0:00:03 > 0:00:07We believe that Britain has the best food in the world!
0:00:07 > 0:00:10Our glorious country boasts some fantastic ingredients...
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Start eating it, will you!
0:00:13 > 0:00:16'..it's home to some amazing producers...'
0:00:16 > 0:00:19- My goodness gracious, that is epic. - Isn't it?
0:00:21 > 0:00:24..and innovative chefs.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27But our islands also have a fascinating food history...
0:00:27 > 0:00:33The fish and chip shops of South Wales are running out of chips.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35BOTH: Yes!
0:00:35 > 0:00:39And in this series, we're uncovering revealing stories
0:00:39 > 0:00:40of our rich culinary past.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45Now there is food history on a plate.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47..as well as meeting our nation's food heroes
0:00:47 > 0:00:49who are keeping this heritage alive!
0:00:49 > 0:00:53Let's have them enjoying themselves, it's a short life.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Let's make it a happy one like they always have had.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58And of course we'll be cooking up a load of dishes
0:00:58 > 0:01:01that reveal our foody evolution.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Spring, summer, autumn or winter, it's brilliant.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11BOTH: Quite simply, the Best of British.
0:01:26 > 0:01:27The British pig.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Dude, it's marvellous, man. Pork pies.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34- Sausages.- Ham hock. - Slow roast pork shoulder.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38- Bacon, dude.- Ooh! Pork scratchings.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Us Brits really know
0:01:40 > 0:01:44how to get the best out of the humble pig.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46Thankfully for our ancestral tummies,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49pigs were our first animals we domesticated for meat.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52They have been part of the centre of our diet ever since.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57We love pigs so much that we've dedicated a whole programme
0:01:57 > 0:02:02to their place in our culinary heritage, and the wonderful bits
0:02:02 > 0:02:05of tasty, flavoursome loveliness you get off them.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07There's snout not to like!
0:02:12 > 0:02:16We British can boast some of the tastiest native breeds in the world.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21Loveable creatures with a fascinating but formidable past.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24That have kept us going through some tough times.
0:02:24 > 0:02:29And provided us with one of the most versatile meats on the planet.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31From honest and humble...
0:02:31 > 0:02:34To comforting classics...
0:02:34 > 0:02:37..and impressive showstoppers.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42There's no end to what you can do with a pig.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45And we're going to demonstrate just why you should never take
0:02:45 > 0:02:47this little beastie for granted.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00They were first domesticated some 10,000 years ago.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06And quickly became the staple source of protein for the British people
0:03:06 > 0:03:09providing generation after generation with a cheap
0:03:09 > 0:03:11and economical source of food.
0:03:15 > 0:03:16ARCHIVE: 'In the past,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18'almost every cottage kept a hardy outdoor pig or two.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22'So much home produce meant a simple diet, which nevertheless emphasised
0:03:22 > 0:03:25'the strong flavour of food.'
0:03:25 > 0:03:31In the old days, everybody used to kill a pig
0:03:31 > 0:03:33and hang it up
0:03:33 > 0:03:37and we used to cut a slice of that and put in a pot for the meat.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Not only did they taste really, really good,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44but they were essential to the way of life for rural families.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46They grew fast, ate anything
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and famously you could eat every part except the oink.
0:03:49 > 0:03:56Everyone killed a pig in February, or two pigs in February.
0:03:56 > 0:04:01And then obviously we've got the pig back with everything belonging to it.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04People used to swap round and make each other's.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07You used to finish up with a pantry full of pork pies.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09It's the best pie in the world without a doubt.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13A pig not only provided you with enough food to last a year,
0:04:13 > 0:04:15but they more or less paid for themselves.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19In fact, back in 1860, writer and vet William Youatt
0:04:19 > 0:04:24declared that, "There is no savings bank for a labourer like a pig."
0:04:24 > 0:04:28They were cheap to buy, could be fed on household waste
0:04:28 > 0:04:31and provide a family with more meat than they needed.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35Any surplus excess was sold and the money used to buy the next one.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Perfect.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Back in 1937, there were estimated
0:04:39 > 0:04:44to be over four million pigs in Britain, many home reared.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47But during the Second World War, food became so scarce
0:04:47 > 0:04:49that even keeping a pig became a luxury.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Instead, people joined together to form pig clubs
0:04:53 > 0:04:56and reared food for the war effort.
0:04:56 > 0:05:02And by 1943, there were around 4,000 clubs with over 100,000 members.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05ARCHIVE: 'Every day in big cities, thousands of tons of good food
0:05:05 > 0:05:10'is, no, not thrown away, but saved, in special bins like this
0:05:10 > 0:05:13'to make food for pigs. Potato peelings, cabbage stalks,
0:05:13 > 0:05:17'stale bread and plate scrapings are all put by conscientious housewives
0:05:17 > 0:05:19'into the food bin.'
0:05:19 > 0:05:24But, alas this patriotic pig for victory didn't last.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29After the war, ownership took a nose dive.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34The home-reared pig became a thing of the past as the advent
0:05:34 > 0:05:37of intensive farming and supermarkets
0:05:37 > 0:05:40offered people a convenient alternative.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44As the years went on, our porky pals became less and less
0:05:44 > 0:05:47part of the family and more a shrink-wrapped product.
0:05:52 > 0:05:53Over 30 years on,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57and with the advent of the slow food movement, thankfully more and more
0:05:57 > 0:06:01of us are recognising the value of quality over quantity.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06And with that, the pig sty is back in style,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10as people are increasingly choosing to raise their own pigs once again.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13If you know what the pig's eaten and how it's been kept,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15then it's much easier to eat that pig.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Except these days it's not enough just to feed them,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20some people want to talk to them as well.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22How do you say hello? Do the hello one again.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23SHE GRUNTS
0:06:23 > 0:06:25PIGS GRUNT
0:06:25 > 0:06:28That's it. That's what you want.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32We want to have our pig and eat it too!
0:06:32 > 0:06:35You've seen it on legs, now you're seeing it on a plate.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43And now in honour of our ancestors, we are going to do
0:06:43 > 0:06:45what generation after generation have done.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Make a pork pie.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52But not any pork pie, we're going to make our own special version
0:06:52 > 0:06:55of that classic, the gala pie.
0:06:55 > 0:07:01Deliciously peppery pork with a rich seam of quail egg in its core
0:07:01 > 0:07:04and all wrapped up in a hearty crust.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08My first memory of gala pie, being a child that had a vivid imagination,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12I was quite perplexed. I'd look at these slices of pink luminous pie
0:07:12 > 0:07:16with the egg in the middle, and I worried all the time that one day
0:07:16 > 0:07:20I'd get a slice of pie with the end of an egg, and I never did.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24How come the endless egg? So apart from doing the gala pie, we're going
0:07:24 > 0:07:27to explain the mystery of the endless egg.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30You see? You see, you don't get just memories
0:07:30 > 0:07:33but you get practical applications too with us two, you know.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Science!
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Ours isn't an ordinary gala pie.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41We're using only the finest ingredients starting with the eggs.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46Quail's eggs. We want a little bit more delicate gala pie, you know.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49I'm going to start with the filling first.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53I am going to poach 12 quails eggs in their shells
0:07:53 > 0:07:56for precisely two-and-a-half minutes.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00That is my total task at this moment. Thank you.
0:08:00 > 0:08:06My total task is to put 200g of pork mince,
0:08:06 > 0:08:12the interior of four pork sausages, into a bowl, like that.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16The eggs are immersed gently in water which is just off the boil,
0:08:16 > 0:08:20and two-and-a-half minutes, and counting.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23But you're the endless egg? Do you know what they do?
