Pork

Pork is the most eaten meat in the world, contrary to the highly perpetuated popular belief that goat is the most eaten. There is evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5,000 BC, and there are hundreds of breeds in existence within the species Sus Scrofa Domesticus, the domestic pig. Before the resurgence of pork as a popular high-end meat, largely thanks to pork rock stars like Fergus Henderson and David Chang, people only thought of two breeds of pig. One was the widely and industrially-farmed American Yorkshire or English Large White and the other was the Berkshire. Although those two breeds, principally the first listed, still account for the majority of pigs consumed, especially in the United States, a much greater appreciation for a wide range of pig species has taken hold. Similarly the pork cuts that are enjoyed by the average consumer have diversified. Of course people still love pork chops, bacon, and tenderloin, but the many cuts that can be found in the shoulder are gaining prominence. Consumers are finding that they have a favorite type of ribs, whether it be Spareribs, St. Louis-Style, Baby Backs, or Country-Style. Not to mention pork sirloin is making it onto more and more grills during the summer. Pig is probably the easiest quadruped for the average person to break down themselves, and that alone makes it an obvious object of interest.