Recommend me a pork supplier

[FasterFreddy]

Every now and then I like to cook a nice big ham. Sometimes we'll get a gammon, sometimes a leg (or half leg if a full one is too big for the pot).

This time, I want to source a nice leg from a good source of free-range, rare breed pork.

We also get through our fair share of pork belly and other cuts throughout the year.

In the past I've bought from local butchers or one of the specialist mail order companies, but I'd like to find a good producer I can rely on for all my pork needs in the future.

So, which breeds produce the best tasting ham and can you recommend a reliable producer/supplier? (Unfortunately I was too late to reserve any of Mark's!)

[sherman]

It could be worth talking to your local abattoir and seeing if they will supply you direct. They would also be able to give you a heads up on when there is rare breed animals due in.

Edited by sherman on Monday 20th September 12:42

[OzzyR1]

Ginger Pig is pretty good:

http://www.thegingerpig.co.uk/

[eybic]

Used these a few years ago: http://www.wysipig.co.uk/

[Mark Benson]

If you're looking for something like ours, you could do worse than speaking to the breeders in your area.

Many of them will raise pork pigs as well as selling weaners, and if they don't have any themselves, they may well be able to pass your details on to one of their customers (after all, more sales for their customers means more weaners sold by them).

Your best bet would be to start with googling "weaners for sale in xxxx" where xxxx is the area you live. Alternatively post up here where you are and I may know someone in your area.

As for breeds, traditional breeds were often dual purpose as there was no 'industry' as such and people wanted pork, ham and bacon from their pigs, so something like a Tamworth, Gloucester Old Spot, Oxford Sandy and Black or Saddleback will get you decent sized hams. As a guide, we got 2 legs whole with a previous (GOS) batch that were around 7.5kg each, bone in.

[Gorvid]

This place:

http://www.partridgefarmdevon.co.uk/

Superb meat, utterly fantastic - I had a large hamper from them and it was about the best I've ever tasted.

Lovely!

[kiteless]

Not sure where you're based, Freddy, but Packington Farm do some marvellous pork from their farm next to the A51 near Tamworth. We venture out there quite often (about an hour from chez kiteless):

http://www.packingtonpork.co.uk/

[FasterFreddy]

Some good suggestions there, thanks. I'm based around the Berkshire/Surrey area and have done a bit of research on this but have found it can be quite difficult to make contact with some of these places. Maybe it's just the time of year.

[Todzilla]

I've got quite a lot of pork (and pork products) from this place - and it was VERY good!

Admittedly they were bought through a local butcher as opposed to direct from the farm, but you never know, they might be doing that now.

http://www.plantationpigs.co.uk/

and they're in Surrey too.

[rah1888]

Todzilla said:

I've got quite a lot of pork (and pork products) from this place - and it was VERY good!

Admittedly they were bought through a local butcher as opposed to direct from the farm, but you never know, they might be doing that now.

http://www.plantationpigs.co.uk/

and they're in Surrey too.

Sounds interesting, they're just down the road from me, but their website seems to be down this morning. ETA - was down, OK now. Doesn't appear they sell direct, but if you email them they will point you towards a stockist nearby.

Edited by rah1888 on Tuesday 21st September 10:45

[900T-R]

911Virgin?

[Mark Benson]

900T-R said:

911Virgin?

I can just imagine Henry's reaction to that request

[FasterFreddy]

A quick update for those interested.

Ended up sourcing an 8.4Kg cured leg from Plantation Pigs through a local butcher, George Arthur in Lightwater.

Apparently, it's from a Hampshire Saddleback. Yesterday, I turned it into a rather large glazed ham and we had some fresh from the oven with potato rosti and poached eggs. It was very tasty.

Today, I've sliced the rest of it off the bone and vacuum packed it in batches for freezing. Altogether we got about 3Kg from it. This will keep us in ham for a while but whatever happens, I'll probably make another one at Christmas, as you just can't have enough good ham in my book.

I would certainly recommend Plantation Pigs' Pork and I'm also glad I've found George Arthur, which is a proper traditional Butcher's with some great produce, run by friendly, helpful people who know their stuff. They also make really great pork pies with big chunks of pork inside instead of mince!