Chef Shane Pritchett Sources Berkshire Pork for Home-Smoked Products

No doubt about it – quality meat comes first at the Fat Hen Grill and Fat Hen Grocery. And the star of the menu here is the Berkshire hog, also known to chefs around the world by its Japanese name, “Kurobuta”, or “black pig”, and considered the most flavorful breed of pork.

So, you ask, just what does this all mean?

Well, if you haven’t tasted Berkshire pork, then it means you’ve been denied all these years. Or, to put it another way: your proverbial plate has been empty and your palate has been cheated by other pork products.

And we’re not just saying this because Chef Shane Pritchett prefers to make his barbecued pulled pork, ribs and homemade sausage and bacon with the Berkshire breed. Among other notable chefs who go to great lengths to serve Berkshire pork in their restaurants are Thomas Keller, Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck.

These heritage breed black hogs were native to Berkshire, England – hence their name – and have been bred for their distinctive, superior taste, and flavorful meat, marbled with fat, for centuries. They made their first appearance in the United States in 1823 when they were bred with existing local common stock. In 1875 steps were taken by Berkshire breeders to keep the breed pure, both in the US and in England. The first hog ever recorded was the boar named Ace of Spades, and bred by Queen Victoria.

In 1876, the first Breed Publication printed the following: “The Berkshire meat is better marbled than that of any other breed of swine. It has a greater proportion of lean freely intermixed with small, fine streaks of fat making the hams, loins, and shoulders tender and juicy.  This renders
the whole carcass not only the more palatable to persons in general, but is unquestionably the healthiest food. Considering these facts, the Berkshire, above all others, should be the favorite among us. We ought to take all possible pains in breeding Berkshires in such a manner as to enhance this superior quality, not only for the home use but also for the foreign market.”

It was true over a century ago and remains true today:  the heavily marbled, high fat content of Berkshire meat makes it more suitable for “low and slow” cooking than other varieties of pork –perfect for barbecue.  And, of course, the certified Berkshire pork used by Chef Shane is raised without antibiotics, hormones and animal by-products.