0:08:23 > 0:08:25This is genius. The butchers in the old days,
0:08:25 > 0:08:29they would separate the egg whites and the egg yolks.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32They would take a chipolata skin and they would fill that
0:08:32 > 0:08:35with the egg yolk and poach it. When they've got this stick of egg yolk
0:08:35 > 0:08:37they would put that in the middle of a big sausage skin,
0:08:37 > 0:08:39flood the outside with egg white
0:08:39 > 0:08:43and then poach that, so you end up with this endless boiled egg.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46We're just going to do a chain of quails eggs,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49so that every slice will get an egg.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52To the sausage meat, I'm adding two rashers
0:08:52 > 0:08:54of chopped, rindless, streaky bacon.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59And to achieve the lovely traditional flavour,
0:08:59 > 0:09:04mix in half a teaspoon of mace, half a teaspoon of ground ginger,
0:09:04 > 0:09:09a pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Then get your hands in and squidge it all together.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19After two-and-a-half minutes, it's time to drain the eggs.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Rinse them under cold water until they're completely cool.
0:09:23 > 0:09:29Did you know, in Britain, we eat 150 million quid's worth
0:09:29 > 0:09:31- of pork pies every year.- Do we?
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Right, that's me done, I'm now going to wash me hands
0:09:35 > 0:09:38- and then you can get on with your pastry.- I can.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41It's a traditional hot water crust, and it's lovely.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45It's fatty, it's unhealthy, but with a pork pie...!
0:09:45 > 0:09:47There's nowt better, is there?
0:09:47 > 0:09:49I start off with the food processor.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53You know what, Dave, it's funny how you associate stuff, isn't it?
0:09:53 > 0:09:56I always associate gala pie with brass bands.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Colliery bands.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00THEY MIMIC BRASS BAND PLAYING
0:10:04 > 0:10:09Start the pastry by putting 225g of plain flour into the food processor.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Mate, I'm just going to get on and peel these eggs.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15All right, mate, thank you. I'm going to put half a teaspoon
0:10:15 > 0:10:18of cracked black pepper in the pastry as well.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Even put quite a healthy half teaspoon.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25I just like peppery pies. Into that, a small block of lard.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29Lard creates flaky pastry.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Then add 25g of cold butter.
0:10:32 > 0:10:38Stick the lid on and pulse it until it looks like breadcrumbs.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Now comes the hot water part, take a small pan
0:10:41 > 0:10:44and add four tablespoons of water and begin heating.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Add a teaspoon of sea salt and a 50g block of lard
0:10:50 > 0:10:52and stir it until it melts.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57It's like a pound of pork sausages trying to do macrame,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59watching you peel those eggs.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02It's not easy! I've got pit man's hands, these!
0:11:02 > 0:11:04- Pippin's hands! - They're not pianists, these!
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Not pianist's hands. These are big shovels, these.
0:11:07 > 0:11:12- "I've got pippin's hands?" - Pit man's! Gala pie, all that.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Oh, aye. It's where me family comes from,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17a dark hole in the middle of Northumberland.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20- Egg number three.- Shut up.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24- I better let this lard melt slowly, eh?- Do you mind!
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- When you're on to number ten, give us a shout.- I might be some time.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Once the lard has melted, add the liquid to the pastry mix,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36but take care, its very hot.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40And then pulse it until you end up with a nice doughy mixture.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44This is always the fun part with hot water pastry.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46I like this particularly.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49- You do when I have to do it. - Yes, I do.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53It's hot, isn't it? Because there's boiling fat,
0:11:53 > 0:11:57but really, you need to get your hands in it
0:11:57 > 0:11:58and form a...
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- SCREAMS:- Form a block of pastry!
0:12:01 > 0:12:05Obviously, make sure it's not so hot you really burn your fingers.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08The thing is, once it's gone cold,
0:12:08 > 0:12:10it's like trying to craft leather...
0:12:10 > 0:12:13- YELLS:- Help me!
0:12:13 > 0:12:17So, just be bold, go for it and form it in a rough block shape.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Then place it on one piece of silicon baking parchment
0:12:23 > 0:12:25or grease proof paper.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30Use flour so it doesn't stick and roll it out nice and thin.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37Also sprinkle a bit of flour on to the eggs. We don't want them
0:12:37 > 0:12:41to sink into the pork mix when we put the pie together.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43We want them to sit nicely in the middle.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Now comes the artistic bit.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Spread half the meat down the centre of the rolled-out pastry
0:12:53 > 0:12:56and pop the eggs neatly on top in a nice straight line.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02And cover them with the rest of the sausage mix.
0:13:03 > 0:13:08It's just like wrapping them up in a snug pork duvet.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12Then liberally apply a whisked egg to the edges of the pastry.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16And roll it up like a big sausage roll.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21If you've got a crack, don't worry, because what we do is
0:13:21 > 0:13:23there's a two cooking stage on this.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26You put it in for 20 minutes, then after that take it out.
0:13:26 > 0:13:27Look for cracks, seal it with egg
0:13:27 > 0:13:30and then put it back in for another 20.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32A tidy pie is a happy gala pie.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35We take some scissors and trim the top off.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Now crimp the top edge,
0:13:37 > 0:13:42rather like that other working class delicacy, the Cornish pasty.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45And then brush it all over with egg
0:13:45 > 0:13:48which will give it a nice shiny tan when it's cooked.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50What do you think, Mr King?
0:13:50 > 0:13:52I think that's epic, dude. I really do.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56That is tidy crafted hot water crust.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58Gala pie!
0:14:01 > 0:14:06Place it into a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Then get it out and give it another coat of egg wash.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14This will not only help achieve a lovely crust,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17it will also seal any cracks that may have appeared.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Then pop it back in the oven for another 15 minutes
0:14:21 > 0:14:24or until it's a gorgeous golden brown.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29When it's ready you'll have to summon all your willpower
0:14:29 > 0:14:31to allow it to cool down.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34That's what you call a ploughman's lunch.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37- Shall we go in the middle? - Go in the middle, aye.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39One nice slice.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Look at that. The egg, just in the middle.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49That is brilliant, but look at that. It's not luminous pink,
0:14:49 > 0:14:53because it's real meat, but that's a perfect picnic pie.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56- What's not to love? - You say that every time now.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59I know, but it's true.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07- It's lovely.- If you like pork pies, you'll like this.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10If you like egg and bacon, you'll like this.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13If you like a sausage roll, you'll like this.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17The Hairy Bikers' posh gala pie. Brilliant.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21- What a clever pig.- Oh, aye.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25This little piggy can certainly come to market and not stay home.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31So that's our homage to the glorious gala pie,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34a pie that in its own way helped fuel the coal fields
0:15:34 > 0:15:38of Britain by filling the bellies of generations of mining folk.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47We tend to take our pork for granted,
0:15:47 > 0:15:51but the truth is we import a huge amount of it. If we don't
0:15:51 > 0:15:53start to do more to protect our piggy heritage,
0:15:53 > 0:15:55we're in danger of losing it.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02There were once around 20 breeds of British pig reared in different
0:16:02 > 0:16:06regions of the country, each with its own unique characteristics.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13Many of these old breeds disappeared as farming became industrialised
0:16:13 > 0:16:18around the Second World War, to cater for food shortages.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Fast growing porkers were needed to make production as quick
0:16:21 > 0:16:25as possible, and some of the old breeds were considered too slow.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28And all the others went into decline.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Now only half of the old types survive.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35But it's not all bad news as there are people out there
0:16:35 > 0:16:38working to put them back in the culinary spotlight.
0:16:38 > 0:16:43At Butts Farm in Gloucestershire, Judy Hancox and Gary Wallace
0:16:43 > 0:16:48are on a mission to preserve some of our traditional breeds of pig.
