The relentless pursuit of perfection was a slogan used by Lexus, which epitomizes the Japanese culture and their ability to produce the best of the best beef (Wagyu), pork (Kurobuta), to chicken (Jidori).
Featured image courtesy of visitkyushu.com (sliced Kurobuta for shabu shabu)
The Japanese do not embrace individuality or free thinking, which results in little to no innovation (one reason why Japan is, unfortunately, falling behind in electronics, and they are non-existent on the internet). Although when it comes to things that do not hinge on constant innovation and focus on refinement instead, the Japanese are leaders in it, such as cutlery, cars, steel, textiles, or growing fruit in the shape of a block to fit in a tiny Japanese refrigerator.
I get a lot of silly, misguided, and amateurish ads fed to my social media feed about pork lately, so I dived into researching three world-renowned pork products: 1. Kagoshima Kurobuta Berkshire, 2. American Berkshire/Kurobuta, and 3. Iberico pork to see if one reigns supreme.
It is amateurish to play off brands like Lexus, the Japanese, or any other iconic product and not let your product stand on its own merits. So I wanted to find out what makes these pig breeds unique.
Social media is rampant with ads which means competent to the lazy online marketer hyping that they offer up the “Wagyu of pork,” and every beef seller wants to associate their beef with Wagyu (Japanese beef).
All of which I find ridiculous because these individuals and businesses do not market their product as a stand-alone product, and it is amateurish riding on the coattails of the Japanese, especially when you do not need to. It’s like your friend who thinks they are fugly, so they take pics with a hot friend to get people’s attention, but if they only knew there is a person and a pig for everyone.
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links (like for Snake River Farms, and I will not write biased content for a buck because I want to know where they stand since I love other SRF products) at no additional cost to you, and I may earn a small commission. Although, 90% of the links I get absolutely nothing from because legit content, is good content.
The TL;DR (the summary because “too long, didn’t read”)
In the US, many Japanese companies have operations from Kikkoman soy sauce (the US is a major producer of soybeans and the 4th largest in the world for wheat production), rice, miso, sake, and many more products are grown and produced here. The same goes for pork and beef, although unlike the former, many of these products are solely American endeavors.
“American Kurobuta” and “American Wagyu” are branded by an American company that plays off Japanese Kurobuta (black pig) and Japanese Wagyu (black cow). The American products are not the same, and many marketers leave off the “American” and deceivingly call the American version, Kurobuta or Wagyu.
The breeds used for Japanese Wagyu and Kurobuta are not the same in the US because of a ban of live animals from Japan, not to mention it’s not on Japanese soil or by Japanese farmers/ranchers.
People around the world love pork
Pigs are the most popular meat in the world according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization via the USDA:
Pork fat contains unsaturated oleic fat and researchers who analyzed more than 1,000 raw foods, ranked pork fat as the 8th-most nutritious food and gave it a nutritional score of 74 – via Wikipedia.
Pork fat compared to beef fat has more omega-3 fatty acids.
- Pork (36%)
- Poultry (33%)
- Beef (24%)
- Goat/Sheep (5%)
When searching for the top three breeds in the United States, the Yorkshire breed is the most popular, which I only know due to Shelby for that list with 20+ years of agriculture knowledge, so for the entire list, head on over to Farminence.com (if the only pig you are thinking of is Porky Pig, Shelby will stimulate the intellectual part of your brain by adding Yorkshire and Landrace to your library of imagery in your noggin).
More marbling results in a juicier and a more tender cut of pork
Like all great meat, an even dispersal of intramuscular marbling is what you want, and the same goes for pork which results in a more flavorful, tender, and juicier cut.
Pork is not a white meat and it is classified as a red meat unlike what you hear it being touted as. Both Iberico and Berkshire also look more reddish in color, like beef.
The color a meat/muscle is dependent on the use, like most red meats, it is an endurance muscle.
The best pork in the world from American Berkshire, Japanese Kagoshima Kurobuta, to the Iberian Peninsula
Kurobuta is a Berkshire heritage breed pork, and I will be comparing Iberico pork from Spain/Portugal to the Japanese and American raised versions.
