Perfecting Pork

Sam Young is in piggy delight on a vist to the Butler family farm near Blythburgh, Suffolk.

As soon as you meet the Butler family it is crystal clear their passion for all things piggy and by the time you leave their beautiful farm in Halesworth, close to the coastal delights of North East Suffolk, a little of this enthusiasm will definitely have rubbed off on you!

Jimmy Butler created Blythburgh Free Range Pork some eight years ago, a progression from over three decades of pig farming experience behind him. Along with his two sons Stuart and Alastair the vision was to create a premium pork product, the ‘Aberdeen Angus’ of the pig industry, to satisfy consumers need for superior quality on the fork and the reassurance of improved welfare. The Butler family strived to improve their pigs’ credentials, developing techniques to perfect the three primary aspects of an eating experience – flavour, texture and succulence.

There was already an established free range unit on the farm when they took it over and a great deal of experience and knowledge in welfare friendly systems. However, it took nearly two years to adapt the free range system, the breeding process and the feeding regime to develop the quality they demanded of their end product. 

Blythburgh pigs are born on the sandy soil of the Suffolk coast and the piglets remain with their mothers until they are weaned. Around 30% of British breeding farms operate outdoor breeding herds like this, but despite this less then 1% of pork is truly free range as outdoor breeding herds do not necessarily equate to a free range pigs. It is in this difference where the Butlers unique free range system comes into play.

Once weaned the majority of pigs in the UK and worldwide are moved into intensive systems, which are predominately indoors but can be outdoor. The latter, despite the fresh air, purposefully restrict the pigs’ movement and optimise food intake, ensuring a faster rate of growth in the pig. This might maximise productivity and reduce costs to supply cheaper meat demanded by the retail sector but we the consumer get less enjoyment on the plate.

The secret to the quality of Blythburgh pork lies in the fact that there pigs are truly free range.  Once the piglets are weaned off milk they are moved into large straw filled tents and huts with freedom to roam over acre sized paddocks through continuous outdoor access, giving them the space to display natural behaviours such as rooting in the soil and playing with their peers. Not only does this ensure a high standard of living and welfare, but results in a natural slower growth rate - the pigs developing a deep muscle depth and more intramuscular fat, great for marbling, fat means flavour!

As a direct result of this breeding and lifestyle the Blythburgh Free Range Pork acquires a taste and succulence once cooked - ‘roast pork like your Grandma used to make’.

What is so refreshing about the Butlers is their incredibly open attitude towards their farming practices and pork business, there are no secrets here! They are extremely passionate about what they do and genuinely care about improving the whole pig industry and educating consumers whilst doing this. This dedication has not failed to go unnoticed and in 2005 Jimmy Butler won the first ever Farmer’s Weekly magazine’s ‘Pig Farmer of the Year’ Award. The award was given based on his achievements to create a sustainable pig farming concept, in which the supply chain and customers were truly understood, setting him apart from the competition.

The family firmly believe that Britain produces the best pork in the world but that the future depends on the British public demanding locally reared, welfare friendly and superior quality in their meat - ‘real pork, the natural way’. If only all farmers and consumers could take this level of interest in where food comes from and make informed decisions about what we eat. Remember a free range pig is a happy pig and a happy pig surely tastes better!


Glyns pork cookery tips - Everything but the ‘oink’
So versatile and easy to cook, pork is consumed more than any other meat worldwide, despite being banned under the Jewish and Islamic faiths and discouraged by others. Comparatively cheap in relation to other meats and at a time of rising household costs this makes it an appealing choice.

From Hungarian goulash to Caribbean jerk, French charcuterie to proper British bangers, Chinese slow roast pork in stir-fries to Brazilian feijoada bean stew, it is the stuff of near-global cuisine. Of course, liking the simpler things in good food, you just cannot beat a proper Sunday lunch, a decent leg of well bred pork, crisply baked to perfection, crunchy crackling, apple sauce spiced with clove, real home-made sage‘n’onion stuffing, goose fat roasties and my favourite seasonal veggies.

Now there are all manner of cold piggy treats, pork pies, hams, patés, brawn, haslet, the list is endless but let’s focus on hot dishes. Which cut to choose?

ROAST
The leg has always been the classic roasting cut and the bone does keep it succulent. The boneless loin is very easy to carve (make sure it still has crackling on it) or my preferred choice, the shoulder joint,  particularly sweet and juicy.

CASSEROLING
If you, like me, come the cooler months, there is nothing better than a hearty stew with mounds of fluffy mash. The shoulder works best here, being a fattier cut, it leaves wonderfully soft flesh and fat means flavour. If you have never bought the cheap and very cheerful cuts of pork trotters or cheeks, then you are missing out on a treat, their deep savoury meatiness once slow braised makes a great autumnal supper.

PAN FRYING
The tenderloin is a the equivalent of fillet steak, the ultimate in tenderness, it is best cut into small medallions and flash fried in butter after making a simple tangy compote of apples, blackberries, cider vinegar, sugar and lots of
red onions.

STIR-FRYING
Pork is great for oriental spicing, and can be used for curries. It does take well to Indian flavours and of course is universal in Chinese and related South-East Asian cuisines. Any boneless steaks works well for quick sautéing in a wok.

SLOW BAKING
A firm family choice is slow baked pork belly, once cooked for 3 – 6 hours at a very low heat, the fat renders out, leaving the moistest meat and the crispiest skin. We often rub it with Chinese five spice and Szechuan peppercorns before roasting, then carve it up alongside oyster sauce dressed greens, simple white rice and a chilli-soy dip. If you can find pork hocks (the equivalent of a lamb shank) then they are lovely slow baked under a honey and wholegrain mustard glaze.

GRILLING
Thick chops are the best cut here, cooked under a medium heat to help the fat caramelise properly (snipping through the fat every centimetre or so before cooking helps) or a thin gammon steak cooked under a hotter setting to keep it moist.


Blythburgh Free Range Pork is available at butchers across the region, visit them online at W: freerangepork.co.uk to find your nearest stockist or to buy online.

Sam Young is Business Development Manager for Tastes of Anglia, the region's food promotion group. T: 01473 785883 or W: tastesofanglia.com for details of high quality food producers and interesting places to eat or shop.