Mangalitsa 101

Mangalitsa 101: How to Cook the Best Pork You've Ever Had

Most people have never cooked Mangalitsa pork before. It looks different, it cooks different, and it tastes like nothing you've had from a grocery store. The deep red color, the marbling, the rich fat — these aren't accidents. They're the direct result of raising animals on open pasture for 16+ months instead of feeding them corn and soy in a warehouse for six months.

The recipes on this page come from our family kitchen, our market demonstrations, and generations of cooking traditions — Hungarian, Polish, South African, and Texas BBQ. All of them are built around one principle: let the quality of the meat do the work.

Our signature seasonings — SPAG (salt, pepper, ancho chili, garlic) and Red Bark Rub (paprika-forward with garlic, salt, pepper, and brown sugar) — are available in our shop and used throughout these recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is your pork so red? Pasture-raised animals develop deeper muscle color because they're actually moving and living — not standing in confinement. That red color indicates higher myoglobin content, the same thing that makes beef red. Commodity pork is pale because it's bred ultra-lean and raised in warehouses. Our pork looks like beef because it's been raised like a real animal.

How do I cook a Mangalitsa pork chop without drying it out? The reverse sear method works every time. Cook over medium heat, three minutes per side, turning twice for a total of twelve minutes. Then finish with a twenty-second sear on each side for crust. The intramuscular fat keeps the meat juicy even if you slightly overcook it — something commodity pork can't do.

What is intramuscular fat and why does it matter? Intramuscular fat is the marbling running through the meat — that's where the flavor lives. When you cook it, the fat melts and bastes the meat from the inside, creating richness and tenderness you can't get from lean pork. Mangalitsa is bred specifically for this marbling. Commodity pork is bred to eliminate it.

How is Mangalitsa different from Berkshire or other heritage breeds? We've done the blind taste test — Berkshire, Kurobuta, Iberico, and Mangalitsa across bacon, chops, ham, and roast. Berkshire wins on ham. On every other cut, Mangalitsa isn't a competition. The marbling is more pronounced, the fat quality is superior, and the flavor is deeper.

Why does it cost more than grocery store pork? We raise 250 animals a year on pasture for 16+ months, breed our sows once a year, and Mangalitsa litters run just 5 to 6 piglets — not the 10 to 15 of commercial breeds. We're present for every birth. We're not maximizing volume. We're maximizing quality.

Can I freeze Mangalitsa pork and how long does it last? Yes. Properly frozen, it keeps 6 to 12 months. The high fat content protects it better than lean pork. In the refrigerator, 3 to 5 days. The marbling keeps it juicy longer than commodity pork even if you leave it an extra day.

What cut should a beginner start with? Our thick-cut Porterhouse chop. Reverse sear method, twelve minutes plus a twenty-second finishing sear. That's the recipe that converts people. Once you've had it, you understand why this breed is different.

The Recipes

1. Whole Smoked Mangalitsa Leg (Ham)

Ingredients

  • 1 Honey Pot Farmstead whole smoked ham leg
  • Apple cider (enough for a 1-inch bath in roasting pan)
  • SPAG seasoning (to baste)
  • Red Bark Rub (for glaze)
  • Honey (for glaze)

Method Preheat oven to 225°F. Place ham in roasting pan and fill pan with apple cider to a 1-inch depth. Cover loosely with a light foil tent — do not seal tightly. Place in oven and baste with SPAG every 30 minutes during reheat. When ham reaches 130°F internal, remove foil, apply a generous glaze of Red Bark Rub followed by a drizzle of honey. Flip and repeat glaze on the other side. Continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 145°F. Rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes: The apple cider bath creates steam that keeps the ham moist throughout the reheat. The Red Bark and honey glaze caramelizes in the final stage — don't rush it.

2. Market-Style Pulled Pork (Canton Method)

This is what we smoke at the farmers markets. It's the recipe that converts people.