Whether or not you buy a cured ham or cure your own, these are the cuts of pork you will want for your next BBQ. From ribs, pork belly, or pork chops for the grill, I break down the best pork in the world and where to buy it from.
There are talented individuals and cultures globally, and I want to promote and highlight them because the ads aren’t doing them any justice.
The top pig breeds for your next cookout
I added Duroc because it’s often bred with Iberico and it’s also a popular breed, along with answering if Kurobuta is the same as Berkshire pork.
| TYPE | COUNTRY | BREED | COLOR OF PIG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire | Berkshire County, England | English Berkshire | Black white white colorations. |
| Duroc | (Originated from Africa, unknown?, or France?) the United States | Various red pig strains | Solid reddish color with hues of yellow/gold. |
| Iberico | Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) | Black Iberian pig and duroc | Dark colored with black hooves |
| Kagoshima Kurobuta | (Originated from Berkshire County in England) Kagoshima, Japan | Kagoshima Berkshire (mixed with domestic strains) | Black with 6 spots of white colorations. |
The reliance on all things Japanese as a marketing ploy
You will constantly hear other websites and social media marketers telling you that Kurobuta means “black pig” in Japanese because it is a copy and paste’a’thon of regurgitating information online, and telling you the meaning is incentivizing the sharing of the secret decoder to decode “eat more Kurobuta pork” (yes, I did a Christmas Story reference).
If you hear “the pork equivalent of American Wagyu or Kobe beef.” it is a marketing tagline often used by retailers of SRF (Snake River Farms) American Kurobuta via SnakeRiverFarms.com. From my previous research, I know it is not, nor should it be the equivalent.
SnakeRiverFarms.com/Agri Beef is also the producer behind American Wagyu, and if they were Volkswagen, they would tout “Audi, the equivalent of Lamborghini.” They do share components, but it should be obvious, not the same.
For all the marbles, I am raising the bar for anybody wanting to copy-and-paste-a-thon to let you know that Kurobuta is kuroi 黒い (black) and buta 豚 (pig). Also, out of all the Wagyu breeds, the KurogeWashu (Japanese black) is the most sought after, and I can not help but think of that old-school Wesley Snipes movie line “always bet on black” when it comes to Japan’s beef and pork.
The reasoning for all that focus on the decoding of Japanese words is to plant a seed in your head to have you think that Kurobuta has something to do with the Japanese or Wagyu, but is the Kurobuta you are buying have anything to do with the Japanese and Japan? Most will have you think so, but legit marketers will throw in the disclaimer in the end: “In the United States, this pork comes from Berkshire breeds raised by credible and authentic farms” – via HowiesAlexanders.com
Where does most of the pork in the United States come from
Corn is the most abundant crop in the United States, yet we import from Canada, Chile, and Argentina while exporting 10-20% of our production volume. The same also goes for pork, and these are the top countries that we import pork from (we are the 6th largest importer):
- Canada
- Denmark
- Mexico
For the complete list and the dollar amount of pork imports, the OEC (Observatory of Economic Complexity, originated out of MIT and is now Datawheel) is an amazing site with graphical visualizations of all sorts of data about pork meat.
Are most of the Kurobuta brands sold in the United States Japanese pork?
Nope. Unless you think Japanese beef (Wagyu) by Japanese farmers with Japanese cows raised in Japan is the same as “American Wagyu.” If you are on the fence or do not know, I have a previous blog post on SRF American Wagyu and where I think it stands (on its own).
“SRF American Kurobuta is 100% purebred Berkshire hogs grown in a network of small farms in the United States.” What part of that sounds Japanese? If you are thinking none, you are also not going to believe a brand that names their American pork “maiale nero” as Italian pork.
Just giving something a Japanese name does not make it Japanese, and a legit brand does not trivialize it, which is why some countries like France value and protect it. They understand and value the culture behind Champagne and Roquefort, both regions of France that mean something.
