Description
Traditionally Farmed Gloucestershire Old Spots Pork TSG is the meat of the Gloucestershire Old Spots (GOS) pedigree breed of pig.
Production Area
Traditionally Farmed Gloucestershire Old Spots Pork TSG originated in the county of Gloucestershire in the west of England and has now extended to cover the whole country.
Production Method
GOS pedigree pigs must be reared from birth to slaughter in an open or closed environment that allows them to grow at a natural rate and according to the rules laid down by the British Pig Association. Only purebred GOS pigs registered at birth and ear tagged are permitted. The pigs must be transported directly from farm to abattoir and not in the presence of pigs from other farms. They must be slaughtered in small scale abattoirs to reduce stress levels to a minimum. The carcases must be hung for three to four days. The final stage in the preparation of the meat which must take place within four to nine days of slaughter is done by skilled butchers.
Appearance and Flavour
Meat from Traditionally Farmed Gloucestershire Old Spots Pork TSG has smaller longissimus dorsi dimensions, is darker in colour and has greater fat thickness than that from conventionally produced pigs and is distinguished by its tenderness, juiciness and increased flavour.
History
The Gloucestershire Old Spots breed of pig was originally bred in the Severn valley in Gloucestershire. The breed is believed to have evolved from the unimproved Berkshire and the original Gloucester pig. Gloucestershire Old Spots pigs thrived on the by-products of the abundant cheese makers and apple orchards for which Gloucestershire is famed. Popular legend has it that the pigs' black spots are the bruises from windfall apples. The pigs were first mentioned in a work published by William Marshall between 1780 and 1790, The Rural Economy of Gloucestershire and The Pig, Its Origins and Varieties by H. D. Richardson. Today the fame of the GOS is so widespread that public houses, inns and even a beer is named after it. Numerous examples of GOS pigs have been exported to the United States to be used to create new breeds and to be pedigree bred.
Gastronomy
Traditionally Farmed Gloucestershire Old Spots Pork TSG can be kept for a few days in the coldest part of the fridge. It is excellent as a roast and particularly harmonious and tasty with vegetables cooked in cider.
Marketing
The product is sold as Traditionally Farmed Gloucestershire Old Spots Pork TSG in various cuts: loin, chops, leg, shoulder, spare ribs and belly and also in other local variations such as bath chap, boned cheek.
Distinctive Features
Traditionally Farmed Gloucestershire Old Spots Pork TSG is distinguished by the traditional breeding method of the pig and the distinctive characteristics of the Gloucestershire Old Spots which give the meat tenderness and juiciness and its particular aromatic profile.