0:16:48 > 0:16:49Here, piggy-wig!
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Judy rears 20 different types of rare livestock,
0:16:53 > 0:16:56like these Oxford Sandy And Black pigs,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00resulting in some of the best-tasting pork around.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03- This is Cynthia.- Hello, Cynth.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06- And these are Cynthia's babies. - Oh, Cynthia!
0:17:06 > 0:17:10You've produced beautiful babies, Cynthia. And what a beautiful sow.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14These pigs were bred for food, and being British,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17we bred pigs that produced good pork.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19And that's what we're in danger of throwing away.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22It is our living heritage, that's so right.
0:17:22 > 0:17:28And we so nearly lost our heritage after the war when,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31let's face it, we don't realise how close we came to starving.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35It had to happen. We had to live. But now we're fine.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39We've got plenty of food, so let's go back to quality.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43What breeds have we lost that are never going to come back again?
0:17:43 > 0:17:48Well, there's a breed of pig called Lincolnshire Curly Coat that's gone.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51There is the Dorset Gold Tip -
0:17:51 > 0:17:55I've never even seen a picture of it. It's gone.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57- And that's our heritage. - That is our heritage.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01What are the benefits and advantages of this
0:18:01 > 0:18:06type of pig as opposed to the more commercially produced type of pig?
0:18:06 > 0:18:10Well, from my perspective as a farmer, they are easy to keep,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13but, of course, the most important thing is
0:18:13 > 0:18:15they are also delicious to eat.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18The good thing about it is that they are rare breeds,
0:18:18 > 0:18:20but they are no longer rare, are they?
0:18:20 > 0:18:22They are native to this country,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25and that is what we are trying to promote.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28And the best thing in the world is if they start by being rare breeds,
0:18:28 > 0:18:32but then don't become rare breeds any more, because everybody loves
0:18:32 > 0:18:34to eat them so much and loves to keep them so much
0:18:34 > 0:18:36that they are popular again.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40It's an idyll, it's a rural idyll, but it's also really good food.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43- Yeah, it is. Yeah, it is. - I'm sorry, but you are.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47- And there's a lot of bacon sandwiches on our Cynthia.- Shhh!
0:18:47 > 0:18:49It's all right, she's very deaf.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Oh, is she? That's all right.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53These pigs are in good hands,
0:18:53 > 0:18:58but what is it about traditional breeds that makes good eating?
0:18:58 > 0:19:02The man who knows all about it is Judy's husband, Gary Wallace,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04the farm's butcher.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08I think it's fair to say that we love good pork.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10- Do you?- Yeah. - There is pleasure in a pig.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13I'm looking forward to this, I think it's fair to say that
0:19:13 > 0:19:17with beef and lamb, I understand which cheaper cuts to use, but with
0:19:17 > 0:19:22pork, I'm still kind of dependent on the shoulder, leg and loin.
0:19:22 > 0:19:23- You're in for a treat.- Good man.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Right, here we are then, guys.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33That is a side of Oxford Sandy And Black.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35It's quite a small pig.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38The reason for that is, it is a traditional pork pig.
0:19:38 > 0:19:43We find that this is the ideal pork weight. 48 to 55 kilos.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47- You can see the fat-to-meat ratio is just perfect.- Exactly.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49Do you know what I'm noticing, Gary?
0:19:49 > 0:19:52A lot of supermarket pork you get, it's wet.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54This isn't. It's slightly waxy.
0:19:54 > 0:19:59Yeah. A lot of these commercial pigs are finished in about 16, 18 weeks.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01These guys take five to six months.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Minimum five months, maximum six months.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Proper butchery is a fine art.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11- You've done this before, haven't you?- A couple of times.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13There's an old mate of mine
0:20:13 > 0:20:16who is a butcher who is about 75, and he goes,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19"As soon as you hear the saw, stop cutting through bone, stop."
0:20:19 > 0:20:21Exactly. You are creating heat by using that saw,
0:20:21 > 0:20:26and that starts the process of drying the meat out, discolouration.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30We're after a cut of meat called the hand, which is the part
0:20:30 > 0:20:33below the shoulder and on the bone.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37It's tender and tasty, but also economical for cooks.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Sunday roast, it's a belter.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Yeah. Slow roasted, whack it in the oven at breakfast time,
0:20:42 > 0:20:44eat it at lunchtime, it is... Oh. As you are going to taste later.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47- Oh, man! - It's something very special.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50- Haway, crack on!- It is the best of British.- It is.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54It's funny though, we are known as a nation of beef eaters,
0:20:54 > 0:20:56but actually we should be pork eaters.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Since time began, everybody has kept a pig.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02We kept a pig, we lived on it, it was our staple foodstuff.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05But our pork products as well, be it the Sunday roast,
0:21:05 > 0:21:07sausages and bacon, it's the best in the world.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09We are just the best at it.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11It's so sad. You have to realise that 80% of the pork
0:21:11 > 0:21:14that is eaten in this country isn't British.
0:21:14 > 0:21:19- 80%?- 80%. Even down to, you see "British bacon,"
0:21:19 > 0:21:22it's pork... pigs, that's been imported from abroad
0:21:22 > 0:21:24and cured in this country.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31So, then we just cut through to remove the pork.
0:21:31 > 0:21:36- Look at that!- The important thing is getting a good quantity of meat...
0:21:36 > 0:21:38To fat ratio.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42And actually, the fat itself, it's white, it's like ivory. It milky.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47As you say, best of British. So that really is the hand and spring.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50It's a big lump of meat, but still very economical.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52Really, all that's left to do now is to cook it.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56- Good lad.- Yeah? - Great crackling.- Oh, hey!
0:21:56 > 0:21:58THEY CHUCKLE
0:21:58 > 0:22:01'Ahh, those are words to warm the heart, Gary!'
0:22:01 > 0:22:05'We love eating this meat, and Judy is cooking up a storm
0:22:05 > 0:22:09'with a hand of pork taken from an Oxford Sandy And Black.'
0:22:09 > 0:22:13- Oh, yes!- Look at that. Wow!
0:22:13 > 0:22:18'Judy's slow cooked it - the only way to do meat like this justice.'
0:22:21 > 0:22:25- It's audible pork, isn't it? - It's very audible pork, isn't it?
0:22:25 > 0:22:28That is superb meat, absolutely superb.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31You can't stop yourself, can you?
0:22:31 > 0:22:33THEY LAUGH
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Come on, darling. Sit down, let's tuck in.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39It's a pleasure to have you here, guys.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43First thing is, it's tender. It's falling apart.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47'That flavour and texture is simply sensational.'
0:22:47 > 0:22:51- Look at that, off the bone. Perfect.- Just falls off.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Nothing pretentious, just good, honest British food.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00You know what's a real privilege is to eat a rare but native,
0:23:00 > 0:23:04that's the important thing, it's not rare, it's just native.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06It's a native breed of meat that we have in our country,
0:23:06 > 0:23:10and that's fantastic. We're not eating an endangered species here,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13we're simply eating great food. And great, great meat.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18- This is just perfect. - Thank you so much.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22'It's sad to think that we've lost
0:23:22 > 0:23:25'so much of our regional food heritage.'
0:23:25 > 0:23:27'But thanks to people like Judy and Gary
0:23:27 > 0:23:29'there's hope for the future.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31'So, next time you're in your butchers
0:23:31 > 0:23:34'ask them about rare breed pork and help stop
0:23:34 > 0:23:38'traditional British breeds disappearing forever.'
0:23:38 > 0:23:41But our porcine history is a very long one...
0:23:41 > 0:23:44And dates back even further than the domestic pig.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53For thousands of years a fearsome beast stalked these lands.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55FEROCIOUS SQUEALING
0:23:55 > 0:23:58A beast that terrorised the countryside...