The same goes for Japan with regions and cities that have put them on the map internationally amongst food connoisseurs, like Kobe, Japan, in the Hyogo prefecture (the late Kobe Bryant was not named Hereford, after Hereford, Texas).
Fortunately for the French, in certain countries, you are not legally allowed to call your product Champagne (sparkling wine/bubbly) or Roquefort (blue cheese) unless it is from that region. Although when it comes to Wagyu or Kurobuta, flagrant use of Wagyu and Kurobuta runs rampant by American marketers.
American brands ride off the coattails of the Japanese by simply placing “American” in front of Japanese foods/products which would be like a foreign country touting their corns is “Zamunda USA corn.”
If counterfeiters resorted to this tactic, expect to see “Zamunda Louis Vuitton” or “Zamunda Russian caviar” (for the record I prefer Wadiya caviar).
The workaround for these American brands is to simply and lazily add “American,” such as “American Wagyu” or “American Kurobuta,” which is riding on the coattails of the Japanese. The former sounds the dumbest because if you are Japanese, it reads as “American Japanese Beef,” and that would be like like a foreign country or the fictitious country of Zamunda touting “Zamunda USA corn” or “Zamunda Wisconsin cheese.” So which is it? Zamundan, or is it a Packers jersey-wearing American?
“21 U.S. Code § 343 – Misbranded food: (a)False or misleading label
– Cornell Law School
If (1) its labeling is false or misleading in any particular, or (2) in the case of a food to which section 350 of this title applies, its advertising is false or misleading in a material respect or its labeling is in violation of section 350(b)(2) of this title.
Why buy Iberico, Berkshire, and American/Japanese Kurobuta
In the United States, the Kurobuta sold here has an implied pretense of a connection with the Japanese, so I researched the differences between Kurobuta sold in the United States to the Japanese version from Kagoshima, Japan. Both utilize breeds based on the English Berkshire pig breed, which have Chinese and Siamese blood to produce the Berkshire we know today (how do I know this? Because there is a dedicated site, the pig site with that tidbit, and much more).
To not muddy things up, I am providing the word for word marketing points produced by these brands.
It is also a great way to compare point by point, but I also provide my synopsis in the highlighted field.
Heritage Berkshire
Heritage Berkshire, Sakura Pork
Heritage Berkshire Pork was founded in 2001 with the intention to assist small farms with the marketing of their 100% purebred Berkshire pork. Out of the American Berkshire pork organizations, this one touts to be the real “Kurobobuta” pork, which is a spelling error versus a clever way to limit their legal liability with their claims.
Compared to SRF, I think Heritage Berkshire does a good job with their branding, which targets the US market (I used to always buy the product at, I think at Mitsuwa Market).
Some brands have a great staff to help, but others have a Joseph who can barely answer two primary questions, such as the difference between Heritage Berkshire and their Sakura pork brand. I got that question answered, but where to buy, no such luck (put a “Florke” in it).
- Don’t be confused. Heritage Berkshire Pork is the real Kurbobuta pork.
- Raise and market 100% Kurobuta Berkshire pork.
- Own our family farms across the midwest (“These all-natural hogs are selected from a network of hand-picked Midwestern family farms owned by Sakura Pork.”). Like SRF, Heritage Berkshire seems to be an organization that is or is like a broker: “It’s why Heritage Berkshire invests in small Midwest farms, hand-selects the strongest Heritage purebreds, believes in responsible raising and handling of the breed, and guarantees the highest quality custom hand cuts.”
- Heritage Berkshire versus the Sakura Pork brand: the Sakura pork line is a small boutique pork line that is a hybrid mix of well known champion breeds. Using the influences of our Berkshire pork line we have created a really dark colored/well marbled pork line that has captured the dark color of Berkshire pork and the high intramuscular marbling of Duroc pork. Sakura pork is a very small operation. Only processing around 350 pigs on a weekly basis, and we work within our own network of farms and do not purchase pork from outside of the country.
