Curly Hair Hogs – Legend or Reality?

WoolyPigs01I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this photo. Immediately, I thought “Photoshop!” But first I had to see if it could possibly be real. Oh my goodness – it is!!

Let me introduce you to a now rare breed of pigs called Mangalitsa (Mangalitza in the UK). I saw some comments that went along the lines of, “Is that a shig or a peep?”, “A pig in sheep’s clothing?”, “Wool ya look at that!”. It certainly seems wrong on several levels, but there they are – Mangalitsa pigs.

WoolyPigs02They were originally bred in Hungary as lard pigs, big and round. In subsequent years the demand for lard dropped dramatically, so the number of these pigs has dwindled. The Hungarians called them the curly-hair hog. Sadly these days they are classified as a rare breed.

The breed comes in several colors, a blonde version, a red, and a black version called Swallow Bellied Mangalitsas.

WoolyPigs04Interestingly, there was another curly hair pig called the Lincolnshire Curly Coat of England. Unfortunately, they are now extinct.

The Mangalitsa is enjoying a bit of a Renaissance on the London culinary circuit. According to an article in the Belfast Telegraph, its meat has become highly prized among porcine connoisseurs. Maybe this will be enough to bring them back from the brink of obscurity?

New and exciting things to find every day! We live in an amazing world!

Til the next time!WoolyPigs03

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