[Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture] I want to eat delicious brand pork “Shirokanebuta” with “sweet fat”!

Do you know “Hakkinton” Shirokane pigs branded pigs raised in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture . It is popular among professional chefs for its sweet fat, fine-grained meat, and just the right amount of softness. In recent years, it has become available for purchase through mail order.

This time, we will take a deep dive into the appeal of Shirokane pigs raised in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, and introduce recipes to enjoy Shirokane pigs not only locally but also at home.

What is platinum pork?

We will explain the origin of its name, how it is raised, and its flavor characteristics regarding Shirokane pork.

What kind of pig is Shirogane Pig?

is the name (registered trademark) of a branded pig raised and sold by Takagen Seimu Co., Ltd. in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture It is also called platinum pork

was named after ``The Pig of Flandon Agricultural School'' by Kenji Miyazawa, a writer from Hanamaki

In the work, he says, ``A pig's body is, for example, a living catalyst. It's the same thing as platinum. In an inorganic body, it's platinum, and in an organic body, it's a pig.'' At Takagen Seimu Co., Ltd., the name ``Shirokanebuta'' is a warning against taking the precious life of a pig, and a determination to raise delicious pigs that are second to none.

As a breed, the Shirogane Pig is a mixture of three bloodlines called LWB The mother is a Landrace/Great Yorkshire mix, and the father is a Berkshire.The platinum pig itself is white, but on rare occasions, spotted or black pigs are also born. The combination of these three breeds of blood produces a uniquely delicious meat quality, and the careful breeding method produces even higher quality meat.

Shirokane pigs are raised with love and care, using locally sourced feed and being environmentally friendly to avoid stress.

How to raise platinum pigs

There are several characteristics to the way Shirokane pigs are raised.

Commitment to pigsty (two-site system)

Under strict sanitary management, newborn piglets are moved from the farrowing shed to the weaning shed from around 20 days old, where they are raised with care. Afterwards, they are transferred to a feedlot where they grow slowly over a period of 230 days.

Initiatives for animal welfare

Sows are raised in a free environment without fences from birth to weaning. The piglets have little stress and grow freely.

Commitment to food

We contract with local farmers to purchase grained corn and feed rice to feed the animals. The pig feces will be turned into compost and returned to fields and fields, creating a local circulation system.

plenty of natural water

Natural groundwater from the Ou Mountains and Kitakami Mountains is filtered using ore from Kamaishi and fed to the pigs.

Characteristics of the taste of Shirokane pork

The distinctive taste of Shirokane pork as meat is its sweet, melt-in-the-mouth fat and finely-grained softness. There is no odor at all, the mellow and juicy flavor spreads throughout your mouth, and it does not harden even when cooled.

When you open the official website, you will see the words ``unforgettable and flavorful''. Just like that sentiment, once you taste it, you'll never forget it.

You can actually taste Shirokane pork at restaurants in Hanamaki City and at Hanamaki Onsen. ``Popeye'', a directly managed store of Takagen Seimu, is recommended as it has a rich menu!

INFORMATION

• Shirokanebuta official homepage
• Directly managed store “Popeye” homepage

Recommended recipes for Shirokane pork

To enjoy the softness of Shirokane pork and the sweetness of its fat, we definitely recommend cooking it simply! Shabu-shabu, tonkatsu, and ginger-yaki are great, but here are some other recommended recipes.

Recommended recipe for Shirokane pork ① Saute

How to eat as recommended by the producer. Sauteing is the first way to enjoy the flavor of Shirokane pork fat. Suitable for loin, shoulder loin, and fatty pork.

*How to make*

• Let it come to room temperature for 15 minutes before grilling, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herb salt, and carefully saute both sides over medium heat. Squeeze the lemon and enjoy.
• We also recommend grilling apples that are easy to eat in the empty space of a frying pan, then pairing them with Shirokane pork at the end.

Recommended Shirokane pork recipe ② Tempura

Tonkatsu is good, but tempura is recommended for a simple way to enjoy Shirokane pork. Suitable for loin, thigh, and fillet.

*How to make*

• Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in tempura flour, and deep fry in oil at 175℃.
• After about 5 to 8 minutes, put it in a vat and let it cook in the residual heat.
• Served with salt and grated ponzu sauce.

Recommended Shirokane pork recipe ③ Braised pork

The happiness of biting into fatty meat can also be enjoyed with braised pork or chashu. Suitable for loose meat and chunks of meat.

*How to make*

• Cut into large blocks and brown the surface.
• For 500g of meat, put in a rice cooker along with 600cc of water, 1 cup of sake, 120cc of soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of sugar, a piece of ginger, and 1 green onion, and cook in normal rice cooking mode.

The remaining broth can be boiled down and used as a sauce for stir-fries or pork bowls, or it can be used as a reusable seasoning!

Let's eat Shirogane pork deliciously!

Did you know that Shirokane pork from Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture is a high-quality brand of pork that is named after Kenji Miyazawa's work and is raised with particular care for its feed and environment?

The sweet fat and moderately tender meat, which has been loved by professional chefs for many years and is something you'll never forget once you try it, can now be ordered and enjoyed at home.

The meat itself is delicious as is, so you don't have to do anything elaborate to make it simple and you'll be satisfied. Please use this as a reference and try eating Shirokane pork!