0:23:58 > 0:24:01And struck fear into the heart of travellers,
0:24:01 > 0:24:05from the humblest of peasants to the bravest of knights.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10- It was thought to have gone forever.- But now it's BACK!
0:24:11 > 0:24:13What? Is that it?
0:24:13 > 0:24:17Wild boars are fearsome creatures, you know.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19This one's a bit cute to be terrifying, though, dude.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Fair point. They may have been scary creatures for our ancestors,
0:24:22 > 0:24:26but wild boars were also the original source of our pork,
0:24:26 > 0:24:31and for centuries, Britons valued them for their tasty flavour.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Recently, boar meat has been making a comeback,
0:24:33 > 0:24:37and for the last five years, farmer Simon Gaskell has been
0:24:37 > 0:24:42braving these wild beasties at his farm in Wiltshire.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47Along with wild boar ham, Simon's farm makes salami and chorizo.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Boars are certainly unusual stock,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53but Simon believes the meat they produce is a winner.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56Oh, flaming Nora! That one doesn't look so friendly.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59I love wild boar. They are fascinating animals.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01They are magical to work with, and very exciting.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03And most importantly, they taste so good.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06They take so long to grow, they are low in saturated fats,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09they are low in cholesterol, they are high in protein.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Their meat is much more flavoursome, they are gamy, old-fashioned.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15It's what our ancestors were brought up on.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18As well as being tasty in the pot, they were celebrated
0:25:18 > 0:25:22by our ancestors for their aggressive and fearsome nature.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26Because of this, they were prized by hunters.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31Unfortunately, by the 13th century they'd become extinct in the wild.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34A few lingered on on the grand estates of the aristocracy,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37but by the 18th century, boars had been wiped out.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Rearing them is not for the faint-hearted.
0:25:43 > 0:25:48The clue is in the name, really - when we say wild boar, we mean wild!
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Boars are covered by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act,
0:25:51 > 0:25:55which means Simon's enclosures are high security.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57It's like a miniature Jurassic Park!
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Wild boar by their nature are pretty wild,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04and to keep them in we have a six-foot fence,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07and within that we have at 20,000 Joule electric current
0:26:07 > 0:26:08running through two wires
0:26:08 > 0:26:12to keep... where is he... that big guy over there in.
0:26:12 > 0:26:17Meet Julian, the farm's stud boar and a 25-stone misanthrope.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19He really is a bit of a brute.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22He's got no manners, and his tusks are incredibly sharp.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24He's created a bit of tapestry on my legs.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26I have two or three scars from him,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29and most recently a little love bite from yesterday.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33Purely because he was just hungry and keen for his tucker, I'm sure.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35With porkers like Julian around,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38the setup is quite different to your average pig farm.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42Looking after this lot is, to say the least, a bit of a challenge.
0:26:42 > 0:26:43They're like piggy piranhas!
0:26:43 > 0:26:47These are farmed wild boar, and you cannot...
0:26:47 > 0:26:51It's very difficult to take the wild out of the farmed boar.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Boar farming isn't like pig farming. They really do do their own thing,
0:26:55 > 0:26:59as you can see. They're not as personable or friendly.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03It's a completely different animal to the pig of today.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05You can see the difference.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08A wild boar has a lot longer snout, prick ears, shorter body
0:27:08 > 0:27:10and it's got a straight tail.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13And the key thing, I found since starting,
0:27:13 > 0:27:15is to have as friendly a stock as you can.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17They are very difficult to do anything with.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21First time I ever had them in this paddock, it took me nine days to get them out of here,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23because you can't go behind them and go "shoo!"
0:27:23 > 0:27:26So, by taking time and spending time with them,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29and getting friendlier sows will help, I hope,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31in breeding it into the young
0:27:31 > 0:27:35so that they become friendlier and more pliable overtime.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37It's going to be a very long process.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42Wild boar was a favourite at medieval royal banquets.
0:27:42 > 0:27:47It had a tough image and was usually only hunted by the nobility.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Henry VIII loved hunting them and was once saved from being
0:27:50 > 0:27:55gored to death by a beautiful woman archer. He would, wouldn't he?
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Over the last few years,
0:27:58 > 0:28:01boar meat has become a favourite on posh tables once more.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Simon supplies his product to an array of top restaurants,
0:28:06 > 0:28:09like Lucknam Park in Wiltshire
0:28:09 > 0:28:12and it's a good place to see what the fuss is about.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Chef Hywel Jones is cooking wild boar loin
0:28:16 > 0:28:20and butternut squash fritters with boar chorizo.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24A lot of people might be unfamiliar with wild boar.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27If you like pork, pretty good bet you're going to like wild boar.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29It's like a very posh, upmarket pig.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33It's a little bit more gamy, but it's just a first-rate product.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37We've taken the loin, so you've got the best end and the loin together,
0:28:37 > 0:28:42we're just left with this delicious deep pink-coloured meat.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Hywel starts off by preparing his fritters.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49He purees butternut squash and mixes it into risotto rice.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53Then adds a special ingredient - wild boar chorizo.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57It certainly adds another dimension to the dish.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59Depth of flavour, a little bit of spiciness,
0:28:59 > 0:29:01and it goes really well with the butternut.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Ooh, hey, man - these are looking lovely, Dave.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07And he's deep frying them, too - marvellous!
0:29:08 > 0:29:11There's our beautiful wild boar loins. We're going to season them
0:29:11 > 0:29:14with a little bit of rock salt, a little bit of milled white pepper.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17It's quite a lean meat, there's not a lot of fat through it,
0:29:17 > 0:29:22so to prevent it from overcooking on the hot side of the pan,
0:29:22 > 0:29:25just some normal kitchen foil.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28That tinfoil is acting as a barrier between the pan and the meat,
0:29:28 > 0:29:30so you're going to get a nice even cooking.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34You're not going to get one side of the meat cooked more than the other.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37The loin goes in the oven for about seven minutes
0:29:37 > 0:29:40and then it's nearly ready to eat.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43A nice little garnish of our greens.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46On go the risotto fritters.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50That meat is exactly as I wanted it - just a little over medium.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52Juicy and succulent.
0:29:54 > 0:29:55And now, that's the dish finished.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58I'm just going to add the sauce and it's good to go.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Hywel's dishes are upmarket stuff.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04The boar provides an interesting alternative to pork cuts,
0:30:04 > 0:30:08with bags of flavour to explore on the plate.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12But Simon has plans to bring it to the masses as well.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17At wild boar HQ, Simon's teamed up with charcuterie expert
0:30:17 > 0:30:22Vincent Castellano, to make some bite-sized snacks for the pub.
0:30:22 > 0:30:27They're hoping to turn their high end salami and chorizo
0:30:27 > 0:30:30into a smaller and more inexpensive version
0:30:30 > 0:30:32which they've called Boar Bites.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34Must be named after Julian!
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Vincent and I have been playing with the content,
0:30:37 > 0:30:39mixing the herbs and spices a touch.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41This is our third batch,
0:30:41 > 0:30:44which will be even better than the last one.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46We've tweaked the recipe,
0:30:46 > 0:30:49and this time I reckon is going to be the best.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Charcuterie like chorizo and salami,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54is a good way of using this expensive meat.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57It not only means you need less of it in each product as you're
0:30:57 > 0:31:01mixing with other flavours, but it lasts for ages, too.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04It's really exciting getting to this stage having seen how long
0:31:04 > 0:31:08it's taken for the boar to rear, all of the time it's taken
0:31:08 > 0:31:12for the boar to hang, and then Vincent's careful time on making it.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16To actually get it tasted really will be the proof of the pudding.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20The boar bites take three weeks to dry out,
0:31:20 > 0:31:24so Simon is off to the local Swan pub with an earlier batch,
0:31:24 > 0:31:26to see what the customers think.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29There's no better judge than the public!
