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Mangalitsa pork - OT

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sheetmetalpete
sheetmetalpete Posts: 275
in Off Topic
A family donated a whole Mangalitsa pig (with processing) to a nearby school fundraiser for their silent auction this weekend.  They claim the value at $850.

I've ordered Duroc hogs before but I understand these are considerably different- very marbled meat and much fattier.  I'm wondering what I'd be looking at if I win the bid.  Anyone with experience?
Glencoe, Minnesota
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,765
    edited March 2020
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    @sea2ski @The Cen-Tex Smoker @20stone. hopefully will chime in...id process cured meats and sausage 

    That's some fine pork for sure 
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
    edited March 2020
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    We raised 2 mangalitsa and 2 manga crosses and we have bought several crosses to butcher over the past few years. 

    Mangas have beautiful red marbled meat that looks more like bluefin tuna than pork. 

    The fat on the ones we raised was insane. 4”thick back fat and bellies that had no discernible meat in them at all. I have no idea how they kept themselves upright. 

    We found the meat to fat ratio really good for sausage but we didn’t get great yield out of the loins. Tons of fat with small bits of meat. The meat we did get out of them was delicious. 

    $850 sounds really cheap for a full grown manga. They can grow huge and we can buy them for $7-ish a pound on the hoof (before processing).  The last one we raised  was well over 400#. Even one half that size would be $1500 before processing so this seems like a really good deal. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    That’s a good price indeed. Does the price include processing? 

    Manga’s are piss poor for bacon, but just about every other cut from them is pretty damn fabulous. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,357
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    are they good for pork chops and applesauce?
    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    thetrim said:
    are they good for pork chops and applesauce?
    Re: pork chops - best evah. 

    You don’t need any kind of pig to make applesauce. Just apples IIRC. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    We actually used thier fat in making sausage. Marvelous addition to the mix and $850.00 is as modest a value as you can get.


    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,842
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    The Cen-Tex Smoker said:
    This is one of our mangas before his “one bad day”. For reference, That is a 200lb pig back by his butt. This dude was a beast. 


    The pic below is a loin chop! 4” fat and 2” of meat! 



    Good example of how red the meat is. We made a prosciutto from this leg that hung for 2 years before we cracked it open. We just finished this one and we have another that we did a year later that is ready now 
    Here are a couple of pics of the prosciutto. @20stone probably has some better ones. 

    But I must say that I am distressed to learn on an internet forum that “we” finished the first prosciutto.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • sheetmetalpete
    sheetmetalpete Posts: 275
    edited March 2020
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    Thanks guys.  I'm intrigued.

    We heard from the family donating it that their males average 250-275 lbs hanging and they are including the processing.  They estimated the value at $850 but it will be sold at a silent auction.  I'm not sure if these Midwestern folks will bid it up or not. :)
    Glencoe, Minnesota
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    sheetmetalpete said:
    Thanks guys.  I'm intrigued.

    We heard from the family donating it that their males average 250-275 lbs hanging and they are including the processing.  They estimated the value at $850 but it will be sold at a silent auction.  I'm not sure if these Midwestern folks will bid it up or not. :)

    My only comment on that is that 100% Mangalitsas take much longer to mature and marble out than a normal pig. Where a "normal" pig may be ready in as little as 6 months, a Manga is more like 18-24 months. This is why they can be so large when you process them. I could be totally off base here but a 250-275 manglitsa sounds small and therefore. possible fairly young.  If you are in a position to ask how old they are when they slaughter them it may help you determine if it's worth it. I personally would not buy a manga under 18 months but I only have limited experience (even though I somewhat participated in raising 2 of them and 2 manga/swabian hall crosses). We have been buying crosses with mangalitsa in them for this reason They are ready sooner and they have more meat to fat than the 100% mangas that I have seen (and that would be a grand total of 2 so take that with a grain of salt).
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
    edited March 2020
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    "But I must say that I am distressed to learn on an internet forum that “we” finished the first prosciutto"

    by "we", I meant all of us at the last sausage fest. It's not exactly finished but we pretty much killed that OG leg down at the ranch. I stripped it down and bagged the rest so there is still some left. we have the other whole prosciutto ready to crack open after its 2 year nap so we figured we would start on that one while it was in its prime. We are still long on prosciutto and other cured meats

    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,842
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    The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

    "But I must say that I am distressed to learn on an internet forum that “we” finished the first prosciutto"

    by "we", I meant all of us at the last sausage fest. It's not exactly finished but we pretty much killed that OG leg down at the ranch. I stripped it down and bagged the rest so there is still some left. we have the other whole prosciutto ready to crack open after its 2 year nap so we figured we would start on that one while it was in its prime. We are still long on prosciutto and other cured meats

    Fair enough.  It wasn't exactly clear to me how much was left after our last get-together.

    @sheetmetalpete, one thing that may not be the obvious in this equation is that when a manga is 250-275 hanging weight, it's yield in "meat" will be much less.  Someone who has a use for the beautiful, buttery fat (sausage-making) that comes off the pig will get lot more value out of their purchase/bid - if that is included.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,657
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    @Sea2Ski I raised and had butchered a Duroc a few years back. I rendered some of the fat myself. Definitely the best lard I have ever had. Sadly I am out. @sheetmetalpete you definitely want the fat for lard. 

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

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  • sheetmetalpete
    sheetmetalpete Posts: 275
    edited March 2020
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    Should I get in on it I will need to find ways to use the lard.  It would be a shame not to.

    @Sea2Ski - The farmer says it's a barrow. From what I gatherhat will be a young one, correct?  I know of the farm.  They don't appear to have a lot of forage land so I assume they're primarily grain fed.  That doesn't bother me though.
    Glencoe, Minnesota
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
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    As mentioned above, they are slow growers. The younger they are, the more muscle they have compared to fat.  I think you are in the sweet spot weight range for the meat/fat ratio based on the weight stated. Grain fed or not, it is great meat. As for the lard - I use it for omelettes, in the pan with veggies, I toss potatoes in it then season and cook. It is simply fantastic. 
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,029
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    So where is this silent auction you speak of?  ;)
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
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    WeberWho said:
    So where is this silent auction you speak of?  ;)
    @WeberWho, you are not allowed to hear about it.  It is silent. 
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
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    Hey @sheetmetalpete how did you make out with the pig?? 
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • Tip2Tip
    Tip2Tip Posts: 100
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    I put on five pounds just opening this thread.  Time to loosen the belt. 
    California
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,487
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    Tip2Tip said:
    I put on five pounds just opening this thread.  Time to loosen the belt. 
    Me too, and how in the hell is this thread "OT"???
    _____________

    "Pro-Life" would be twenty students graduating from Sandy Hook next month  


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  • sheetmetalpete
    sheetmetalpete Posts: 275
    edited March 2020
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    The auction was postponed.  Hoping it will happen in mid-May.
    Glencoe, Minnesota
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  • Moleman
    Moleman Posts: 372
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    Probably be 325 by May, good luck
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