The darling of the food world and a chef favorite, you’ll find Berkshire pork featured on the menus of some of the country’s best restaurants. Genetically predisposed to greatness, Berkshire pork boasts significantly shorter muscle fibers than other pigs and exceptional marbling, these factors, in tandem, contribute to producing truly flavorful and tender meat. Said to have a specific taste, Berkshire pork is significantly juicier and more succulent with a velvety texture and a depth of flavor unrivaled by generic pork. Visibly different as well, Berkshire boasts a deep rich color separating it from “the other white meats.”
A true heritage breed, the Berkshire line can be traced back over three centuries in the United Kingdom. Always considered to be a special meat, Berkshire pork was bred specifically for the King’s table and because of its excellence, served as his personal supply of pork. Today, Berkshire is loved all over the world, proving extremely popular in Japan. You may have seen it marketed as Karobuta, the Japanese moniker for Berkshire, meaning black pig. Often called the Wagyu of pork, Karobuta shares many of the same qualities as that special breed of cattle. With exceptionally even disbursement of fat and heavy intramuscular marbling, Berkshire is praised and cherished for many of the same reasons as Wagyu. Carefully tended, they are fed a diverse and natural diet that also plays a huge role in their final and flavorful form. Just as the Japanese Wagyu farmers are careful to never subject their livestock to undue stress, those who raise Berkshire believe in and practice a similar principle. The results of this relaxed and care-free lifestyle speak for themselves in some of the most delicious pork you’ll ever try!