Hello folks. If you know Aaron, you know he is passionate about food and the Razorbacks, both of which seem like great blog material. He's combined his loves in some thoughts below - on the state of pigs and the Hogs.
Smoked brisket can be delicious, but when I crave barbecue, I’m craving pig. Devouring a plate of pulled pork or baby back ribs while watching the Razorbacks destroy an opponent feels like a birthright. From sausage links to sausage patties, chops to chitlins, ham hocks to honeyed hams, Boston butts to Canadian bacon. And bacon. Bacon. I love the hogs.
But our Razorbacks have wandered from their winning ways, and store-bought pork no longer resembles its glory days. Losing market share to factory farmed chicken, commercial pork has been engineered leaner and paler, to look and taste more like chicken. Heritage hog breeds capable of producing meat with exceptional marbling and rich flavor are still available. Holly and I are busy recruiting heirloom hogs to improve our product line, while the coaches in Fayetteville recruit human Hogs to improve theirs.