- Responsibly raise our Berkshire pigs with no subtherapeutic growth hormones, uniform feed rations, humane handling, no antibiotics in the meat and a breed that has not been genetically modified.
- On site supervision working with our hand cut custom trimmed production operation.
Where to buy Heritage Berkshire pork
| WEBSITE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| heritage berkshire.com | The Heritage Berkshire direct-to-consumer (D-T-C) e-commerce portal. |
American Kurobuta by Snake River Farms (SRF) aka Agri Beef
American Wagyu, American Kurobuta
Agri Beef and its SRF product lines seem to be the dominant leader, and I know of a few restaurants that have switched to their product lines. That does not happen for no reason, and I bet product availability and pricing are the enticing factors.
I will try to update this post with feedback from people in the food industry.
This brand is everywhere.
- As mandated by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture
- 100% purebred Berkshire hogs
- Raised with no added hormones
- Grown in a network of small family farms.
Where to buy Snake River Farms (SRF) American Kurobuta
| WEBSITE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| snakeriver farms.com | The SRF direct-to-consumer (D-T-C) e-commerce portal |
Kagoshima Kurobuta pork from Japan
Japanese pork from farms all over Kagoshima. In total, 400 brands are from throughout Japan.
Like the United States, Japan also has regions that specialize in a particular food or product, like Sakai, Sanjo, and Seki city for blades, butter and corn in the Hokkaido region, and Kagoshima (Kyushu, the southern tip of Japan), the pork. Although unlike Wagyu from Japan, finding Japanese Kurobuta from Japan is next to impossible.
Any successful salsa brands in New York? Also don’t get Pedro Pascal started on tacos in NYC.
If Kim Kardashian trademarked the Japanese word ‘kimono,’ the odds of Googling and finding a Japanese kimono (not underwear) would be nearly impossible without coming across her underwear line. Unfortunately, that is not the case with Kurobuta or Wagyu, which get rampantly used as marketing buzzwords (even ramen by most American producers do not know it does not mean instant noodles).
- 400 years of history
- Free-range and fed feed with Kagoshima sweet potatoes a specialty of the region.
- Free-range Satsuma Kurobuta are fed: non-GMO grains and rice bran, as well as sweet potatoes and potatoes, and even barley grass that the farmer cultivates himself without the use of agricultural chemicals. The rest of the feed and regiment consists of acorns, frolicking, and midday siestas which means no need or antibiotics for disease prevention or growth hormones.
- Nicknamed “roppaku (six white marks)” because of the markings on their legs (4), snout (1), and tail (1).
- Shipped after being fed for a period of 230 to 270 days (roughly 1.2 to 1.5 times that of ordinary pigs).
- Secure distribution system which provides the location and name of the producer.
- Described as: crisp, tender, firm and juicy with a sweetness and a rich flavor (touted to be 4x’s tastier than normal pork). The fat is light, not sticky.
Where to buy Kagoshima Kurobuta from Japan
| WEBSITE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Update coming soon | I will be reaching out to several sources. |
Berkshire pork by Newman Farms
All the other brands use the word “family” more than Vin Diesel does in the Fast’n’Furious franchise, but from what I can tell, this family in Myrtle, MO is the real deal with a family dog (my guess is a Border Collie).
The other brands that work with “family farms” provide no information on these family farms, not so with the Newman fam. Heritage Foods has a great write up about them and their farm.
David Newman, a farmer and scientist with a PhD in meat science and muscle biology (that would be some great singles bar clout, George Constanza would love this).
- A family farm
- Certified Humane®
- Raised on a pasture
- All-natural, 100% antibiotic-free
Where to buy Heritage Berkshire pork from an American farm
| WEBSITE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| heritage foods.com | How cool is this “In 2006 we got a handwritten letter from farmer Mark Newman asking us if Heritage Foods would ever consider selling his pasture raised old school Berkshire pigs. We said yes and a relationship grew that still continues today, now through his son David” |
| Newman farm.com | I assume this is their direct-to-consumer (D-T-C) e-commerce portal. |
Iberico Pork from the Iberian Penninsula
Imported Iberian hogs raised in the United States are available to you from producers like White Oak Pastures. A brand that has not gone the “American Iberico Jamon” or the “Wagyu of Pork” route.
