n. Pork that comes from a breed of pig that has remained genetically stable for many generations.
2006
He likes to use locally supplied foods, such as the "heirloom" pork, which was on a recent menu.
2003
The French-inspired menu will change often, as Slone and Locci hope to follow in the tradition of their predecessor by using seasonal, local ingredients. The chef also puts an emphasis on high-quality meats. Dinner began with an amuse bouche crafted from mushrooms with truffle oil and fava beans. Pan-seared Niman Ranch beef fillet rested on a bed of spinach with delicate but crisp-coated mashed potatoes alongside. Tender roasted Berkshire heirloom pork was paired with dried cherries, smoked pecans and white bean ragout.
1999 (earliest)
Last week, for only the second time in my life, I tasted pork so delicious it needed no seasoning beyond salt and pepper. Both times the meat was superior heirloom pork, suffused with a bright, clean flavor, with none of the unpleasant aftertaste pork often has. Not coincidentally, both pieces came from pigs raised in a manner vastly different from that of ordinary supermarket pork.
Heirloom pork is an example of a heritage breed (1993), a breed that has not undergone genetic modification, via either genetic engineering or selective breeding. (Headline writers like to refer to these breeds as "antique animals.") Most modern pigs have been genetically modified to enhance characteristics that maximize profit, although these characteristics usually reduce the animals' taste and, to a lesser extent, their nutritional value. For example, the variety of pig grown on most farms today has been modified to produce less fat. This gives more meat per pound — and hence more profit — but the resulting pork has less taste.
Similar phrases I've seen are heirloom chicken (1993), heirloom cattle (1998), and heirloom cows (2002).
Similar phrases I've seen are heirloom chicken (1993), heirloom cattle (1998), and heirloom cows (2002).