Ingredients

  • 1 Honey Pot Farmstead Mangalitsa pork butt, 7–9 lbs
  • 1 jar SPAG seasoning
  • 1 jar Red Bark Rub (dry brine)
  • 1 jar Red Bark Rub (crock pot finish)
  • 1 bottle water

Method Combine equal parts SPAG and Red Bark Rub and coat the pork butt generously on all sides. Dry brine uncovered in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before smoking.

Smoke sequence:

  • 4 hours mesquite (flavor foundation)
  • 8 hours hickory (depth and color)
  • Lump charcoal finish until internal temperature reaches 203°F

Pull meat from smoker and shred immediately. Transfer pulled pork to crock pot. Add 1 full jar of Red Bark Rub and 1 bottle of water. Set to warm. The rub infuses the meat as it rests, building layers of flavor.

Notes: The 48-hour dry brine is not optional. It's what creates the bark and flavor penetration that makes this recipe distinctive. The mesquite-hickory-charcoal sequence builds complexity you can't get from a single wood source.

3. Hungarian Mangalitsa Osso Buco

Honoring the breed's Hungarian origins.

Ingredients

  • 3.5 lbs Honey Pot Farmstead cross-cut pork shanks
  • 1 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups pork or chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Sour cream (for finish)
  • Fresh parsley (garnish)

Method Season shanks with salt, pepper, and both paprikas. Sear in lard over high heat until deeply browned on all sides. Remove shanks and sauté onion and garlic in the same pan until softened. Deglaze with white wine and scrape up all browned bits. Add stock and return shanks to the pot. Cover and braise in oven at 275°F for 3.5 hours until meat is fall-apart tender. Remove shanks and whisk sour cream into the braising liquid to finish the sauce. Serve over egg noodles or with crusty bread.

4. Hungarian Goulash (Feed-a-Crowd, Picnic Cut)

Ingredients

  • 4–6 lb Honey Pot Farmstead whole picnic cut
  • 2 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 2 large onions, diced
  • 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 cups pork stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Salted lard (for searing)
  • Sour cream (to serve)

Method Heat lard in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the whole picnic on all sides until deeply browned — this takes 10 to 15 minutes and is worth every minute. Remove picnic and sauté onions in the same pot until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add garlic, paprikas, and caraway, cooking until fragrant. Return picnic to the pot, add stock, and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise low and slow until internal temperature reaches 203°F. Remove meat, pull, discard bones, and return pulled meat to the rich braising liquid. Serve in wide bowls with sour cream and crusty bread.

5. El Jefe Smoked Loin Chop

Our signature cut. A whole 10-bone center-cut pork loin, bone-in.

Ingredients

  • 1 Honey Pot Farmstead 10-bone center-cut loin (whole)
  • Equal parts SPAG and Red Bark Rub (for 48-hour dry brine)
  • Mesquite wood
  • Lump charcoal

Sides

  • Herb Lard Fingerling Potatoes (recipe below)
  • Fresh green beans sautéed with diced Honey Pot Farmstead bacon

Method Combine equal parts SPAG and Red Bark Rub. Coat the entire loin generously on all sides. Dry brine uncovered in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.

Smoke with mesquite wood for deep flavor penetration, then transition to lump charcoal to build bark and finish the cook. Cook to an internal temperature of 190°F for sliceable, juicy texture. The Mangalitsa fat content keeps the loin moist at this temperature — do not pull early.

Rest 20 minutes before slicing. Serve with Herb Lard Fingerling Potatoes and green beans cooked in bacon drippings.

Notes: 190°F sounds high for pork, but Mangalitsa fat composition means this cut stays juicy where commodity pork would dry out. Trust the temperature.

