Juicy, buttery, marbled, rich and complex. Just what you want to cut into when you sit down to a plate of wholesome, tasty Iowa pork.

But not just ordinary pork. Mangalitsa pork. The “Kobe” of pork. Raised right here in Iowa at Mangalitsa Estates near Clearfield.

Mangalitsa pork is bright red with marbling similar to Prime-quality Kobe or Wagyu beef. It is high in monounsaturated fat — the good kind for heart health — with Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins B6 and B12. 

Cuts are heavily marbled, and animals have a thick layer of backfat. When cooked, Mangalitsa pork is exceptionally juicy and tender. When cured, Mangalitsa meat makes wonderful bacon, hams, charcuterie and salamis.

“It’s moist and hard to overcook. It’s virtually impossible to mess up,” says Steve Kerns, owner and operator of Mangalitsa Estates.

Flat iron and Demonico steaks, briskets and belly rib chops are hand-cut by artisan craft butchers, along with roasts, bacon, ground pork and ribs. 

“A few years back, the National Pork Board renamed pork cuts to resemble beef so people would better know what they are getting,” explains Kerns. “Except they are smaller. A pork steak generally is 6-12 ounces.”

Butchering involves specialized knowledge to preserve the fat layer that has market benefits beyond keeping cooked pork moist.

Lard is sold under the brand name Mothers Manteca, a joint venture with Mothers Tacos of Napa, California. 

This “pig butter” is a spreadable, shelf-stable product that comes flavored with garlic, herbs and spices. It can be whipped or smoked, even put into a candle mold to melt at the table into a dipping for bread.

“Our bacon grease is also popular,” says Kerns.

Cuts can range from $20 to $35 per pound. Lard is $10 a pound.

Kerns says customers don’t balk at the price. “They appreciate the consistency and the quality, and they are willing to pay for it.”

Customers, from chefs to home cooks, also appreciate the sustainable way Mangalitsa Estates raises their pigs.

Mangalitsa Estates pigs are fed an all-natural vegetarian diet.

“You benefit from pork that has a healthier blend of fats, higher levels of oleic acids,” says Kerns.

Pigs are harvested between 9 and 12 months of age, nearly twice the age of commercially raised pigs. Harvesting the animals at an older age allows them to fully develop their flavor.

They live in open-air hoops with a nice fluffy bed of corn stover. “It keeps them out of the mud and the weather,” says Kerns, “with fresh air and plenty of space to move about.” 

Mangalitsa Estates utilizes the latest conservation practices to maintain and enhance the farm’s sustainability. Animals are transported with strict biosecurity measures.

“Our pork is born and raised fully on our farm. We can trace each product,” says Kerns. 

The Kernses have been producing the gourmet pork since 2010, after a friend tasted it while living in Hungary and Austria. 

Mangalitsa pigs are often called “woolly” pigs for their thick coat of hair. 

The Kernses now have the second largest herd of Mangalitsa hogs in the U.S., with 400 sows.

They sell around 140 pigs each month, 80% direct to consumers and 20% to food service, supplying the premium product to white table gourmet chefs across the U.S. Young chefs, especially, like working with Mangalitsa pork, Kerns says. 

While Kerns focuses on swine genetics and marketing, his wife, Becky, handles business affairs and production. Their sons, located off the farm, help with marketing and social media.

“Online marketing and maintaining contacts with distributors and chefs take time and involve unique skills,” says Kerns. “It’s a whole new ballgame. Becky keeps the whole operation running. The whole thing has just snowballed. I’m 74, and I’m having the time of my life.”