Some brands tends to try and homogenize the food culture of the world, and I hope we can all appreciate the efforts of people from all around the globe.
Eat Campo Grande is the company that sparked off this entire blog article with their lazy and amateurish “The Wagyu of Pork” marketing that is core to their messaging. I did not use any of their marketing copy, and I sought out other sources below to give Iberico pork the respect it deserves.
- From the Iberian peninsula: Spain and Portugal.
- The most popular cuts are for ham (jamón Ibérico)
- The Spanish government has a law that classifies the quality of the meat by purity of the breed, and the finishing feed which are all tracked.
- Only a small percentage of Iberian pigs are pure bred, free-range, and fed on acorns which gives the meat a nutty flavor.
- The grading system utilizes 4 colors: white/Iberico ham de cebo (50% Iberian, enclosed in a pen, grain fed), green/Iberico ham de cebo de campo (50% Iberian, grain/fodder/acorn fed), red/Iberico ham de bellota (one part is 100%, acorn and free-range), and black/Iberico ham de bellota (acorn) ham 100% Iberico (100% pure bred, acorn fed, free-range).
- Nicknamed pata negra for its black foot (hooves).
Where to buy Iberico Pork
| WEBSITE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| eatcampo grande.com | This is the website that compelled me to do this blog post with the most questionable branding and marketing you could possibly do. “The Wagyu of Pork” people (this is the type of company who would market BMW by saying “BMW, the Mercedes of Luxury Cars.” |
| jamon.com & tienda.com | This is why I do this website, for families like the Harris family: The Harris family has over 20 years of experience in importing and delivering hams from Spain. Our mission is to deliver your order quickly and in excellent condition so that you can experience the authentic flavor of Spanish jamón in your home. |
| Amazon (via Marky’s) | 5J (is a highly respected brand) Jamon Iberico de Bellota. |
| whiteoak pastures.com | In 2015, Will Harris partnered with Jaime & Kurt Oriol to be among the first to welcome Iberian Hogs, a Spanish national treasure, to the United States. |
For Iberico, there are 3 shoulder cuts: pluma (shoulder loin), presa (shoulder steak), and secreto extra (shoulder).
“Secreto extra,” I want that to be my stage name.
Popular pork cuts used in Japan and Asian dishes
China has such a long history of not sucking when it comes to food (I love Chinese food), so I had to include China although I will try to keep the focus on Japan since this site is all about Japanese food and culture.
| PORK CUT | DESCRIPTION AND USE |
|---|---|
| Baby-back ribs | You won’t find baby back ribs, BBQ, BBQ grills (yea, a kamado is an American thing), a dude named Bubba, or ovens commonly in Japan, but I love ribs. So I am not leaving either spare ribs or baby back ribs off this list. Out of the two, the baby backs are the ribs closest to the spinal cord, which are much smaller than spare ribs (marketers want you to think of babies when eating them). |
| Boneless/ bone-in Shoulder Butts (Boston Butt) | A tender pork cut used for carnitas (this looks to be a legit way to prepare it by somebody who knows the culture, Stella NK) and pulled pork in the BBQ world. My preferred method, sous vide, and I cook it at only 135 for well over 24 hours, and it turns out like prime rib. The other option is to cut up it for stews, like in pork green chili because this cut likes it low and slow. |
| Cheek Meat (Jowl) | I love this cut at yakiniku (grilled beef) restaurants with a dab of yuzu kosho, and this is my go to order at Santouka ramen for chashu, which the Japanese call tontoro. Although, if you are Italian, guanciale (guancia/cheek) is the cured version. |
| Chops | The chops come from the loin, so they vary in quality because if you get a center cut chop it’s great for grilling. Closer to the shoulder, it should be tenderized and I used a mallet although I have seen Japanese using a prong like device (not the same brand I saw being used). In Japanese the hire-katsu (pronounced like “he’day ka-tsue”)or pork fillet and rosu-katsu is a pork roast. |
