates, and I have to say it was the best pork I've ever tasted. Well worth the $110. I wanted to do something interesting for Christmas, so I decided a crown roast of pork was the answer. Now, unfortunately even their large is not really large enough to do a proper crown roast without cutting between the chops, so as you can see from my photos we did just a regular roast cooked. I still put the gold foil rib tip things on, because I thought it was amusing. Anyway, the meat came essentially frozen, and I let it thaw in fridge for a few days as you should always do, given time. December 24th I started the hour long process of trimming off what turned out to be almost 4 lbs of fat from the roast. Good god, when they say Mangalitsa pigs are a lard breed, they aren't kidding! I'm not professional butcher, so this took a pretty long time as I was trying to avoid removing any of the meat. During this process, I did see that there's some meat embedded in the fat cap of the pig. After trimming these small meaty bits out, my mom and I promptly seasoned this with salt, pepper, and thyme for some delicious little pieces of pig. After this, the roast went into a brine with thyme, juniper berries, honey, rosemary, garlic, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar. On Christmas, the roast was promptly placed in a large pot of water with the sous vide going, then after a few hours blasted in the oven until the outside was crisped. To be honest I think the brine prevented the kind of browning I wanted, next time I might make a sugar-based rub to help ensure a darker final color. Anyway, the meat itself, wow, so tender, so flavorful. I did not know pork could have such a depth of flavor. Everyone loved it. And the color! So deep. It was spectacular. Considering a comparably-sized USDA Prime rib roast is going to cost 4-5 times more than this, I think everything came out great. While I can't say for certain I'll be ordering from them again any time soon, I will definitely let anyone know who's in the market for the best pork you can get. read more

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this company stinks. The pork is excellent but you send an email they don't get you back even leave a number ready to order a half a pig and no one gets back to you. What a shame.!!!!! read more

Simply the best PORK I HAVE EVER HAD !! The pork breed is an interesting story....well worth reading via their web site. Unbelievably nice folks with the owner answering the phone most of the time. I placed an order over the internet....they called to confirm and get payment...however, I left my office number and my Office Manager took the message about payment. I called two days later to pay for the products (several hundred dollars worth).....and.....THEY HAD ALREADY SENT MY ORDER ! Really ??? Sent my order without paying for it ? Who does that ? It is terrific that a business would take that risk and trust the customer....un heard of...but cemented where I am going to buy my pork in the future ! This is exactly the type of farmer/producer that should be supported ! read more

We started ordering the holiday ham two years ago for Christmas and it has been by far the best ham we have ever eaten! We now search for special occasions just so we can order another ham. Absolutely perfect and so easy to prepare! read more