0:31:29 > 0:31:34- That's nice. - Very similar to French saucisson.
0:31:34 > 0:31:35That's moreish.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39You'd go for another piece of that.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42It's quite a nice salty snack to have a glass of wine,
0:31:42 > 0:31:44a pre-dinner snack.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47Mmm!
0:31:47 > 0:31:49Looks like that's a thumbs up, then!
0:31:49 > 0:31:53Wild boar. It's not something you come across every day,
0:31:53 > 0:31:55but that's not a bad thing, really.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59It's good to have something a bit different from the norm,
0:31:59 > 0:32:03and when it tastes as great as this, what a discovery it is too!
0:32:07 > 0:32:11British pork certainly doesn't have to be used in a traditional way.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15It's incredibly versatile, and we're going to prove that by giving it
0:32:15 > 0:32:19a continental spin for our next dish.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23Polenta Pork, a delicious Eastern European winter warmer
0:32:23 > 0:32:27and a family favourite in the Myers house.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31- My wife is Romanian.- She is.
0:32:31 > 0:32:36Practically Romania's national dish is mamaliga, which is polenta.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38You normally associate polenta with northern Italy,
0:32:38 > 0:32:40but it spread north into Romania,
0:32:40 > 0:32:45and in many places in Eastern Europe it is staple carbohydrate fare.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47Some people cannot get their heads round the texture of it,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50but the thing is, give it a go, cos it's great.
0:32:50 > 0:32:51This recipe is adapted,
0:32:51 > 0:32:55it's like a Romanian shepherds pie that we make at home,
0:32:55 > 0:32:59but we've kind of adapted it with fine British pork products.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03British sausages, British bacon, and honestly, it's brilliant.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07British food is a constantly evolving thing of wonder,
0:33:07 > 0:33:11and we benefit by being culinary magpies.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13I mean, we flit hither and thither
0:33:13 > 0:33:15taking the best things from various cuisines,
0:33:15 > 0:33:19adapt them a little bit, make it our own, and it's brilliant.
0:33:19 > 0:33:25Forget your shepherds pie this week, try this pork polenta. It's ace.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28And polenta, you get it everywhere, now.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33Start by frying 12 rashers of streaky bacon
0:33:33 > 0:33:34until it's nice and crisp.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37We're using dry cured unsmoked bacon,
0:33:37 > 0:33:39but it's also great with smoked.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44In another pan, fry three chopped onions.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49Then add 600 grams of skinned chilli sausages
0:33:49 > 0:33:52or you could use soft cooking chorizo.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56As the onion and sausage start to cook through,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58break up the meat so it crumbles.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05One of the wonderful Romanian products that's yet to reach
0:34:05 > 0:34:08our shores is smoked polenta.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11It's wonderful. It's heavy and smoky.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13Anything smoky with pork is great.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16When your carbohydrate is smoked - yum yum!
0:34:16 > 0:34:19It's a flavour carrier as well, that's the good thing about polenta.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22You can push quite a lot of flavours through it.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25I think polenta is more interesting than couscous.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28I mean, after all, couscous is the only food that can be
0:34:28 > 0:34:31so boring you have to say the name twice so you don't forget it.
0:34:31 > 0:34:32"Cous-cous."
0:34:33 > 0:34:35Heh heh!
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Right, that's just about there, I think.
0:34:38 > 0:34:43The polenta, the mamaliga, the cornmeal. Let's get cracking.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47This is quick cook polenta, which is a bit like instant porridge oats.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50It cooks in about one minute in the pan.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54If you're using the regular, real polenta, you'll have to stand there
0:34:54 > 0:34:56and stir it for about 20 minutes. Is that right?
0:34:56 > 0:34:5820 minutes, half an hour. You can't leave it.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02But it's probably the quick cook polenta that you're going to buy.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06You just swirl in the pan and just pour it in.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10'Add 250 grams to a pan of boiling water.'
0:35:12 > 0:35:14This needs to cook for one minute,
0:35:14 > 0:35:16and then we beat it for four minutes.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18As you can see, it's still liquid.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21It's not going to be like that for long.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23To that we add a teaspoon of salt.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30And let that rumble for a minute.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34It's like my father-in-law, he likes his polenta so thick
0:35:34 > 0:35:37you put the pan out, and even just put it on a board on the table,
0:35:37 > 0:35:40and he cuts his polenta with a piece of string like that.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44That's when he knows it's good.
0:35:44 > 0:35:45Now take it off the heat
0:35:45 > 0:35:49and just keep stirring it for about four minutes.
0:35:49 > 0:35:53As you stir, it will thicken up into the wonderful cornmeal porridge
0:35:53 > 0:35:56that is known as polenta or mamaliga.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01'While Dave's stirring that,
0:36:01 > 0:36:03'I'm going to add two tablespoons of sweet paprika...
0:36:05 > 0:36:09'..and one tablespoon of hot paprika to the sausage and onions.'
0:36:12 > 0:36:16'The smell of these flavours coming together is incredible.
0:36:16 > 0:36:21'After four minutes of stirring the polenta, add 50g of butter...
0:36:23 > 0:36:26'..and 100g of mature cheddar cheese...
0:36:27 > 0:36:29'..100g of parmesan...
0:36:31 > 0:36:33'..and keep stirring.'
0:36:37 > 0:36:40'It's nearly time to assemble our masterpiece,
0:36:40 > 0:36:42'so, after chopping the crispy bacon,
0:36:42 > 0:36:44'liberally grease a deep oven dish.'
0:36:48 > 0:36:50Look at that.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54It's really very lustrous, and it's packed with flavour.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58Take a third of this and put it into your dish.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04Half of the sausages.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08If you could cross fertilise a shepherd's pie with a lasagne
0:37:08 > 0:37:12with a bit of Eastern Europe thrown in, you've got this.
0:37:12 > 0:37:17But, the engine room to this dish is good British pork products.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23'Then use half the bacon to add another layer.'
0:37:23 > 0:37:25'And some more polenta.'
0:37:25 > 0:37:27'But make sure you move quickly
0:37:27 > 0:37:30'because the polenta will set if it's allowed to cool.'
0:37:33 > 0:37:35'Then layer it up one more time.
0:37:36 > 0:37:37'Sausage mix...'
0:37:39 > 0:37:41'Bacon...'
0:37:43 > 0:37:44'..polenta.'
0:37:47 > 0:37:51'And finish off by sprinkling more parmesan and cheddar cheese on top.'
0:37:54 > 0:37:57'All that's left is to whack it in a pre-heated oven
0:37:57 > 0:38:01'at 190 degrees Celsius for half an hour.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05'Leave it cooking away until it's all bubbling and golden.'
0:38:05 > 0:38:07I tell you what, it's funny -
0:38:07 > 0:38:09Romanians are so famous for being great gymnasts.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13Eating that is not going to help on your parallel bars, would it?
0:38:13 > 0:38:16- Could you imagine?- If you were an Olympian, what would you have done?
0:38:16 > 0:38:22Rowing. I like being on the water. What about you?
0:38:22 > 0:38:24I think synchronised swimming.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27You know, when the legs come up like that.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30When you get it right it must be very satisfying.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32Synchronised swimming. That's the one for me.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41Oh, mate - the smell of the cheese, the bacon the sausages...
0:38:42 > 0:38:46- I think we're there.- I do.- Should I unleash the beast?- I would.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52Oh ho! It's great, all that juice has bubbled through. Look at that.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54Oh, man!
