The Guinea Hog Project by Jeannette Beranger and This Concept and Purchases Whole Hogs Jennifer Kendall from a Regional Producer, Gra Moore
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- May-June, 2010 Volume 27, Issue 3 Conserving rare breeds since 1977 The American Livestock N E High on the Hog: The Guinea Hog Project By Jeannette Beranger and this concept and purchases whole hogs Jennifer Kendall from a regional producer, Gra Moore. The Chef Deihl also realizes that the Guinea Hog is a rare breed, meaning there is limited This winter, ALBC staffers had the amount of product available. Deihl has pleasure of meeting Executive Chef Craig dealt with this challenge by using the meat Deihl of Cypress Restaurant in Charleston, as a feature on his menu as opposed to a South Carolina. Deihl holds many titles staple dish. While Deihl serves an impor- and awards including a 2010 James Beard tant role in getting this breed back into the Foundation nomination for Best Chef in market, it is the unique working relation- the Southeast, but around the ALBC office ship that he has forged with the producer he is affectionately known as "the guinea that makes the project possible. pig for the Guinea Hog." Deihl is one of the first high-profile chefs in the country The Producer to work with the Guinea Hog breed and On a mid-summer afternoon, we vis- explore how it handles, tastes, cooks, and ited with producer Gra Moore, owner and serves. operator of Colonial Heritage Farms in On a chilly mid-February afternoon, he Pamplico, South Carolina. Moore's family invited us into his restaurant for a taste, has a long history with pigs in the region. both figuratively and literally, of his efforts His father once managed a similar breed, to save one of America's most endangered the Essex hog, on small river islands in swine breeds. Just a few years ago, there Chef Craig Deihl compares the size of North Carolina. When Moore's father first were fewer than 75 of these animals in the the hams from the Guinea Hog (left) saw Gra's Guinea Hogs, he thought he entire United States. Today, many breeders and theTamworth (right). The size of the was looking at his old Essex herd. This are giving these historic animals a second Guinea ham is a testimony to the smaller observation prompted ALBC to launch an chance and Deihl is at the helm of getting size of the breed. Photo by ALBC staff. ongoing investigation into possible links this breed back onto the American dinner cass directly from the processor and uses between the two breeds. table. every ounce of product. On this particular Moore first heard of Guinea Hogs after Delhi's excitement for this new en- day, we enjoyed Guinea Hog liver pate, becoming a member of ALBC. He was deavor is infectious. After welcoming pork belly, hams, shoulders, and more, looking for a small breed that would for- us with his gracious Southern charm, he all from the Guinea Hog. Each part had a age well on his property and enjoy the immediately flipped open his cell phone unique flavor and style. Diehl also renders occasional treat of one of the 20-plus va- and scrolled through image after image of the Guinea Hog fat to make lard and uses rieties of heirloom corn that are grown on the hogs, the products, and the marvelous some parts for charcuterie projects. He the farm. As he decided which hog breed dishes he has served featuring the breed. has even created an artisan meat CSA would be most appropriate for his small When asked what was different about that will, in the future, offer Guinea Hog rural farm, the Guinea Hog quickly came working with this particular breed, he products. to the top of the list. exclaimed, "The fat! The fat is amazing. Deihl understands that working with Over the past several years, a sizeable The texture, the color, and the amount are rare breeds requires a different approach to herd has been developed at Colonial Heri- all phenomenal." Many chefs are afraid culinary art. Because there are so few ani- tage Farms, and in 2009 the time had come of fat, but not Deihl - he embraces it. In mals on the ground, purchasing only prime to begin thinking about ways to market the fact, his operation is set up to embrace the cuts is not an option. These breeds must be meat of these pigs. Because of their small whole hog. Deihl receives the whole car- used in their entirety. Deihl has embraced continued on page 6 spent in the region hunting. Both were continue the family tradition of keeping Rare Breed Tales still amazed they ever survived their crazy Marsh Tacky horses, ensuring that they Continued from previous page adventures in