Happy Inagh Pigs

It’s no small matter to be the only pork producer in Ireland to have received the Good Pig Award from Compassion in World Farming. But winning that award from CWF is what marks out Deirdre and Gerard Rynne's Inagh Free Range Farm pork. Oh, and there is one other thing that marks out their pork: it is sublime.
The Rynnes rear large black pigs, and they are amongst the most beautiful pigs we have ever seen. When we visited the holding, just a few miles outside Inagh village in County Clare, the boar and sows were calm, peaceful and handsome, a picture of health and contentment. A litter of large blacks had just been born that morning, to a first time mother, who was already coping well with feeding her babies. The Rynnes don’t keep many pigs, all the better to look after them properly, and it shows in the superb quality of the meat. We braised a belly of Inagh pork with some fennel, tomatoes and lemon peel, and it was the best pork belly we have ever eaten: good meat from good pigs.
At present, Deirdre and Gerard sell the meat from their little shed at their holding, and as plans develop we should see Inagh pork becoming more available. But we would happily drive to County Clare anytime just to get this wondrous parade of pork and ham products. Next up is a ham hock terrine, and then a slow-roast pork shoulder for the weekend. Bring it on.
Contact Gerard and Deirdre at: irishfreerangepork.com