Pigs bring home the bacon for New Forest as UK protected status for pannage ham granted amid calls for pork to get the same

CALLS have been made for the meat of traditional New Forest pannage pigs to be given special status alongside the likes of Melton Mowbray pork pies.

The appeal follows New Forest pannage ham winning official registration under the government’s UK Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) scheme, as proof of its authentic origins.

The product is an air-dried ham made specifically with pork from pigs released onto the Forest during pannage season.

The 1,000-year-old tradition, retained in the district, sees the animals turned out in the autumn to eat acorns which are poisonous to ponies.

This gives their meat a buttery, nutty flavour. It is also a darker colour than pork from pigs not fed on acorns.

David Richards is founder and director of Dorchester-based Capriolus Fine Foods Ltd, which produces the ham.

He applied to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for protection three years ago and has now gained PGI status.

Citing the benefit to commoners, in particular, he called for them to apply for the status to be granted to the pork itself.

“If you go to a New Forest restaurant in pannage season, they will sell you pannage pork as special because it is,” Mr Richards told the A&T.

“It really, really makes a difference to the flavour – it’s absolutely phenomenal. We should be celebrating it in the New Forest.”

Mr Richards stressed the status means others can still produce official New Forest pannage ham – but only if they follow Defra’s specifications.

It now has the same protection as Melton Mowbray Pork Pies and Welsh Leeks.

Pannage pork is much in demand, with local butchers and farm shops bombarded with requests, including from London restaurants.

Sway Butchers in Station Road sold the equivalent of 50 pannage pigs this year.

Owner David West said: “If we can get the protected status for the whole of pannage pork that would be amazing.

“I’ve just had an order come through from someone in Twickenham, and last year we had people come down from north Wales to get pannage sausages.”

Jonathan Stainton-Burrell at Hockey’s Farm in South Gorley supplies around 50 pannage pork legs a year to Capreolus, a Dorset charcuterie producer.

“Somebody has to write in to get the paperwork for pork to be included as well as ham,” he said.

“It’s prestigious. It’s a good selling point for us as a business and the New Forest as a whole.”

Hockey’s receives pannage pork each year from commoners Wendy Maughan, of Manor Farm near Cadnam, and Alister Cutts at Folds Farm, Godshill.

New Forest Marque chair Dan Parsons welcomed the recognition for New Forest food brought by pannage ham’s designation.

“One hopes future years will see a bumper crop of acorns and increasing demand for the New Forest's unique PGI dried ham,” he said.