Rearing outdoor pigs in Scotland
All about our outdoor pigs : from rearing to recipes Our pigs live outdoor all year long and spend their days rooting the ground or lazying in the (occasional) sunshine. For the past five years we have raised Tamworth pigs on our smallholding, just outside Kelso. This year we statred to feature them on menus at Ednam House. You may taste them as breakfast sausages, dry cured bacon or home-cured ham.Our weaners come from Yearle Farm near Wooler where Sarah Dodds has been breeding pedigree Tamworths for over 20years.The Tamworth is a really hardy breed that thrives in our northern climate and with their inquisitive nature, and plough for a snout, make fantastic outdoor pig |
Ralph:
As I am approaching pig rearing as a chef and not a butcher or farmer, there are differences in what I am looking for from my pigs and the finished carcass. My starting point is what the finished pork tastes like on the plate.
I am not trying to achieve feed conversion ratios, fast stock rotation with margins calculated to the penny. I want flavour and texture and I believe that can only be achieved by rearing pigs slowly, outdoors in their natural environment.
Though I love the Tamworth breed for their character and delicious meat, I have found the carcass conformation too light, with a tendency to run to fat. So with Sarah's help we have been experimenting crossing Tamworth sows with other traditional pig breeds. The result have been excellent: a much improved carcass without losing the Tamworth qualities.
Our pigs are all raised outdoors and take 9 months to reach slaughter weight. This is twice as long as most intensively reared pigs, however, the flavour and texture of the meat they provide make the wait worth while.
Our ham and bacon are cured the old fashion way without fast curing additives. It takes six weeks to cure and mature them, four times as long as many butchers and again patience is rewarded when eating.
