A rare breed of pig has been luring St. Louis chefs to a slaughterhouse about an hour and a half west of the city.
Swiss Meat & Sausage Co. in Hermann processes Mangalitsa pigs, a lard-type breed native to Europe and first introduced to the United States in 2007. These stout hogs develop copious amounts of fat as well as meat that's red and earthy, almost unrecognizable compared to the lean, white cuts in most supermarket counters.
Pork fat is no enemy of today's chefs, and several here were more than eager to be among the first to try this small-production breed. Monarch's Joshua Galliano this summer led a group of about 10 chefs and restaurateurs (and a few reporters) to Hermann to observe the process at Swiss Meats, sample the Mangalitsa and meet Heath Putnam, the man who was the first to import the breed to the United States.
Now, various preparations of Mangalitsa pork are popping up on menus throughout St. Louis.
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