0:38:56 > 0:38:59Polenta pork, or mamaliga.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06# Should it be crispy Soggy or in between? #
0:39:06 > 0:39:08A little salad.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10It's lovely, this.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14I mean, it's got the essence of a traditional British shepherd's pie,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17but we like spicy food as well.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21It's got the chilli from the paprika, chilli from the sausage.
0:39:21 > 0:39:26Wonderful British Cheddar, Italian Parmesan.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30But ultimately, it's blooming good British comfort food, isn't it?
0:39:30 > 0:39:35It is, and a perfect example of how versatile the British pig is.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43Now, from a thing of beauty to this.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48There are some traditional dishes that don't have, well,
0:39:48 > 0:39:50the best reputation in the world.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Take the humble faggot.
0:39:53 > 0:39:54They were once a staple food
0:39:54 > 0:39:57in working class industrial areas of Britain,
0:39:57 > 0:40:00like South Wales and the English Midlands.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03Faggots were cheap to make using offcuts of meat,
0:40:03 > 0:40:05particularly pork and offal,
0:40:05 > 0:40:09like pig's heart, liver and even sometimes pig brain!
0:40:09 > 0:40:13Breadcrumbs and herbs were added and the whole lot was
0:40:13 > 0:40:17wrapped in caul fat, which is basically stomach lining.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23They became particularly popular during rationing in the war years.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26But perhaps because of its association with hard times
0:40:26 > 0:40:29and somewhat indiscriminate use of meaty ingredients,
0:40:29 > 0:40:33they developed a certain stigma. They were so grim,
0:40:33 > 0:40:37even the manufacturers' own marketing men couldn't redeem them.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40ADVERT: Birds Eye even suggest that people who don't like faggots
0:40:40 > 0:40:41could enjoy these.
0:40:43 > 0:40:44They live in hope.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50But one man from Raglan in South Wales
0:40:50 > 0:40:53is determined to change all of that.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57Neil James' family have been butchers since 1959,
0:40:57 > 0:41:02and he is on a one-man mission to transform the faggot's reputation.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06The faggot, years gone by, was known as the butcher's scraps,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09and it's such a waste of a good product.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11How are you keeping?
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Tiptop, thanks. Can I have a half-dozen faggots, please?
0:41:14 > 0:41:17It's full of flavour, lovely spices to it.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20People say, "Oh, faggots? I haven't had those three years."
0:41:20 > 0:41:24Once they try them, they realise that they're very nice. So they go back.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27Instead of bringing fish fingers out the freezer, they might bring some faggots out.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30According to Neil, a faggot has to have liver in it,
0:41:30 > 0:41:34else it's just a meatball! But there are regional variations.
0:41:34 > 0:41:39He doesn't make any old faggots, oh, no. His are Welsh faggots.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41And rather than leftover scraps and offal,
0:41:41 > 0:41:46his family recipe only uses prime cuts of meat and liver.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48We're Welsh, we're famous for our lamb,
0:41:48 > 0:41:51and there's lamb in this faggot which adds an different flavour to it.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55So, it's a fine balance to get favours right in the faggot,
0:41:55 > 0:41:58and it's one of those very traditional things that I think
0:41:58 > 0:42:01if you're a proper butcher you should always make.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05Now you might be thinking faggots deserve every bit of bad press
0:42:05 > 0:42:10they get, but Neil is a man dedicated to his calling.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14Gone are the days of making them from random bits of gizzard.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17If he's going to shift some pretty entrenched public opinion,
0:42:17 > 0:42:21only the very best rare breed pork will do.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25For him, Maureen and John Teague's farm in Raglan is the place
0:42:25 > 0:42:27with the best pigs around.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32- Afternoon, Maureen.- Well, good afternoon, Mr James. How are you?
0:42:32 > 0:42:35- I'm all right. Some nice happy pigs there.- Always happy here.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38Yes, exactly. It's a nice meat. They are Saddlebacks, are they?
0:42:38 > 0:42:43- Yes, Saddlebacks. There's a few large White Cross.- Lovely.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47- Some for next week, then.- You'll have one or two down your shop next week.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50- You spoil me, you do, I tell you. - I do try, Neil. I do try.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52He believes a happier pig,
0:42:52 > 0:42:55kept in a good environment, produces better meat.
0:42:55 > 0:42:59Buying from farmers very local, like Maureen which is a mile away,
0:42:59 > 0:43:02and other people in the area of Raglan, it's wonderful.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05We know the farmers, we know the traceability of the stock,
0:43:05 > 0:43:09low food miles and less stress on the animals. Top-notch. Fair play to her.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11You can't fault it either way.
0:43:11 > 0:43:16And it's not just the quality of the meat, he uses the best cuts too.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19It's shoulders of pork we put in to our faggots.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22It's keeping the meat from Monmouthshire,
0:43:22 > 0:43:24the faggots are made in Monmouthshire.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26More importantly, it's Welsh.
0:43:26 > 0:43:28Don't just take Neil's word for it though -
0:43:28 > 0:43:31his customers are as convinced as he is.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33My dad always had them with a bit of vinegar and bread and butter,
0:43:33 > 0:43:35so in the summer like this it's lovely.
0:43:35 > 0:43:39But in the winter they're lovely with gravy and potatoes.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41There is a much you can do with them. They are great.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43Little bit of bacon on top, as well.
0:43:43 > 0:43:47I think they've been treated as a cheap food, whereas they shouldn't.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50I put them on a par, whether you eat them hot or cold,
0:43:50 > 0:43:54with any of the French pate delicacies.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57Neil is passionate about his supercharged recipe, and making
0:43:57 > 0:44:03the rest of us forget just how grim the old faggots were.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06But without access to a brainwashing machine to aid him
0:44:06 > 0:44:10on his quest, he's going to let his recipe do the talking,
0:44:10 > 0:44:12so the next generation can make their own minds up.
0:44:14 > 0:44:18So Neil's recruited a band of intrepid adventurers,
0:44:18 > 0:44:241st Raglan Scout Troupe, to head into uncharted food territory.
0:44:24 > 0:44:26I just don't like faggots.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29The ingredients sounds a bit iffy, but I think I might like them.
0:44:29 > 0:44:32Oh, he might have some convincing to do.
0:44:32 > 0:44:35So Neil's going to show the kids how to make them.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37Really, it's a meatball, so if you tried faggots
0:44:37 > 0:44:40and didn't like them before, get that out your mind.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42You're trying the Welsh faggot which is like a meatball,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45but it is still a faggot.
0:44:45 > 0:44:46They don't look happy!
0:44:46 > 0:44:50Neil mixes together pork, lamb, seasoning, onions,
0:44:50 > 0:44:53breadcrumbs and liver.
0:44:53 > 0:44:56It's the spices and seasoning that's the key to his recipe
0:44:56 > 0:44:58If you can get it out of him!
0:44:58 > 0:45:02- Is that a secret family recipe? - Yes it is. Each seasoning in there...
0:45:02 > 0:45:06One seasoning helps the lamp, one seasoning helps the pork,
0:45:06 > 0:45:10another bit of seasoning helps the liver and adds the flavour.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12It's all the little touches make it a bit special.
0:45:12 > 0:45:16Here, I thought he was going to let that secret slip!
0:45:16 > 0:45:17It's the best bit, the messy bit.
0:45:17 > 0:45:21Keep squashing around on it and it should all bind itself together.
0:45:21 > 0:45:23I'm not sure he's winning them round, you know.
0:45:23 > 0:45:25Well they might be imagining brains!
0:45:25 > 0:45:28Not as nice as making cakes, you can't lick the bowl out after,
0:45:28 > 0:45:31can you? But there we are. All you do then, put them in the palm
0:45:31 > 0:45:34of your hand and keep rolling it and pressing it.