6. Rebecca's Thick-Cut Coppa

Ingredients

  • Honey Pot Farmstead thick-cut coppa steaks (1.5–2 inch)
  • 2 tbsp salted whipped lard per steak (for warming bath)
  • 1 tsp SPAG per steak (applied before sear)

Sides

  • Baked Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes rubbed with lard, salted, baked at 400°F for 1 hour
  • Wilted kale salad: sauté kale in 1 tbsp lard until just wilted, season with salt and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar

Method Set up a warming tray or sous vide bath with salted whipped lard. Gently warm coppa steaks in the lard bath to 110°F internal temperature — this conditions the fat and keeps the steak relaxed before the sear. Remove from bath, pat dry, and apply 1 tsp SPAG per steak immediately before cooking.

Sear in a screaming hot cast iron or Blackstone — 20 to 30 seconds per side maximum. You are building crust, not cooking. The steak is already warmed through. Rest 3 minutes and serve immediately with baked potato and wilted kale.

7. Braylen's Caramelized Pork Chop

Ingredients

  • Honey Pot Farmstead Porterhouse pork chops, 1¼ inch thick
  • 1 tsp SPAG per chop
  • Salted whipped lard (for searing)
  • Red Bark Rub (coating for caramelization)
  • 2 tbsp honey per chop

Method Season chops with SPAG. Sous vide to 120°F. Remove from bag and pat dry. Heat salted whipped lard in cast iron over high heat until shimmering. Sear chop, applying Red Bark Rub and honey to the surface as it sears. The Red Bark and honey caramelize against the hot lard, creating a lacquered crust while the interior stays juicy and pink. Flip, repeat with Red Bark and honey on the second side. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

8. Nana's Pork Ribs

The gold standard.

Ingredients

  • Honey Pot Farmstead pork ribs (1 rack per preparation)
  • Salted lard (light coat before brine)
  • ~1 tbsp SPAG per rack
  • Red Bark Rub (generous dusting after brine)
  • 1–2 tbsp lard (for wrapping)
  • Optional: 1–2 tbsp apple cider or pork stock (for wrapping)
  • Optional: Hot Honey BBQ glaze (for finish)

Sides

  • Wide-cut steak fries lightly coated in lard, air fried

Method Coat rack lightly with salted lard. Apply approximately 1 tbsp SPAG per rack, ensuring full coverage. Dry brine overnight uncovered in refrigerator. Before smoking, generously dust with Red Bark Rub.

Smoke at 225°F:

  • 3 to 3.5 hours unwrapped — build the bark
  • Wrap tightly with 1–2 tbsp lard and optional cider or stock, cook 60 to 90 minutes
  • Unwrap and finish 30 to 60 minutes

Test doneness: bend test (rack bends without breaking), toothpick test (slides through with no resistance), and internal temperature of 195 to 203°F between the bones. Optional: apply Hot Honey BBQ glaze in the final 15 minutes.

Serve with wide-cut steak fries coated in lard and air fried until golden.

9. Old World Polish Smoked Sausage Boil

Crab boil simplicity applied to pork.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Honey Pot Farmstead smoked Polish sausage
  • 5 lbs red-skinned potatoes
  • 1 package French cut green beans
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Crusty bread (to serve)

Method Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add sage, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Add potatoes and cook until beginning to soften, about 15 minutes. Add sausage and green beans and continue cooking until everything is tender, about 10 more minutes. Serve family-style directly in wide bowls with broth, crusty bread, and cold beer.

Notes: The sausage is already smoked and seasoned — the broth just needs to accent it. Don't overseasen the water. Let the sausage do the work.

10. Country Rib Breakfast Skillet

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1.5 lbs Honey Pot Farmstead thin-cut country ribs
  • SPAG (to coat)
  • 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • Eggs (cooked to order — over-medium preferred)
  • Sour cream
  • Guacamole
  • Green tomatillo salsa

Method Dust country ribs generously with SPAG. Pan-sear in lard over medium-high heat until caramelized on both sides and cooked through. Remove, rest briefly, and cut into bite-sized pieces.

