When we began innovating delicious flavors for our customers, we wanted to create a product assortment of premium quality meats. When we took a look at the varieties available in American grocery stores, we felt that there was one type of burger that was definitely missing. And that is the delicious premium Berkshire Pork patty.
If you’ve never tried Berkshire Pork before, it is considered to be the top of the line quality pork for a variety of reasons (which we’ll get into during the next section). Every once in awhile you can get a little tired of the same old options of poultry or beef patties, which is why recommend trying our Free Graze hormone and antibiotic free Berkshire Pork burger. Once you’ve tasted it and served it, we’re sure it’s going to become one of your new favorite types of burgers.
Why We Chose Berkshire Pork for Our Patties
Like all delicious foods, Berkshire Pork has a long and interesting history. The breed first dates back to the early 1600’s in Britain, where a noble by the name of Sir Oliver Cromwell began breeding them exclusively for the upper class. Poultry was common, and beef was a luxury, but pork was relatively new given the challenges to storing pork meat safely. The upper class in Britain embraced the meat for its rich and juicy constitution, and incredible flavors.
About 350 years ago, the British Royal Family acquired some East Asian black pigs, which were imported to England where they were crossbred with the original Berkshire herds. This combination created a distinctive black coat, with six white colored spots that became the hallmark of authentic Berkshire Pork.
There were herds of Berkshire hogs at Windsor Castle, and they were such a luxury, that they were gifted by the British Royal Family to the people of Okinawa, who sent some breeding stock north to Kyushu. Kagoshima Kurobuta pork and Japanese Kobe beef brands both originate from the Kyushu territories, and the Kurobuta is also internationally recognized as the pinnacle of premium pork meat. But it is also very expensive; a six-ounce Kurobuta pork chop costs approximately $15.00 U.S.
The healthy fat is where most of the flavor lives in Berkshire Pork, which is why you will not see lean or extra lean varieties. The pigs are fed an exclusively high-quality vegetarian diet, that is high in omega fats. Berkshire pork is still considered to be a very niche market and represents less than 3% of total American production annually. However, as more American consumers try it for the first time and experience the flavor, the industry is growing rapidly with more agricultural producers investing in this rare and premium herd.
By sourcing American raised Berkshire Pork, we ensured the authenticity of the pork meat (which carries a certificate and verification of lineage from the original herd), sourced from an agricultural partner that we have worked with for over fifty years. We wanted to provide an exceptional flavor that would be unrivaled compared to other frozen pork patties available for American consumers. And the response from our customers has been overwhelming positive, about the taste and value in every bag of Free Graze Berkshire Pork burgers.
Each bag of our Berkshire Pork burgers has the highest quality authentic Berkshire pork, and contains no antibiotics, hormones or artificial ingredients. Our patties are preservative free, gluten free and contain no animal by-products. They are minimally processed to preserve all the nutrition and flavor in a 100% All-Natural Berkshire Pork patty.
How to Top a Berkshire Pork Burger for Maximum Flavor
Berkshire pork is very versatile when it comes to adding great toppings and robust flavors. You can try virtually any kind of grilled vegetable or pepper (including spicy and hot varieties) grilled onions, and zesty barbeque sauces. But where this patty shines is when you add a combination of sweet and savory to the patty. Think onions and grilled fruits like pineapple for a delicious Hawaiian inspired flavor! It is quick and easy to add some fresh pineapple slices to your grill; and if you really love the sweet combination, consider serving it on a sweet hamburger roll, or light brioche.
We stumbled upon this recipe for a Pineapple Relish that paired with delicious results, on our Free Graze Berkshire Pork burger. You can use fresh or crushed canned pineapples to quickly create this amazing burger sauce; it’s balanced with the added sweetness of Vidalia onions, diced green pepper (try switching it with sweet red peppers instead), and fresh lime zest. If you love bacon, try adding it as a topping our Berkshire patty, or experiment in your kitchen and cultivate your own bacon-based mushroom burger sauce, like this one from Genius Kitchen.
When it comes to cheese, we recommend a smoked gouda, which helps to amplify the rich grilled pork flavors. Other smoked and creamy international cheeses that make a delicious combination include Belle Crème (Canada), Camembert cheese (France), and Gruyere (Switzerland). If you want to go gourmet and you can find the less known Manchego cheese (Spain), it has a tangy and fruity flavor, with nutty under tones that will remind you of woodsy truffle flavors. Limburger cheese melted on our premium pork patty is also recommended.
Sharp cheeses can work very well, as it balances the pork meat flavor, so try your Berkshire Pork burger with Pepper Jack, or Monterrey cheese. Types of strong cheeses like Bleu, Parmigiano Reggiano, Romano and fresh Asiago cheese can detract from the overall flavor profile of the pork and are not recommended. You want to taste every bite of that delicious Berkshire Pork, and not bury it in overwhelming or conflicting flavors that will mask the natural goodness of the meat.
There is a new option when you want to change it up from our premium grass-fed 100% beef patties or free roaming vegetarian fed Turkey burgers. Our Free Graze Berkshire Pork burgers have all the delicious and juicy flavors of boneless pork ribs, and pair with great grilled fruits and vegetables, and savory barbeque sauces. Try it this week and let us know what you think!
