Heritage Pork Breeds

[tstalafuse]

Maybe it is just me, but most, if not all, of the commercial pork ribs and butts that I am able to purchase at the various grocery/big box stores (including the local butcher who I swear is just buying Tyson/Smithfield and removing the package) have become for the most part flavorless, and I find myself adding more and more rubs to try to amp up the flavor.

So, I am at the point of looking at the various on-line retailers to try to find a breed that actually has some flavor. Some of the on-line retailers don't list the breed but most do. I recently purchased from Wildfork a couple of racks of Berkshire pork ribs (haven't cooked them yet), but they are kinda on the thin side.

So, what is your favorite breed for flavor and meatiness?

[Mosca]

I will bang this drum constantly. Huge, meaty, dark and flavorful.

Cheshire Pork.

The hot ticket is the full spares.

Berkshire and Duroc are excellent. But they aren’t as good as these, IMO.

[hoovarmin]

This is a timely post because I renewed my Costco membership and bought a 3 pack of St. Louis ribs. When I opened the pack and separated them I was SO disappointed in how poorly they were butchered.

[tstalafuse]

hoovarmin One of the things that drive me crazy about Costco ribs is the butchering and that in the 3pk, 2 racks will be similar and the third will either be crazy large or crazy small.

[hoovarmin]

tstalafuse these were ridiculously thick on one end, and nothing but bones on the other end.

[Dadof3Illinois]

I grew up on a livestock farm and todays farms are WAY different then even 20 years ago. The hogs have been bred for meat and not so much flavor. Todays hog has a higher meat content than 20 years ago, which means less fat and they are pretty much all raised in very controlled conditions (barns), fed a specific diet and given large amounts of steroids, vitamins and who knows what else to put on lean meat and not so much fat.
The times of small farmers raising market hogs or cattle are almost gone, you can still find some really small farms raising 10-20 head of hogs or 6-8 cattle but they are a dying breed themselves. Most are large commercial farms that only raise an animal up to a certain point then it's transported to another facility for the next stage.
So finding a flavorful rack of ribs now days is really hard. Mosca loves the Cheshire, I love the Duroc...both have good flavor but it's nothing like it used to be. Maybe what made our hogs so flavorful was we fed them the table scraps from the day every evening along with their feed and whatever they rooted up in the field.
I guess I'm saying, try and find yourself a small local farmer, someone who doesn't have sell contracts with corporations or slaughter houses. Someone who farrow's, feeds out, and markets what they eat....that's the farmer you need to contact.

[tstalafuse]

Thanks. Where I am located, I do see cattle as well as Yak, and Scottish Highland cows, but not so much in the way of pork.

[Dadof3Illinois]

tstalafuse Maybe stop in a local farmers market this weekend...I bet someone there would know if there are any local breeders?

[randy.56]

I agree, that's why I inject big meats and chicken, So chicken taste like chicken. Never had any luck buying ribs at a local grocery store, IGA, Walmart, or big chain store's, less taste. Even Sam's seem lacking these days .Rather pay more for better product, than be disappointed.

[Mosca]

Two commonly available brands that are decent are Prairie Fresh and Hatfield. I’m pretty sure Prairie Fresh are used in KCBS cook offs; Hatfield is pretty big in the mid Atlantic states, and is reportedly a cross of Yorkshire and Duroc. I bought Prairie Fresh at Restaurant Depot, and Hatfield at Wegman’s. IDK what you can get in Colorado, though. I’ve had both, and they’re both good. I’d call them the ribs-equivalent of USDA choice steaks.

[tstalafuse]

I have come across Prairie Fresh at both Wal-mart and Safeway, but I don't recall them standing out as far as taste or meatiness. This is our shopping weekend, so I will be on the look out for them.

[Dadof3Illinois]

Mosca I’ve used the Prairie Fresh Butts but haven’t seen their ribs or other products yet. I’ll keep an eye out for them now.

[Mosca]

tstalafuse Yeah, they’re not "standout". But I recall thinking, "Hey, these are good ribs." They’re like getting a good choice ribeye at the market.