In the same skillet, cook potatoes, bell pepper, and onion in the remaining drippings until potatoes are golden and tender. Return pork pieces to the skillet and combine. Create wells in the hash and cook eggs directly in the skillet to preferred doneness.

Serve directly from the skillet with sour cream, guacamole, and green tomatillo salsa on the side.

11. Shoulder Steak & Barley Stew

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs Honey Pot Farmstead shoulder steak
  • Salted lard (for searing)
  • 1 cup pearl barley (parboiled separately)
  • 2–3 cups root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, diced)
  • Green beans (added near finish)
  • Corn (added near finish)
  • Salt, pepper, and herbs to taste
  • Pork stock (enough to cover in crock pot)

Serve with: Yukon Gold mashed potatoes

Method Sear shoulder steak whole in salted lard over high heat until deeply browned on all sides. Remove and allow to cool. Cut into bite-sized cubes.

Parboil pearl barley separately until just beginning to soften. Combine cubed pork, parboiled barley, root vegetables, and stock in crock pot. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours until stew is rich and thick. In the last 30 minutes, add green beans and corn. Adjust seasoning and serve over Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.

12. Whole Smoked Picnic Roast Pork

Ingredients

  • 4–6 lb Honey Pot Farmstead whole picnic roast
  • SPAG (generous coat)
  • Apple wood (4 hours of smoke)
  • Fresh rosemary and thyme (for oven finish)
  • 2 cups pork stock

Serve with: Mashed potatoes, succotash, salted lard gravy

Method Coat picnic fully in SPAG on all sides. Smoke with apple wood for 4 hours to build a clean, sweet smoke foundation. Transfer to roasting pan. Add rosemary, thyme, and 2 cups pork stock to the pan. Cover and finish in oven at 225°F until internal temperature reaches 203°F.

Rest 20 minutes. For lard gravy: strain drippings from pan, whisk in 1 tbsp salted lard and a pinch of SPAG, heat until smooth.

13. Secreto Gyros

The Mangalitsa Secreto cut gets a Mediterranean treatment.

Ingredients (serves 3–4)

  • 1.5–2 lb Honey Pot Farmstead Secreto cut
  • Gyro spices (1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp dried thyme, salt and pepper)
  • Warm pita bread
  • Tzatziki (¼ cup per serving)
  • Thinly sliced cucumbers
  • Sliced red pepper
  • Sliced tomatoes

Method Rub Secreto with gyro spices. Sous vide to 130°F. Finish on a screaming hot grill or cast iron for a hard sear — 1 to 2 minutes per side to build char. Rest 5 minutes and slice cross-grain into thin strips.

Serve in warm pita with tzatziki, cucumbers, red pepper, and tomato. Approximately 6 to 8 oz of meat per serving.

14. Coppa Steaks (Low-Temp Confit Method)

Ingredients

  • Honey Pot Farmstead coppa steaks, 1-inch thick
  • Salted lard (enough to fully submerge steaks)
  • 1 tsp whole peppercorns per bath
  • SPAG (light dusting before sear)

Serve with: Baked potatoes and wilted kale salad

Method Place 1-inch coppa steaks in a deep pan and cover completely with salted lard. Add 1 tsp whole peppercorns. Heat gently to maintain 110°F — confit-style. Hold at temperature until steaks are warmed through and fat is fully relaxed. Remove, pat dry, dust lightly with SPAG, and sear in screaming hot cast iron to 135°F internal. Serve immediately with baked potatoes and wilted kale.

