Mangalitsa is a fattier type of pig. Originally from Hungary and Romania. It was historically bred for lard, which was the most popular cooking fat for quite a long time. Lard was also used for making soap, candles, cosmetics, industrial lubricants, even explosives. During WW2 the government's American Fat Salvage Committee urged Americans to donate to the army their used up cooking fat, which was mostly lard. Just one characteristic of what historians have called "Total War," where the entire population, including civilians, is mobilized in some way for the war effort. It's a relatively modern form of warfare. The Napoleonic Wars were probably the first. Weird side track. Sorry. I just like history, especially when food comes into play.

Anyway..

Some time in the second half of the 1900s saturated fats lost popularity. Vegetable oils began to dominate the industry. It changed the physical landscape of America. Corn and soy fields replaced heritage pork varieties because no one wanted lard anymore. That came with a whole host of unforeseen consequences. The Yokshire pig, the cute pink one, began to dominate the pork industry because it's very lean, has mostly polyunsaturated fat (the same fat in veg oil), and grows quickly. Hundreds of old breeds were lost as a result.

Most old breeds, like the Berkshire breed, are higher in saturated and mono-unsaturated fats (The same fat that's predominant in olive oil). But, this pig, the Mangalitsa pig, is somewhat unique. It's very high in monounsaturated fats, something like 60% (olive oil is around 75%). It also has 2-3 times as much Omega-3s as many fish breeds. The result is a very healthy pork with fantastic flavor.

It's coming from Stone Arch Farms in Litiz, PA. They're pastured. Eating forage and non-gmo feed. All the good stuff. It's not much more expensive compared to the other pork I carry. Quite a value for the quality in fact.