The birth of a precious hybrid pig

Recognized and certified as a fattening hybrid swine only in 2022, the Grigio pig is a premium hybrid from many perspectives. Resulting from the crossbreeding of Cinta Senese and Large White breeds, it has naturally flavorful meat with a perfect balance of fat and lean.

Extensive and semi-free range breeding along with natural feeding are the factors for which we are responsible. And it is thanks to these practices that our meat is not only excellent but also healthy, ethical, and sustainable.

The best from the two original breeds

The most important quality of Grigio meat is the perfect balance between the fatty part – inherited from Cinta Senese – and the lean part, typical of Large White. But what are the other features that Grigio receives from the two breeds? Let’s explore them together.

The distinctive elements of Cinta Senese

Today the Cinta Senese is a famous breed, but few know that it came close to disappearing. In 1986, only 81 sows and 3 boars were recorded throughout Tuscany. With the introduction of foreign breeds, heavier and more prolific, Cinta breeding seemed no longer convenient. Only through skillful recovery work and the establishment of the Consorzio di Tutela (Protection Consortium) the breed regained popularity.

Cinta Senese is an ancient breed native to Tuscany, where it has been raised for at least a century. A little fun fact: inside the Salone della Pace of the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena, you can admire the cycle of frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Allegoria ed effetti del buono e del cattivo governo (1338-1339). If you look closely at the Effetti del buon governo in campagna fresco, you will notice a dark pig with a white “belt” at shoulder height. Right, it’s an example of Cinta Senese.

It is historically raised in a semi-free range. It is a robust and resistant breed, accustomed to living in the wild and feeding on what the woods have to offer. During the winter, it accumulates a nice, thick layer of fat to protect itself from the cold, a characteristic it has passed on to our Grigio.

But it also is a small and poorly prolific breed, with an average of three pregnancies every two years. A breed with very high-quality meat, thus, but not suitable for large productions.

The main feature of Cinta Senese is the significant amount of marbling fat: the lean part is “crossed” by many small infiltrations of fat. We are talking about exceptional, flavorful and compact fat, rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6, which makes cured meats particularly valuable. The fresh meat, however, is less commonly used in the kitchen.

Discovering the Large White

The other “parent” of Grigio is the Large White. Registered in 1868 in England and introduced in Italy after World War II to meet the growing food needs, Large White is currently the most raised swine breed in the world.

Its main quality? It is a pig with very little fat, as demanded by large-scale distribution. It is also a large-sized pig, highly fertile and prolific.

Very little fat, lots of meat and excellent reproductive capacity: basically, the perfect breed for intensive farming and industrial meat production. Be careful though: this does not imply that its meat is poor-quality, but only that its breeding is extremely fruitful in terms of production.

What makes Grigio del Casentino® meat so good?

With two “parents” like these, Grigio could only be an exceptional animal. As we have seen, the crossbreeding of Cinta Senese and Large White gives rise to a pig with perfect meat in terms of nutritional value and taste.

But genetic heritage is not enough. What makes the real difference is our breeding. Grigio del Casentino® pigs are semi free-range, raised in their habitat and free to feed on what the woods offer. Our pigs follow a healthy, genuine and natural feeding that changes with the seasons. Fruits, roots, acorns, mushrooms, chestnuts: everything the pigs eat enriches the flavor of their meat.

And then there is our processing method. We do not rely on chemicals but on our experience: we combine temperature, humidity, and time – the key variables of artisanal preparation – to create high-value products. We do not use preservatives, dyes or artificial flavors because Grigio del Casentino® meat is perfect as it is.

Good, healthy, ethical and sustainable meat

Raising and processing Grigio meat with this philosophy allows us to offer our customers products that are not only tastier but also responsible in every way. We are convinced that eating meat ethically and sustainably is possible.

Animal welfare is a priority for us. Our pigs are free and live an entire cycle of nature before slaughter, immersed in their natural habitat.

The meat we obtain is healthy and genuine and in our processing we use only natural, unprocessed ingredients. Furthermore, the short supply chain allows us to have a very low environmental impact, nothing like intensive farming.

Valuable animals

If we were to summarize all the reasons why Grigio del Casentino® is a hybrid of great value, we would start with the taste. The fatty and lean parts are perfectly balanced, for a flavorful and tasty meat, which is perfect to be used fresh and processed for aging.

In every cut you can feel nature because the Grigio pig is a full-fledged part of the nature of the Casentino woods, where it lives and from which it feeds.

Another virtue of this meat is its healthiness, starting from the semi free-range pigs’ feeding and ending with a categorical rejection of preservatives, dyes and other chemical ingredients. Our products do not aim for large-scale production but for absolute quality: that’s why we do not accept compromises.

Last but not least, the connection with the territory and our roots. The breeding is extensive, entrusted to small local breeders, while the culture of slaughtering and butchery is that of our grandparents. Every cut is precious with such an animal.