0:45:34 > 0:45:36Time for the scouts to have a go,
0:45:36 > 0:45:39and banish these fears of inferior faggots forever.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42- Do you want to give it all go, then? ALL:- Yeah!
0:45:45 > 0:45:47Squeeze your hands. You got to squeeze your fingers.
0:45:47 > 0:45:48Looks good fun, this!
0:45:48 > 0:45:52That's perfect. That's right, that's all squashed together, isn't it?
0:45:52 > 0:45:54I must be a good teacher, you're listening to me.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57Good work, troupe!
0:45:57 > 0:46:00- Did you enjoy making faggots? ALL:- Yes!- You did.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03- Do you fancy eating them now? ALL:- Yeah!
0:46:03 > 0:46:07After a blast in an oven, they're finished off over the campfire
0:46:07 > 0:46:11and served up with the classic mushy peas, gravy and a big slab of bread.
0:46:13 > 0:46:17Right then, guys, just get a queue round here, please.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19They don't look half bad, actually.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25Well, they're certainly tucking in, we'll soon know
0:46:25 > 0:46:27if Neil's earned his cooking badge.
0:46:27 > 0:46:29- Is everyone enjoying their faggots? - ALL: Yeah!
0:46:31 > 0:46:33You can't say better than that!
0:46:33 > 0:46:37I thought I wasn't going to like them, but I really do.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40They are better than very nice. They are REALLY nice.
0:46:40 > 0:46:43I think it's something that we can cook around the campfire
0:46:43 > 0:46:45and the kids can get involved with making it.
0:46:45 > 0:46:49It'll become a staple part of Raglan Scouts' diet. Definitely.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52It may take a while to change the image of the Welsh faggot,
0:46:52 > 0:46:56but at least today Neil has won some new recruits to the cause.
0:46:56 > 0:46:58And perhaps in the future,
0:46:58 > 0:47:02more people will come to the table to tuck in to the tasty faggot.
0:47:07 > 0:47:08Now, when it comes to food pairings,
0:47:08 > 0:47:12pork and apple has to be one of the greatest known to man.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14And there's one breed of pig
0:47:14 > 0:47:16that encapsulates this pairing more than most.
0:47:16 > 0:47:18The Gloucestershire Old Spot.
0:47:18 > 0:47:22ARCHIVE: Once known as the orchard pig because it lived on windfalls,
0:47:22 > 0:47:24the meat of the Gloucester Old Spot
0:47:24 > 0:47:26is said to be slightly flavoured with apple.
0:47:29 > 0:47:31The breed was first registered in 1913,
0:47:31 > 0:47:33but it was called the Old Spot
0:47:33 > 0:47:36because it had been around as long as anyone could remember.
0:47:36 > 0:47:39In fact, it's probably one of the oldest breeds in the world.
0:47:39 > 0:47:43And it was always highly prized for its apple-tinged flavour.
0:47:43 > 0:47:45But after the Second World War,
0:47:45 > 0:47:48things started to turn sour for our spotty friend.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51ARCHIVE: It's meat is too fat for today's slimline shoppers,
0:47:51 > 0:47:53who demand lean pork.
0:47:53 > 0:47:56This change in taste combined with more intensive farming methods
0:47:56 > 0:47:59meant that farmers were quick to dump the Old Spot
0:47:59 > 0:48:02in favour of the latest in pig innovation.
0:48:05 > 0:48:08ARCHIVE: This is the Earls Court of the pig breeding world,
0:48:08 > 0:48:11and this year, the Chinese year of the pig, farmers are confident
0:48:11 > 0:48:15there are more new models on display than the motor show.
0:48:15 > 0:48:18Unveiled after an intensive year of secret breeding, the new,
0:48:18 > 0:48:20low-slung, longer, lean look.
0:48:21 > 0:48:25These new and imported breeds were better suited to modern farming
0:48:25 > 0:48:28and more efficient and trimmer.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32# Two little piggies go walking Two little piggies go talking... #
0:48:32 > 0:48:36See the difference in the back fat. This is the Landrace, and it's not
0:48:36 > 0:48:40so thick as the Gloucester Old Spot which you can see right there.
0:48:40 > 0:48:44And you can also see the difference here in the cuts.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47This is the Landrace that is the Gloucester Old Spot,
0:48:47 > 0:48:50and there is the difference in the chop.
0:48:53 > 0:48:54By the mid 1970's,
0:48:54 > 0:48:58things were looking pretty dire for the Gloucester Old Spot.
0:48:58 > 0:49:01ARCHIVE: Only two herds of Old Spots are left,
0:49:01 > 0:49:04and local people not faddy about fat prefer them.
0:49:04 > 0:49:08For 25 years, Mrs Price cooked for a country hotel near Lydney.
0:49:08 > 0:49:12She prefers the distinctive orchard flavour of Old Spot.
0:49:12 > 0:49:17The flavour of this you'll find much better than the lean ones.
0:49:17 > 0:49:23They are not so easy to get. We used to in our days,
0:49:23 > 0:49:26but you can get it, and of course it's the best.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31ARCHIVE: The Gloucester Old Spot could become popular again
0:49:31 > 0:49:34if there were a return to outdoor rearing,
0:49:34 > 0:49:36but there's not much hope of that.
0:49:36 > 0:49:40Thankfully, he was wrong, and in an era when flavour and welfare
0:49:40 > 0:49:42has become increasingly important,
0:49:42 > 0:49:45the portly Old Spot is making a comeback.
0:49:45 > 0:49:49But without its faithful fans, it might not have survived long enough
0:49:49 > 0:49:51to have another bite of the apple.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03Our final recipe is a celebration of that glorious union of pig
0:50:03 > 0:50:07and apple, but we're going to get even more fruity with it.
0:50:07 > 0:50:11Tender loin fillets stuffed with a mind-boggling
0:50:11 > 0:50:14array of scrumptious ingredients.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17A beautiful and tangy shock to the taste buds.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22Do you know, at the last count,
0:50:22 > 0:50:24there is around five million pigs in Britain.
0:50:24 > 0:50:29That's like one porker for every five of us. But this is special.
0:50:29 > 0:50:32And this little pig is going to a party.
0:50:32 > 0:50:37Oh, yes, this is our homage to the pig. You see, we're going to do
0:50:37 > 0:50:41a pork tenderloin wrapped in streaky bacon and stuffed with apricots,
0:50:41 > 0:50:43ginger...
0:50:43 > 0:50:46Apples, everything that is possible to dress pork up
0:50:46 > 0:50:48to show it to its best advantage.
0:50:48 > 0:50:52- We love it.- We are going to ginger this pig up. Oh, Kingy!
0:50:52 > 0:50:55I better get on with the stuffing.
0:50:55 > 0:50:59To begin, I'm going to trim the sinew and excess fat
0:50:59 > 0:51:02off two 500g tenderloin pork fillets.
0:51:04 > 0:51:05And for the stuffing,
0:51:05 > 0:51:08I need to finely chop one large banana shallot
0:51:08 > 0:51:12and melt a knob of butter in a pan with some olive oil.
0:51:14 > 0:51:17Add the shallot and begin sweating it down,
0:51:17 > 0:51:20but you don't want to colour it.
0:51:20 > 0:51:25- Kingy?- Yes, mate?- Which bit of pork is your favourite?- Belly pork.
0:51:25 > 0:51:28- You said that very quickly. - I love it.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30I like it when it's cooked properly,
0:51:30 > 0:51:34when it's cooked slowly and the crackling is really crisp,
0:51:34 > 0:51:39because on belly pork, it is the best crackling in the world.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41What about you?