15. Perfect French Fries

Ingredients (per serving)

  • 1 large Russet potato
  • 1 tbsp salted whipped lard
  • SPAG to taste

Method Cut potato into wide fries. Toss with melted salted whipped lard until fully coated. Season with SPAG. Air fry at 400°F, turning halfway, until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

16. Ham & Cheesy Potato Bake

Ingredients (9x13 dish)

  • 3 lbs potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups diced Honey Pot Farmstead ham (approx. 10 oz)
  • 2 cups shredded Longhorn cheese (8 oz)
  • 1.5 cups shredded Gruyère (6 oz)
  • 2 tbsp lard
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1.5 cups whole milk or cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method Make roux: melt lard in saucepan, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk/cream until smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Layer potatoes, ham, and cheese in 9x13 dish, pouring roux sauce between layers. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes until potatoes are tender and top is golden. Broil 2 to 3 minutes to crisp the cheese top. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

17. Herb Lard Fingerling Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs fingerling potatoes
  • 2 tbsp Herb de Provence lard
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method Toss fingerling potatoes with melted Herb de Provence lard, salt, and pepper. Spread in single layer on sheet pan. Roast at 400°F for 25 to 35 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

18. Courtney's Bacon-Wrapped Broccolini

Ingredients

  • Honey Pot Farmstead thick-cut bacon (sliced lengthwise)
  • Fresh broccolini (bundled into serving portions)
  • Garlic salt
  • Slap Ya Mama seasoning

Method Slice thick-cut bacon strips lengthwise to create thinner wrapping strips. Bundle 3 to 4 broccolini stalks per bundle. Starting at the base, spiral-wrap one bacon strip around each bundle, securing the ends. Season with garlic salt and Slap Ya Mama. Place on sheet pan and roast at 400°F until bacon is crispy and broccolini is tender, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

19. Joshua's BBQ Mac & Cheese

Built on smoked picnic pork and a proper cheese sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Honey Pot Farmstead smoked picnic pork, pulled
  • 1 lb spiral pasta, cooked al dente
  • 2 cups shredded Longhorn cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Muenster cheese
  • 2 tbsp lard
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • SPAG (bloomed in roux)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method Make cheese sauce: melt lard, whisk in flour and a pinch of SPAG (bloom the spice in the fat). Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Add cheeses and stir until melted and glossy. Fold in cooked pasta and pulled smoked pork. Transfer to baking dish. Top with additional cheese and bake at 375°F until bubbly and golden, approximately 20 minutes.

20. Lindsay's Green Pork Gnocchi

Ingredients

  • Pulled Honey Pot Farmstead pork (green herb preparation)
  • 1 lb potato gnocchi
  • 2 tbsp Herb de Provence lard (instead of olive oil)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • Fresh herbs (basil, parsley)
  • Parmesan (to finish)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method Cook gnocchi according to package instructions until just floating. Drain. In a large skillet, melt Herb de Provence lard over medium heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant. Add pulled pork and warm through. Deglaze with white wine and reduce by half. Toss in gnocchi and fresh herbs. Finish with grated Parmesan and serve immediately.

21. Sherryne's Hot Honey BBQ Pork Meatballs

Ingredients (meatballs)

  • 1 lb ground Honey Pot Farmstead Mangalitsa pork
  • 1 lb Honey Pot Farmstead Italian sausage
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 3 tbsp Red Bark Rub

To serve

  • Hot Honey BBQ sauce (for crock pot)

Wild Rice Pilaf

  • 1 cup whole grain wild rice
  • Chicken stock (for rice cooker finish after parboiling)

Baked Broccoli

  • 1 tbsp Mangalitsa lard per cup of broccoli
  • 1 tsp garlic salt per cup of broccoli

Method Combine ground pork, sausage, egg, panko, and Red Bark Rub. Form into 1.5-inch meatballs. Bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes until cooked through. Cool completely and freeze in batches.

To serve: place frozen meatballs in crock pot with Hot Honey BBQ sauce. Warm on low 2 to 3 hours.

For rice pilaf: parboil wild rice 10 minutes, drain, then finish in rice cooker with chicken stock.

For broccoli: toss with 1 tbsp lard per cup, dust with garlic salt, and bake at 400°F until tender and edges are caramelized, approximately 20 minutes.

