Enjoy the delicious "Sweet Fat" brand pork "Hakukin Pork"! [Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture]

Have you heard of Hakkinton a brand of pork raised in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture . Its sweet fat, fine texture, and moderate tenderness make it popular among professional chefs. In recent years, it has also become available for purchase online.

This time, we will delve deeper into the appeal of Platinum Pork, which is raised in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, and introduce delicious recipes for enjoying Platinum Pork not only locally but also at home

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What is Platinum Pig?

We will explain the origin of the name Platinum Pork, how it is raised, and its distinctive flavor

What kind of pig is a platinum pig?

Hakukinton is the registered trademark of a brand of pigs raised and sold by Kogen Seimai Co., Ltd. It is also called Platinum Pork

is named after "The Pigs of Flanders Agricultural School" by Kenji Miyazawa, a writer from Hanamaki

In the work, it is stated that "The pig's body is, for example, a living catalyst. It is the same as platinum. In inorganic form, it is platinum, and in organic form, it is a pig." Kogen Seimai Co., Ltd. named the pig "Platinum Pig" as a warning against taking the precious life of a pig, and with their determination to raise pork that is second to none in terms of deliciousness

As a breed, Platinum pigs LWB . The mother is a hybrid of a Landrace and a Large Yorkshire, and the father is a Berkshire. Platinum pigs themselves are white pigs, but occasionally spotted or black pigs are born. The combination of these three bloodlines produces a uniquely delicious meat quality, and the meticulous breeding methods result in even higher quality meat.

Platinum pigs are raised with love and care, using a blend of locally produced feed and taking care to avoid stress on the animals

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How Platinum Pigs are Raised

There are several unique features to how Platinum Pigs are raised

Attention to detail in pig farms (two-site system)

Under strict hygiene management, newborn piglets are moved from the farrowing house to the weaning house around 20 days after birth and are raised with care. They are then moved to the fattening house where they are slowly raised for 230 days

Animal Welfare Initiatives

The sows are raised in a free environment without fences from birth to weaning, so the piglets grow up stress-free and free

Attention to feed

They contract with local farmers to purchase grain corn and feed rice, which they then use as feed for the pigs.The pig waste is turned into compost and returned to the rice paddies and fields, creating a system of recycling within the local area

Plenty of natural water

The pigs are fed natural groundwater from the Ou Mountains and Kitakami Mountains, which is filtered using ore from Kamaishi

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The distinctive taste of Hakukin Pork

The most distinctive feature of Hakukin Pork as meat is its sweet, melt-in-your-mouth fat and finely textured tenderness. It has no unpleasant odor, and its mellow, juicy flavor fills your mouth, and it doesn't harden even when it cools

When you visit the official website, you will see the words, "An unforgettable taste." Just like that sentiment, once you try it, you will never forget the taste

You can actually try Hakukin Pork at restaurants in Hanamaki city and at Hanamaki Onsen. In particular, "Popeye," a directly managed store , as it has a wide variety of menu items!

Information

• Platinum Pig Official Homepage
• Directly managed store "Popeye" homepage

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Recommended recipes for Platinum Pork

To enjoy the tenderness and sweetness of the fat of Hakukin Pork, we definitely recommend simple cooking! Shabu-shabu, tonkatsu, and shogayaki are all great options, but we'd like to introduce some other recommended recipes

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Platinum Pork Recommended Recipe #1: Sauteed

The producer's recommended way to eat this pork is to saute it, which allows you to directly enjoy the delicious flavor of the pork's fat. This is perfect for loin, shoulder loin, and pork belly

＊How to make＊

• Leave it out at room temperature for 15 minutes before grilling, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herb salt and sauté slowly over medium heat on both sides. Serve with a squeeze of lemon
• We also recommend using the remaining space in the frying pan to fry some easily cut apples in butter, then pairing them with the Platinum Pork at the end

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Platinum Pork Recommended Recipe #2: Tempura

Tonkatsu is good, but the simplest way to enjoy Hakkin pork is as tempura, using loin, thigh, or fillet

＊How to make＊

• Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in tempura batter, and deep fry in oil at 175°C
• After 5 to 8 minutes, remove from the oven and cook in the residual heat
• Serve with salt or grated ponzu sauce

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Recommended recipe for Platinum Pork: 3. Braised pork

The happiness of biting into fatty meat can also be enjoyed with braised pork or roasted pork

＊How to make＊

• Cut into large blocks and brown the surface
• Put 500g of meat into 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 the green part of 1 green onion, and cook using the normal rice cooking mode

The remaining broth can be reduced and used as a sauce for stir-fries or pork bowls, making it a versatile seasoning!

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Enjoy delicious Platinum Pork!

Did you know that Platinum Pork, produced in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, is a high-quality brand of pork named after a work by Kenji Miyazawa, and is raised with particular attention to its feed and environment?

A favorite among professional chefs for many years, this "once you've tried it you'll never forget" dish with its sweet fat and just the right amount of tenderness can now be ordered and enjoyed at home

The meat itself is delicious as is, so you don't need to do anything elaborate; just prepare it simply and you'll be completely satisfied. Please use this as a reference and give Platinum Pork a try!

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