Porkies

While in Tesco the other day, to stock up on Jam Shed Argentinian Malbec, I caught sight of a heavily discounted gammon joint and bought it.

As you can see, it was advertised as a Wiltshire cured joint, but I wondered what this actually means and what difference does it make? 

We tend to believe, probably erroneously, that Wiltshire ham is in some way superior to others. However, there are strict rules on animal husbandry as well as even stricter laws on the termination of animals destined for the human food chain and the processing of the meat. The entire market is homogenised - so what in particular differentiates Wiltshire ham? Only the fact it was raised in Wiltshire seems to be the answer, but even that's not necessary. I don't even know what breed of pig was used.

Further research led me to the fact that there is something called the Wiltshire Cure, which originally comprised salting the pork for a couple of weeks and was used in Calne, Wiltshire. Following WWI, a wet cure was used so as to conserve salt and reduce the curing time. However, curing pork in salt is not, and never has been, unique to Wiltshire; our ancestors were doing this to preserve meat hundreds, if not thousands of years ago. 

That said, Wiltshire Cured does not mean it was raised or cured in Wiltshire. The only thing that can be said about the Wiltshire Cure is that the meat is British, but even that's not guaranteed, as supermarkets only follow this as a voluntary labelling code.

How about Outdoor Bred? Sows are kept in straw-bedded arks with access to outdoor paddocks for their entire productive lives. Farrowing crates are not permitted, instead the sows give birth to their litters outdoors in individual straw-bedded shelters. The piglets are reared outdoors for four weeks and they are then moved indoors for the rest of the growing period. The indoor system may be straw based (if RSPCA assured) or otherwise they may be housed on slatted or concrete floors with minimal enrichment for the pigs. It's the piglets that are bred for pork, not the sows, so this is a load of tosh. 

Even Outdoor Reared simply means the four weeks of outdoors is increased to 10 before being brought indoors for fattening - and pigs are slaughtered at between 4 and 6 months. The only guarantee of a good life outdoors is Free Range or Organic. 

Essentially, it's all flim-flam marketing and a load of porkies that we all fall for.