22. Brayden's Panko-SPAG Fried Rib Chops

Ingredients

  • Honey Pot Farmstead rib chops
  • 1 egg, beaten (egg wash — no flour layer)
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp SPAG per cup of panko
  • Salted lard (enough to lightly coat skillet)

Serve with: Yukon Gold mashed potatoes

Method Combine panko and SPAG thoroughly. Dip rib chops in egg wash, then press into panko-SPAG mixture to coat fully on both sides.

Heat enough salted lard to lightly coat a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook chops for a total of 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes for even golden crust development. Finish to an internal temperature of 140°F. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.

23. Boerewors

Traditional South African sausage, done right.

Ingredients

  • Honey Pot Farmstead Boerewors links

Serve with

  • Yukon Gold mashed potatoes
  • Tomato & Onion Gravy (recipe below)

Method Grill slowly over medium coals, turning regularly to develop even color without splitting the casing. Alternatively, pan-sear in a dry skillet over medium heat, turning regularly. Cook to an internal temperature of 160°F. Serve coiled on plate with mashed potatoes and Tomato & Onion Gravy poured over.

24. Tomato & Onion Gravy

The essential accompaniment to Boerewors.

Ingredients

  • Equal parts fresh onion and fresh tomatoes (diced)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Sausage drippings from pan (2 to 3 tbsp)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method After cooking Boerewors, leave drippings in pan. Sauté onions in drippings over medium heat until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce cooks down to a smooth, rich consistency — approximately 20 minutes. Season to taste.

25. Lardo

Honey Pot Farmstead back fat, cured and aged. Two varieties.

SPAG-Cured Lardo

  • Honey Pot Farmstead back fat
  • SPAG seasoning (generous rub)
  • Cure 30 to 60 days in cool environment
  • Air dry additional 2 to 4 weeks
  • Slice thin for charcuterie board

Red Bark-Cured Lardo

  • Honey Pot Farmstead back fat
  • Red Bark Rub (generous rub)
  • Same cure and drying timeline
  • Subtle sweetness from paprika and brown sugar

Notes: The SPAG version delivers a savory, smoky, Texas-inflected lardo. The Red Bark version adds a touch of sweetness that pairs beautifully with aged cheese and bread.

26. Perfect Savory Pie Crust (Salted Lard)

Makes 2 crusts.

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Honey Pot Farmstead salted lard (cold)
  • 6 to 8 tbsp ice cold water
  • Pinch of salt

Method Cut cold lard into flour and salt until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing just until dough holds together — do not overwork. Divide in half, flatten into discs, wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before rolling.

27. Perfect Sweet Pie Crust (Honey Lard)

Makes 2 crusts.

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Honey Pot Farmstead honey whipped lard (cold)
  • 6 to 8 tbsp ice cold water

Method Same method as savory crust. The honey in the lard provides subtle sweetness without added sugar or vanilla — the flavor is clean and lets the pie filling speak for itself.

28. Koeksisters

South African fried pastry in fresh ginger syrup. Makes 18 to 24.

Ginger Syrup (make first — must be ice cold)

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1½ cups water
  • ¼ cup finely grated fresh ginger Combine in saucepan, bring to boil, simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Strain and refrigerate until completely ice cold. The syrup must be cold when the hot pastries go in.

Dough

  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp Honey Pot Farmstead lard
  • 1 egg
  • ⅔ to ¾ cup milk/water mix (enough to form soft dough)

Method Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in lard. Mix in egg and enough milk-water to form a soft, pliable dough. Rest 10 minutes. Roll out and cut into strips approximately 3 inches long and ¾ inch wide. Braid or twist each strip.

Heat lard in deep pot to 350 to 360°F. Fry braids in batches until deep golden brown. Remove immediately and plunge directly into the ice-cold ginger syrup. Hold in syrup 30 seconds. Remove and place on wire rack. Serve same day.

All cuts and ingredients referenced in these recipes are available at honeypotfarmstead.com or at our Mabank and Canton farmers markets.