Pork has been a staple of British cuisine for centuries, and British pork is admired and eaten worldwide. The meat is used in a wide variety of British dishes, including pork pies and roast pork belly. There is great variety in the number of pork products that are available to buy, allowing subtly different flavours and cooking styles to triumph.
While we supply a wide selection of pork products, including suckling pigs, Italian sausages, and bacon products, we also offer top-of-the-line pork products: the famous Spanish 'Iberico' and the unique Hungarian 'Mangalitsa'.
Chefs and experts alike greatly appreciate these two breeds of pork; their generous fat content provides them with their famed full flavour and tenderness - all that needs to be done is to season the meat. It is widely believed that both Iberico Pork and Magalitza Pork are considered to be 'Wagyu' of the pork world as a result of their superior flavour and lustrous meat. However, what exactly is the difference between these two types of meat? In this match of excellence, does one pork breed excel over the other?
Iberico pork
Iberico pork is the most well-known breed of premium pork. It is a Spanish culinary treasure that hails from the Iberian mountains and has captivated food enthusiasts around the globe. This Iberian pork might be most famously eaten cured, known as Iberico Ham or Iberico Jamon, it’s the caviar of charcuterie. However, there are multiple other ways to cook Iberico pork that can make for a luxurious Sunday roast or BBQ.
Iberico pigs, also known as Iberian pigs, refer to premium quality pork that comes from a specific breed of pig native to the Iberian Peninsula in Spain and Portugal. The most renowned and prized breed within this category is the Iberian black pig, which is known for its unique characteristics and exceptional flavour.
The Iberian black pig is a heritage breed that roams freely in extensive oak forests in Spain. This free-range lifestyle allows the pigs to forage on acorns, herbs and natural resources, which contributes significantly to the development of their distinctive taste and marbling.
Acorns, in particular, are a crucial part of the Iberian pig's diet during the Montanera season, a period when the pigs feast on the fallen acorns. This diet gives the meat its nutty and rich flavour, as well as the unique and desirable marbling of fat throughout the meat.
We offer a large variety of Iberico pork meats such as pork chops, loin, ribs or Presa cuts.
If you have questions about cooking Iberico pork, head to Drogo’s Kitchen and get inspired by some of our best recipes such as this Iberico Pork Chops with Sherry and Orange Caramelised Fennel, perfect for those who need inspiration on how to cook Iberico pork chops. For the BBQ fans out there, try this Chipotle and Bourbon Glazed BBQ Ribs, an easy and tasty recipe that’s perfect for learning how to cook Iberico pork ribs.
Mangalitza pork
Mangalitza (sometimes known as Mangalitsa or Mangalica) is a Hungarian breed of domestic pig. It was created for the exclusive pleasure of the Hapsberg Royal Family (along with the European aristocracy of Europe), of the Austro-Hungarian throne, in the early nineteenth century. Almost a whole century later the breed, and therefore Mangalitza pork, had virtually disappeared, but now Mangalica has made a comeback, with the current population hovering around 50,000.
Mangalica pork flavour is unbeatable. Most pigs in the last 50 years have been bred to have virtually no fat, to provide lean meat, and thus become 'white meat.’ However, the loss of fat leaves the meat tasteless and flavourless pork has unfortunately become the industry standard. The trend today is to seek out pork that tastes better, and marbling and fat make this possible.
Mangalitza meat has a deeper and richer taste than most pork with a hint of wild boar gaminess and a creamy texture. And, of course, there is fat, the holder of all taste and which also has great nutritional benefits, such as being rich in mono-unsaturated fats and omega 3 and 6 oils. Therefore, it is healthier than the fat of the pig varieties used in intensive farming, and it is even good for the heart.
Its large amount of unsaturated fatty acids allows it to melt at lower temperatures than other pigs, which translates into organoleptic virtues considered a delicacy by some of the best chefs in the world.
Their demand is expanding and some of the best chefs in the world are including it in their restaurants and comparing the quality with that of Kobe beef.
Mangalitsa fresh meat is increasingly used in Asian cuisines, including bulgogi, a Korean cuisine staple, or in highly popular Japanese dishes like tonkatsu, which is a breaded and fried pork chop, and sukiyaki, which is a steamed version of Mangalitsa's fresh meat.
Because the Mangalica pig cannot be bred in large quantities, but instead in an artisanal way for reasons of its natural lifestyle and feeding, its price is higher than that of other pigs. In the last few years, these factors have led to its gradual ascent into popularity, with more and more people discovering its intense flavour and its rich fat content.
There is no doubt that Mangalitza meat plays an increasingly important role in the world of gourmet products, thanks to its unusual and very attractive appearance.
Looking for inspiration on how to cook with Mangalitsa pork? Head to Drogo’s Kitchen and try our Mangalitsa Ribeye with Caramelised Apples and Cider Sauce, a wonderful recipe that’s perfect for the autumn season.
The final test
Take a look at this video where Drogo cooks and compares these two types of meat. Two members of our Fine Food Specialist team will be blind-testing the Iberico and Mangalitza pork on the grill, and reveal which one was their favourite!
Watch the video now to find out which breed between the Iberico Pork and the Mangalica Pork was crowned the best!