| Fatback | I am trying to stop using seed oils, and I want to start using lard because it’s easy to render and you can add it to lean ground meat. I have large containers that I used for my ramen pop-up, but it also has onions, garlic, and ginger infused it. If you also choose to take the same route, it is easy as melting butter or a ice on a hot day, and you have the best and healthiest cooking oil (my article on all things fat related). |
| Intestines | Small and large intestines are something I held off on eating for the longest time (I was exposed to the Taiwanese version through my girlfriend at the time, which I regret passing on, and I likened eating it to eating a**). Now it is one of my favorites, especially in motsunabe when you give it time to cook to break down the fat, which lessens the chewiness and allows the cabbage and fat to melt like buttah. |
| Porterhouse chop | A bone-in pork chop with both the strip loin and tenderloin separated by the thong (hey, it looks like one) aka t-bone. |
| Pork belly | I remember I used to order hong shao rou (red braised pork belly) at every Chinese restaurant I came across, and I could eventually tell how long it was frozen for. So I started to produce it myself which is braised in a soy sauced based braising liquid, not roasted (char siu). For the Japanese, pork belly is essential in ramen (chashu) and in Okinawa it’s called rafute (recipe via Taka’s kitchen). Also, if you want to do a pairing that went amazingly together, I recommend a Nikka coffey grain whisky. |
| Pigs ear | Once again, not a Japanese thing (well, except for the Okinawans and mimigaa and you can read about it on the Japan rail times), but I am adding it under the umbrella of Asian because the Taiwanese and Chinese know how to do it right. The first recipe is by Tiffy who knows whats up cuz she’s straight outta Taiwan and from a foodie family, so here is her spicy pigs ear recipe. The second is a Chinese pigs ear recipe on China Sichuan Food. |
| Spareribs | Spare ribs are some of the most epic cuts, but you will not commonly find it in Japan because large slabs of meat are an American thing for us and the Flintstones. The region/state for us Americans that likes to go big and do meat slabs right are Texans because it is non-existent in California (they’re too caught up debating if pork is gluten-free and non-GMO). |
| Tenderloin | The most tender cut of pork (well it depends on who is preparing it), after all it does have the word “tender” in it although it’s lean and not a favorite of mine or for people who can’t cook (“lean,” “can’t cook,” and “well done” are three words/phrases that should never go together). |
Cuts like pork shoulder, and ribs are intended for American BBQ (SRF, Newman), whereas pork jowl, pork belly, and pork fat are ideal for Asian consumers (Heritage Berkshire, and Iberico Pork products)
Japanese ramen is no stranger to pork and chicken fat.
Price comparison of American Kurobuta, Berkshire, and Iberico
Ideally, there should be a column calculating the cost per pound, but when I switched from a BA to a BS, I did not expect all the additional math requirements. That hurdle was enough to deter me from not finishing my degree or this table.
| Pork Chop | Pork Shoulder | Jowl /Pork Cheek | Ribs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Kurobuta | $38.00 avg. weight 12 oz. (double bone) | $129.00 avg. weight 17 lbs. | N/A | $35.00 avg. weight 1.0 lbs. (baby back ribs) |
| Heritage Berkshire | $54.99 x4 (12oz) (top loin bone less) | $89.99 avg. 7lbs. (bone in) | $44.99 (4 pc) | $79.99 avg. weight 5.0lbs x2 slabs St. Louis) |
| Newman Berkshire | $20.99 $32.99 1.0- 2.2 lbs Center Cut | $57.99 $85.99 6.0- 10.0+ lbs (bone in) | N/A | $19.99 1.5 – 2.5 lbs (St. Louis) |
| Campo Grande Iberico | *$49.00 24- 33oz 4 rib | N/A | *$29.00 14- 21oz (secreto x2 pieces) | *$29.00 28- 35oz (St. Louis) |
| White Oak Iberico | $58.99 24oz | N/A | $32.99 8oz | $38.59 2 racks (baby back ribs) |
Best places to buy high quality meats and poultry from
I use tools that allow me to guesstimate the web traffic a site gets per month, which helps you to know which sites/businesses are the most popular (the higher the number, the better, it’s a popularity contest).