the field. T. M. no longer has don't disappear as the old Woods cattle any cattle or Marsh Tackies but Ed still cattle, and the company kept a herd on the have. raises the horses on his farm not far from property numbering around 500 head. As The day slowly became late and it was the site where T. M.'s great-great-grand- roads came into the area in the late 1950s time for Ed and me to go. We said our father is buried on Yonges Island. Ed's and early 1960s, the cattle disappeared and goodbyes to T. M. and his daughter. As daughter Jennifer, an eighth generation so did the days of the open range. I made my way to the car, I continued to Ravenel, has taken up the torch and will T. M. continued to ride Tackies absorb the images that T. M.'s stories cre- throughout his life. Some of his favorites ated in my mind. As we drove away, we sported names such as Lucy and Tacka- passed the old Bradley Pasture and not far lina. They were agile in the thick and from that was a Revolutionary War cem- thorny brush and swampy terrain of the etery where veterans including William area. Both horse and rider would often A. Washington (President Washington's get scratched up on a good day's ride; cousin) lay at rest. Lowcountry history is however, the horse almost always had its hidden around every corner in Ravenel. I head free of scratches. The horses avoided consider myself very lucky to hear about injuries to their faces by using their heads times passed and be able to document the to find openings in the thick brush. When glimpse of a time few remember. »J* an opening was found, they would then For more information about Piney- push their bodies through in order to get to woods cattle, contact the Pineywoods the other side of the prickly obstacle. Of Cattle Registry and Breeders Association, course the rider was not so lucky and was Julie Brown - Secretary/Treasurer, 183 rarely spared getting a few good scratches Sebum Ladner Place, Poplarsville, MS along the way. If no openings were found, 39470, (601) 795-4672, [email protected], the horses would opt to jump over as they www.pineywoodscattle. org were athletic like rabbits and could leap For more information about Marsh Tacky horses, contact the Carolina Marsh five feet or more in a single bound to get T.M.'s family valued their Chinese geese over an obstacle - a feat Tackies still dem- Tacky Association, 6685 Quarter Hoss os an "intruder alert system." They are Lane, Hollywood, SC 29449, (843) onstrate today. a popular breed for weeding chores due 906-2274, [email protected], www. As the afternoon wore on, T. M. and to their active foraging habits. Photo by Ed continued recounting the time they ALBC staff. marshtacky.org Producer Gra Moore holding a Guinea Hog six-week-old Guinea hog piglet. Continued from page 1 Photo by ALBC staff. size and the propensity for this lard-type mately nine months, and they breed to put on body fat quickly, it was a had a dressed weight of approxi- challenge to determine what kind of niche mately 60 pounds. The producer market the Guinea Hogs would serve. and chef are experimenting with Since little was known about the optimal the age at processing to deter- processing time or the meat and carcass mine the optimal processing qualities of the breed, discussions between time that meets the needs and ALBC and Slow Food Charleston resulted desires of chef and that is still in the recruitment of Chef Craig Deihl to profitable for the producer. investigate the meat potential of the breed. Deihl and Moore have forged Wasting no time, Deihl got to work on a great working relationship, his first processed Guinea Hog in the fall but it is the "back story" and the of 2009. The first hog was processed at local connection to the breed around ten months of age and had a fin- that help sell local consumers on ished weight of approximately 80 pounds. this new menu item. The project Deihl quickly discovered that the pork would be impossible without the from a young Guinea Hog is exquisite. Af- Guinea Hog breed itself. ter reveling in the quality of the fat and the The Breed taste of the meat, Deihl decided to feature demand, Deihl purchased more whole hogs The Guinea Hog is a small, the Guinea Hog at the legendary Charles- from Moore. The second and third hogs black breed of swine that is unique to the ton Food and Wine Festival. To meet this were processed at a younger age, approxi- United States. Also known as the Piney- Page6 ALBC News, May/June 2010 woods Guinea, Guinea Forest Hog, Acorn Eater, and Yard Pig, the breed was once the most common pig breed found on home- steads in the Southeast.