Mangalitsa pigs, sometimes erroneously called Wooly Pigs*, are substantially more fat-prone than common breeds of pigs. They produce meat that is substantially more marbled, red, juicy and flavorful than other pigs. Mangalitsa fat is light and creamy compared to regular pig fat. In the USA and Europe, many pigs marketed as Mangalitsa are crossbreeds, with typically 75%% or greater Mangalitsa admixture. In Hungary, pigs must be at least 50%% Mangalitsa to be marketed as "mangalica". Mangalitsa is very popular with high-end restaurants. In New York, several Michelin-starred restaurants regularly serve Mangalitsa pork, including Per Se, Corton, Aureole and Le Cirque. Due to their metabolism, Mangalitsa pigs are classified as "extreme lard-type" pigs. No other pigs fatten as easily. Regular pigs are called "meat-type", because they efficiently produce lean meat. The breed comes from Hungary, where its name is spelled "mangalica". In Europe, most of them are kept in Hungary and the Balkans. In the USA, most of them are kept in the Midwest. In Europe, substitutes for Mangalitsa include Swabian-Hall and Iberico pork. * The main producer of Mangalitsa pork in the USA is a company called Heath Putnam Farms (originally "Wooly Pigs").
Mangalitsa pigs are short, medium-sized and very fat. They have curly bristles. There are 3 breeds, the Blonde Mangalitsa, Red Mangalitsa and Swallow-belly Mangalitsa. Those are separate breeds. The Blonde Mangalitsa is the most fat-prone. The Swallow-belly is the least fat-prone.
Selecting and Buying
Preparation and Use
Mangalitsa pork is particularly suited to cured applications. E.g. Mangalitsa ham, bacon, speck, prosciutto, jamon, pancetta and guanciale are the best produced in the USA.