【Haichuan Food Talk】You’ve definitely never seen this! There really are pigs in sheep’s clothing
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It looks like a sheep and moves like a dog; keeping such a curly-coated pig allows you to experience the characteristics of three different animals at once. This pig is actually called the “Mangalica pig” (in Hungarian: Mangalica), a breed of pig that was developed in Hungary in the 19th century. It is an unimproved lard-type breed from Europe, evolved directly from wild boars. The Mangalica pig is very special, with an appearance similar to that of sheep. Another pig breed with long hair, the Lincolnshire Longhair, has now gone extinct. The Mangalica pig was bred with the aim of obtaining lard. Pigs have a large, round body shape. Due to the declining demand for lard, the population of this breed has decreased, and it is now considered a “rare breed”.
The Mangalica pig, also known as the sheep pig or curly-haired pig, is of Hungarian origin and has curly hair that resembles wool. Its fur can be black or red, but the most common color is golden. The Mangalica pig is the only surviving breed of long-haired pig today, and this breed was on the verge of extinction in the 1990s, with fewer than 200 pigs remaining at that time. The extensive breeding of Mangalica pigs by humans began in the 1930s, when Archduke Joseph Anton Johann of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (the seventh son of Emperor Leopold II of the Holy Roman Empire) obtained some Szekely pigs from a Serbian prince and bred them with Bakony and Szalonta pigs. The Mangalica pigs bred have wool-like curly fur, and they gain weight very easily. Originally, this pig was a breed reserved for the royal family, but it became popular due to the delicious taste of its meat; by the end of the 19th century, it had become the main pig breed in Europe.
When he was a piglet, his lineage could still be seen
Mangalica pigs do not require special care and have excellent fattening capabilities. In fact, the Mangalica pig is one of the fattest pigs in the world, with body fat accounting for 65% to 70% of its weight. The Mangalica pig is considered by many to be the most delicious pork in the world. Creamy white fat with red marble patterns, rich in Ω-3 fatty acids and natural antioxidants. This is because of a natural diet, wheat, corn, and free-range forests. Because it contains more unsaturated fats, the lard from Mangalica pigs is lighter in weight and has a lower melting point.
When people became aware of the health hazards associated with saturated fats, the breeding of this breed declined rapidly in the mid-20th century, and it was replaced by breeds with more lean meat and faster growth rates. By the late 1970s, Mangalica pigs could only be found in **parks and zoos. The desire to raise Mangalica pigs gradually increased again in the mid-1980s, and Hungary even established a **Protection Association for Mangalica Pigs** in 1994. Over the next 20 years, traditional Mangalitsa sausage reappeared in Hungarian traditional markets. Currently, in Hungary, 8,000 sows give birth to 60,000 piglets each year.
As we all know, Spaniards enjoy eating cured meats such as ham. When the wealthy merchants saw the quality of the meat from sheep and pigs, they immediately used it to make ham. After tasting it, they were astonished: \"Oh my God, it’s really delicious!\" ” Since then, Mangalica pork ham has become a standout product in the ham industry – it features clear meat texture and abundant fat. An 8-pound ham can often sell for over 300 euros, which is truly out of reach for most people...