Home raised Mangalitsa pork leg.

Sea2Ski

A couple of months ago we butchered one of our “free range” Mangalitsa pigs. These animals have unrestricted access to just over 2 acres of woods and can eat whatever they want, whenever they want, which is just about everything. We supplement their diets with apples from a local orchard where we can pick up a bushels of apples at the base of the trees during picking season, buckets of acorns which we have the kids pick up off our yard, and other veggie scraps we get from the local food bank and CSA that they may not want. We also give them a little grain as a treat here and there for balance, but not much. 


Today I am cooking the upper part of a leg that I pulled out of the freezer the weekend after New Years and let it “dry age” a bit. It lost 23 oz in that time. This morning I trimmed it up taking at least another 1 lb of fat off. These pigs have an insane amount of fat on them. The weight is just over 10 lbs. Here it is trimmed, with a super light coating of olive oil prior to seasoning so the spices could stick. 


Seasoned with fresh ground pepper, salt, rosemary and lots of fresh garlic. 


On the egg with some apple and a small chunk of cherry for some color. 


Cooking at about 275F for the first couple of hours, and will then bump up to 375 when I get to 110-115 internal for some crust on the roast. Plan on pulling it in the high 130’s for slicing, not pulling.  The rest will be when I am head over to my friends who has the land to hold the animals we raise. There, we are first  going to cut into the lamb prosciutto (see other thread) for the first time as well as sample some other cured meats. 

That is my plan. I hope the plan works out in reality as good as it is playing out in my head.  I will post a few updates as I go.

bubbajack

Looking forward to seeing the finished product. Good looking Pig!

gmac

Looks amazing and the fact it is your own hog is so cool. Can’t wait to see the finished product. 

Photo Egg

I’m so jealous!
can’t wait to see final photos

Sea2Ski

Coming along, and faster than I wanted. 110 internal already. 

gdenby

So jealous doesn't even begin to describe. May you greatly enjoy the taste of your efforts.

Is there a way to encapsulate any of the drippings you don't use into maltodextrin dust? Not that anyone would be interested in that...

20stone

That looks and sounds AWESOME!

Keep the pics coming. 

northGAcock

You need to stop showing off Mark. Gawjus by the way.

Sandtree

Amazingly dark meat ; only seen similar in great Spanish pork 

bluebird66

Nice!

Sea2Ski

So the good news is that the pork was perfectly cooked. The fat surprisingly became very crispy and crunchy - almost like skin. I question if this is because of the time it was allowed to dry in the fridge. Maybe, not sure.  I pulled it off the egg at 138 internal knowing I would get some carryover cooking.  I let it rest uncovered outside on the table for 5 minutes, then on the counter for 20. Internal got up to 144. Once it stopped going up, I waited another 5 mins, then put in a shallow baking dish and lightly covered with foil for the transport. 




Although the pork was safe and sound, everyone wanted the charcuterie.  Halfway through that,which was 2 hrs later, we put the pork in the oven to heat for what was supposed to be 10 mins, and that is when things went off. The temp was too high, we lost track of time and it just got over cooked. Damnit!!!
how did we lose track of time?  We were checking out the latest litter:


All in all, because it over cooked, It was just okay.  No plated shots. So mad at myself!! 
Kicking myself for not putting on an alarm. Everyone said it was great, but it was not as good as it should have been or what it was like just off the egg. 

Oh well, still a fun cook, and a lesson learned. 

Sea2Ski

gdenby said:

Is there a way to encapsulate any of the drippings you don't use into maltodextrin dust? Not that anyone would be interested in that...

@gdenby can you elaborate?  You lost me there. 

gdenby

Sea2Ski said:

gdenby said:

Is there a way to encapsulate any of the drippings you don't use into maltodextrin dust? Not that anyone would be interested in that...

@gdenby can you elaborate?  You lost me there. 

I came across mention of maltodextrin when I was reading thru "Modernist Cuisine." There was a period of a few years when "fancy" chefs were creating "dusts" and "dirts"  to sprinkle over foods to add unexpected flavors. I bought some myself, but never got around to trying it Evidently its not very hard to spray liquids, either essences or fats, on the powder, and get something that is pretty shelf stable added to foods for surprise flavors.

See this link . Imagine, for instance, smoked mangalitsa powder over, um, mozarella balls, or paté a choux cream puffs.

caliking

That (was) one cute fuzzy Manga

The fat that comes off of them is impressive. Those critters make for some very tasty eats. 

Did you get another from the new litter?

FarmingPhD

That crusting you got I have seen on German cooked pork shanks.  I know their process is a slow cook but think they let it cool some and then hit it with a higher heart sear to make the crust which you didn’t do anything that would have emulated that.  Either way it looks delicious and those are some interesting pigs.

bgebrent

So cool Mark.  

Sea2Ski

caliking said:

That (was) one cute fuzzy Manga

The fat that comes off of them is impressive. Those critters make for some very tasty eats. 

Did you get another from the new litter?

Yes sir @caliking. I actually have 2 that I can do what I wish with. I am thinking I will harvest one at about 200 lbs, and breeding the other so I can sell the litter,  then slaughter the mother and keep one from the litter for me so it is a self sustaining supply. As you know, they are a slow growing breed. The timing should work well.  I think. 

FarmingPhD

@Sea2Ski you have a boat of the same breed?