Mangalitsa Pork typically trades at a 10x-20x market premium over the pork you buy in regular grocery stores. A lot of that is due to its superior taste and marbling. We know Mangalitsa pork tastes better and why-but why is it so expensive? And is it worth it?
In short: Yes, it’s worth it!
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Most Mangalitsa pigs are raised in different conditions than typical factory-farmed hogs are. The pigs are raised either of out of doors, or in areas where they are free to roam. While this leads to greater Hog Happiness, it leads to higher producdtion costs as well.
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Mangalitsa pork chops taste as good as they do because of intra-muscular fat and richer meat taste. We at Acorn Bluff farms push our pigs less hard at the feeding trough, and optimize genetics for flavor and taste rather than for the pure growth gene. There are trade-offs in everything, and Mangalitsa (or Mangalica as you will sometimes see it spelled) breeders have chosen to pursue superior taste instead of prioritizing genes that lead to faster growth but less taste. This leads to a higher cost, yes, but also a flavor profile that you would never experience in pork bought at a grocery store (or even most restaurants)!
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The breeding programs and standards for Mangalitsa are more strict than the typical factory-bred hog. The optimization is trickier, raising technique and growth slower, and breeders’ focus on quality much higher. This reduces supply, at the same time as demand for Mangalitsa pork is skyrocketing.
Mangalitsa hogs are bred and raised for flavor and great tasting meat (we at Acorn Bluff especially love pork chops and bacon from our hogs near Iowa City). They are raised in the traditional manner, and brought to market often through artisan butchers. This combination of techniques explains why Mangalitsa pork is more expensive, but also why it is oh so worth it. Mangalitsa is considered to be the world's best tasting pork
If you would like to try some Mangalitsa for yourself, click here to Order Now.
Or, if you'd like to start raising Mangalitsa, we are actively selling Mangalitsa piglets to raise to butcher or eat.