Major brands like SRF will dominate the web with monthly web traffic almost 4x’s more than most retailers and independent retailers trailing behind.
Many of these sites will pay $1k – $60k a month for paid (P) Google ads.
Traffic (Visitors per Month): the higher the number, the better.
P (Paid Ads): guesstimate monthly ad spend.
| WEBSITE | TRAFFIC | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| Eat Campo Grande eatcampo grand.com | 19.3k (P/$10k) | The company with questionable Iberico marketing, “Campo Grande, the White Oak of Pork Sellers.” |
| Hand Sourced (AU) hand sourced.com.au | 400 | Wholesale operations of rare and heritage breeds out of Australia (I added this company because I like what they do). |
| Heritage Berkshire heritage berkshire.com | 2,400 | Heritage Berkshire Pork was founded in 2001 with the intention to assist small farms with the marketing of their 100% purebred Berkshire pork. |
| Marky’s markys.com | 39.5k (P/$6k) | Founded in 1983, for more than three decades now, Marky’s has been well known to the world of gourmet food and connoisseurs as always having the highest quality delicacies. |
| Newman Farm newman farm.com | 1.5k (P/$500) | Newman Farm Heritage Berkshire Pork is available in some of the finest restaurants, butcher shops, and retailers across the United States |
| Snake River Farms (SRF) snakeriver farms.com | 100k (P/$60k) | Agri Beef has 14 divisions across Idaho, Washington, and Oregon and exports to over 50 countries. |
| La Tienda tienda.com | 29.4k (P/$10k) | Since 1996, the Harris family has picked products from artisanal and small family producers operating out of Williamsburg, VA. |
| White Oak Pastures whiteoak pastures.com | 19.5k (P/$1.3k) | Established in 1866, White Oak Pastures is a six generation, 156-year-old family farm in Bluffton, Georgia. “We take pride in farming practices that focus on regenerative land management, humane animal husbandry, and revitalizing our rural community.” |
White Oak Pastures is a cool AF farm/business, and I want to stay at one of their on-property accommodations (cabin rentals).
Conclusion
If someone traveled the world to only experience each region by eating McDonald’s, that would the equivalent of these lazy marketers hyping their products as like, or the same.
“American Champagne” and “American Roquefort” do not exist because the culture of France is respected by differentiating the two as sparkling wine and blue cheese. The same should go for Berkshire pork in the United States because it is substantially better than factory-farmed pork, although not Japanese or Kagoshima Kurobuta, as much as Champagne and sparkling wine are the same.
American marketers have missed the boat on positioning their product as the optimal version versus Japan as the extreme. Now, they just come off as lesser.
Although, anybody who has ever been to Japan will know akami tuna (it’s like I never ate tuna before), eggs (the yolk is a dark orangish/reddish hue), to chicken (bro, you even lift? The wings were like pigeon sized and not roided out) are substantially different than the US, which is why experiencing different cultures through food or travel is so enjoyable.
As for which is best? They are the best of what that region produces (cop-out answer?). So, ignore the silly comparisons, and appreciate things for what they are, American Berkshire pork by an American family farm with a Border Collie, a Kagoshima Kurobuta from Southern Japan, and Iberico pork by the Portuguese and Spaniards.
Resources
- Jamon Prive: a massive resource and online seller.
- Kagoshima Tourism: Kagoshima City Tourism Guide
- Kagoshima Experience: Gourmet
- JNTO: Japan travel Kagoshima
- Live Japan: (this is the most gangster article of them all) “Top 10 Japanese Pork Brands Based on Expert Insight: The Secret to Japan’s Delicious Tonkatsu!’
- Visit Kyushu: The delicious secrets of Kagoshima’s
- MMMeditarranean: Everything you need to know about Iberico pork