0:51:41 > 0:51:44I quite like a pork loin roast with the crackling on the top,
0:51:44 > 0:51:48but I think one of the pleasures I love, it's a pork chop,
0:51:48 > 0:51:52and you get it done just right, so it's like charred on the outside,
0:51:52 > 0:51:54and you remember to cook the fatty side
0:51:54 > 0:51:56so you've even got a bit of crackling on your chop.
0:51:56 > 0:52:00Crackling one end, chop, kidney, and the fat's cooked as well
0:52:00 > 0:52:01and that's part of it,
0:52:01 > 0:52:04but the meat is not overcooked so it's still juicy.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07- Just right.- Just right.- Nice.
0:52:07 > 0:52:11Another ingredient that goes great with pork is garlic,
0:52:11 > 0:52:14so I want two cloves of garlic in this,
0:52:14 > 0:52:18and I'm going to crush them, because I want maximum flavour.
0:52:20 > 0:52:25Then peel one English eating apple, core it and roughly chop.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29While Dave's getting on with that,
0:52:29 > 0:52:31I'm going to prepare this gorgeous meat.
0:52:31 > 0:52:35Place one of the tenderloins between two pieces of cling film
0:52:35 > 0:52:39and bash with a rolling pin until it's about 1cm thick.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44Then do the same with the other fillet.
0:52:44 > 0:52:48You know how sometimes your roll clingfilm is unpredictable
0:52:48 > 0:52:49and it sticks together,
0:52:49 > 0:52:51it doesn't come off in the sheet how you want it?
0:52:51 > 0:52:54Keep your clingfilm in the freezer, and it makes it more handleable,
0:52:54 > 0:52:58and as it warms up in the kitchen it reforms perfectly well.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01- That a top tip, actually.- Oh, it is.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04Apples and pork, they were born to be together.
0:53:04 > 0:53:08It was a symbiotic relationship that worked.
0:53:09 > 0:53:13Put the chopped up apple in with the garlic and the shallot and add
0:53:13 > 0:53:16ten dried, quartered apricots...
0:53:19 > 0:53:21..and a handful of sultanas.
0:53:25 > 0:53:27Stem ginger balls - love them.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30It's ginger that's been macerated in syrup,
0:53:30 > 0:53:33and it's just the thing for the stuffing. I want three balls,
0:53:33 > 0:53:37and I'm going to use some of the syrup in the stuffing later.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40Chop this finely. They go into the mix, too.
0:53:42 > 0:53:46Breadcrumbs. These are going to soak up all the wonderful fruity,
0:53:46 > 0:53:48garlicky, onion-y flavours.
0:53:48 > 0:53:50I'm using 75 grams.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58Add the zest and juice of an unwaxed lemon.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04Now add a teaspoon of ground ginger.
0:54:05 > 0:54:07Now the herbage.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09I want three tablespoons of chopped parsley
0:54:09 > 0:54:12and one tablespoon of chopped thyme.
0:54:19 > 0:54:23Then drizzle in one tablespoon of stem ginger syrup.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28Finally season the stuffing mixture
0:54:28 > 0:54:31with salt and plenty of black pepper.
0:54:33 > 0:54:37If you had to make stuffing for pork, this is the one, isn't it?
0:54:37 > 0:54:41Bit of a fiddle. A few more ingredients than we'd like,
0:54:41 > 0:54:44but each ingredient is there for a reason, and it works.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48While Dave's been attending to his stuffing,
0:54:48 > 0:54:52I've arranged about 16 rindless smoked streaky bacon rashers
0:54:52 > 0:54:56onto another piece of clingfilm. Overlap them slightly,
0:54:56 > 0:54:58then lay the pork tenderloin on top.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03- Should I start to pack?- Absolutely.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10I want to keep this along the pork.
0:55:10 > 0:55:12Lovely textures as well, aren't they?
0:55:12 > 0:55:15Yes, and it is a good, good layer of stuffing.
0:55:15 > 0:55:20The stuffing is part of this dish, it's not just a dressing.
0:55:20 > 0:55:22You can imagine when you cut through this you've got the bacon,
0:55:22 > 0:55:26you've got that pork, and you've got this technical stuffing
0:55:26 > 0:55:28with all that fruit and space.
0:55:28 > 0:55:30Then take the top off
0:55:30 > 0:55:33and lie it across the other top of the stuffing.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37- Now, you've got to roll it. - Do you want a drum roll?
0:55:39 > 0:55:40Tight.
0:55:40 > 0:55:43- So what we do... - That's great, Kingy.
0:55:43 > 0:55:46And you've got really good overlap on your bacon
0:55:46 > 0:55:48so it's not going to explode.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51- It's like a pig torpedo, isn't it? - It's brilliant.- Oh, yes!
0:55:51 > 0:55:54- And now...- It's good value, because the pork loin is cheap.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01Then re-wrap your pig torpedo in more clingfilm nice and tightly
0:56:01 > 0:56:03so it keeps its shape.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09- Kingy, there's a flaw in the plan. - What?- I'm hungry,
0:56:09 > 0:56:13and this has to go in the fridge for 24 hours before we bake it.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16- Guess what?- What?- Here's one we did earlier.- I know, I was there.
0:56:16 > 0:56:18I know.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22That, Mr King, is perfect.
0:56:22 > 0:56:25Excellent, isn't it? Can't wait.
0:56:25 > 0:56:29Yeah. To the fridge for 24 hours. You go chill!
0:56:31 > 0:56:34So in age-old telly style,
0:56:34 > 0:56:37and much to the relief of my rumbling tummy,
0:56:37 > 0:56:40here's the one we prepared yesterday.
0:56:40 > 0:56:44Remove the clingfilm and place it on a lightly-greased baking tray,
0:56:44 > 0:56:46but make sure the join is at the bottom
0:56:46 > 0:56:48so the whole thing doesn't unravel.
0:56:48 > 0:56:52We're going to cook it in a pre-heated oven
0:56:52 > 0:56:55at 200 degrees Celsius for 50 minutes.
0:56:55 > 0:56:59Before too long, your kitchen will be alive with the most
0:56:59 > 0:57:01incredible gourmet piggy smell.
0:57:10 > 0:57:15Pork and herbs and apple and ginger. Woo! Get it out.
0:57:16 > 0:57:20- Look at that.- Oh, yes!- Fantastic.
0:57:22 > 0:57:23Let's have a look, then.
0:57:23 > 0:57:26Dig into it and let's have a look at the strata.
0:57:29 > 0:57:30- Perfect.- It is, yeah.
0:57:30 > 0:57:33'We're serving it with a creamy ginger sauce.
0:57:33 > 0:57:36'The recipe is on the website.'
0:57:36 > 0:57:39'We'll give you the address at the end of the show.'
0:57:39 > 0:57:41It's just a bit special, isn't it?
0:57:41 > 0:57:45- It is. It looks nice. It's an event, isn't it?- Yeah, yeah.
0:57:48 > 0:57:53That's superb. That stuffing is brilliant. Because it's still sharp.
0:57:53 > 0:57:55And we used smoky bacon on this as well,
0:57:55 > 0:57:58and that's lovely, it's a lovely smoky flavour.
0:57:58 > 0:58:01It's yet another level of flavour.
0:58:01 > 0:58:05Well, the great British pig. You cannae whack it.
0:58:05 > 0:58:10So there it is - all the proof you need that British pork is
0:58:10 > 0:58:12the best in the world.
0:58:12 > 0:58:16The humble pig has been there for us through thick and thin.
0:58:16 > 0:58:19And now it's time for us to do our bit.
0:58:19 > 0:58:22To celebrate our native breeds...
0:58:22 > 0:58:26And ensure they are there for future generations to enjoy.
0:58:28 > 0:58:31You can find out how to cook the recipes in today's show
0:58:31 > 0:58:34by going to -
0:58:44 > 0:58:47Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd