Berkshire pork -- worth it?

[bearnakedbbq]

Definitely a porkier taste. And they were fattier than what I normally cook so they got almost too tender fast.

Sorry to bring up an old post but I have a question. Since the Berkshire butts are fattier and taste more like pork do you still inject them?

troy

 

[Mad About Que]

i would say no. "the other white meat" pig farms have breed the fat outta those fine animals. them fancy (fat filled) verimans do taste a lot different. most chefs that use them are paying for yes, a better product, but what sounds better? here's some pulled pork? or smoked braised berkshire pork shoulder? you see.. i just made $8 more for your dinner..

Sorry to bring up an old post but I have a question. Since the Berkshire butts are fattier and taste more like pork do you still inject them?

troy

 

[Mad About Que]

here's a couple articles i found last year when thinking the same sort of thing. i met a free range farmer that was looking for something new to play with. the idea was that i would buy the hogs and he would "raise" them. he'd get to sell/profit on some, i'd get the rest. didn't work out..

but here's a good read, or two..
http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/charleston/bbq-evolution/Content?oid=2275177

http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/...rk-is-all-about-the-breed/Content?oid=2357554

the 2nd link is the breed article. sorry got it backwards during the copy/paste, but both are good reads...

 

[Morgan12]

Take it for what its worth but I was raised with hogs and still help out with the family farm, and butcher around 30 pigs a year. Most hogs today are raised in a confinment style housing. That being we as producers are in it to make money, the public wants a leaner pig. So we adjust our food rations to meet that demand. Our confinment pigs are very lean animals and thats mostly what you will get from most large stores. Now I do 2 or 3 pigs a year that some one will raise just for somthing to do these are raised on the "ground" and eat alot diffrent than our commercial hogs. Ever eat a hog that ate alot of acorns YUCK! Its kinda like when you guys smoke meat everything you do diffrent will effect it. As large operators we like to have that consistancy and thats what sells. Our hogs are breed to be lean but if you toss them out in a pasture and feed them table scraps they will produce a fattier pig. I think each breeder of hogs likes to think there is the best Berkshire, Hampshire, Duroc, Chesterwhites you name it. And all breeds are diffrent but there is a reason major producers don't use Breed X on the farm, they don't produce like our new genration hogs. My sugestion would be to look for a local farmer on craigs list that raises hogs on the ground if you really want a lil more fat on your hog and not worry so much about what breed it is.

 

[Bentley]

Is there anyone out there who is using or has tried Berkshire pork? What are your experiences? Is it worth the cost difference?

Thanks,

--frank in Wilson, NY

I would venture to guess Lotta Bull is either being paid to use it or it is being supplied free. Anything wrong with that, not at all, wish someone would offer me that...

Twice in competitions...

Nope!