Is Duroc really worth it?

[JayQ]

Courousity is killing me? My butcher shop is selling duroc butts at $4.49 a lbs. and st. louie spares at $6.99. I want to know what the big deal is about but when I can find butts at $1.49 it's seems like a lot to pay for pork. Can some of y'all drop your opinion before I try it. I'd kinda like to know what to expect.

[Big George's BBQ]

I think it is The team I go out with does really well with them as do the other teams that he sells too The last pork butts I did were Duroc and I really liked it as did my family

[toddu]

Can you find Smithfield "Prime Reserve"? Supposedly their line of Duroc. Can be found ~$2/lb. Haven't tried their butts yet, but the full spares I thought were some of the better ribs I've purchased.

Todd

[cowgirl]

I love duroc pigs. One of my favorites to raise and eat. A lot depends on how the pigs are raised.

[Pstores]

I am not a big fan of Duroc. They leaned out the pork so bad it's true flavor is gone.
It was part of the "Other white meat" marketing program in the late 1980' and forward.
Personally for cooking at home you can't beat old genitic of Birkshire (short legged) Gloucestershire old spot, Tamworth or any of the old gentics. I favorite is Old Spot x Shortlegged Birkshire.

[EdF]

I am not a big fan of Duroc. They leaned out the pork so bad it's true flavor is gone.
It was part of the "Other white meat" marketing program in the late 1980' and forward.
Personally for cooking at home you can't beat old genitic of Birkshire (short legged) Gloucestershire old spot, Tamworth or any of the old gentics. I favorite is Old Spot x Shortlegged Birkshire.

And I like the Tamworths for those long, long bellies!

[wrinklenuts]

Can you find Smithfield "Prime Reserve"? Supposedly their line of Duroc. Can be found ~$2/lb. Haven't tried their butts yet, but the full spares I thought were some of the better ribs I've purchased.

Todd

I'm sold on Smithfield prime reserve. I cooked a butt yesterday that rocked.

[Norm]

Landrace, chester white and yorkshire are the most commonly raised for commercial sale in the US. I do see some durocs raised but not many around me.

I like Berkshire the best but like jeanie said much depends on how they are fed and raised. If you've ever been in a hog confinement building you'll know why.

[offshore_SoLA]

if you can find true heritage duroc (which your local butcher may have) it will be more pricey. Durocs are nearly impossible to raise in confinement. They tend to have smaller litters - get ginormously huge - and more times than not cannibalize on their litters after birth. The meat is typically red (not like the cheap pork you mentioned in comparison) and is marbled much better naturally.

[JayQ]

I appreciate the responses. Don't know a whole lot about the pork I cook but it sure taste good. I'll try thier butt and a rack of ribs next weekend and see if I can tell a difference. If I notice anything I'll post up my findings.

[BigBellyBBQ]

best if try for your self, as you need to justify cost..

[Okie Sawbones]

I'm sold on Red Wattle hogs myself, but they are likewise hard to find and pricey.

[offshore_SoLA]

ill say this ... you're comparing a generic machine fed mechanism being the industrialized, cloned, inbred, nearly identical confinement hog to the breeds raised by farmers that were deemed too expensive to raise in confinement.

I've said it many times, modern pork (the cheap **** you find at local supermarkets) is garbage. Pork isn't supposed to be white and would much rather eat a feral hog (originating mostly from the eastern duroc breed) over industrialized crap.

Any heritage hog that is low to the ground with bull legs .. fat shoulders, and jiggly jowls is good for me (the exact opposite of industrialized confinement pork). The extra few bucks you pay goes to support local farmers and I'm perfectly ok with that.

[Norm]

Red Wattle would be my next choice if I was going to fatten one up for the freezer. I inherited a runt Berkshire that eats like a hog... :)

Be interested in what you think of the Duroc.