Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus). It is the most consumed meat globally, accounting for roughly a third of all meat eaten worldwide, though consumption varies enormously by culture and religion.
Pigs were among the earliest animals domesticated by humans, with evidence of pig farming dating back around 9,000 years in parts of the Middle East and China. Today pork is central to the cuisines of China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Common cuts include loin, belly, shoulder, ribs, and leg (ham).
In Australia, pork is a major meat category. The domestic industry is significant, though Australia also imports substantial quantities, particularly from the United States, Canada, and Europe, mainly as processed products like bacon and ham.
How it's produced
Commercial pork production involves raising pigs in farming systems that range from intensive indoor operations to free-range and pasture-raised setups. In intensive systems, pigs are housed in climate-controlled sheds and fed formulated grain-based diets, reaching slaughter weight (around 100 kg) in approximately five to six months. Free-range systems give pigs outdoor access, though the specifics of what “free-range” means vary by certification.
In Australia, the majority of pork is produced in conventional indoor systems, with a growing but still small proportion raised under free-range or outdoor-bred conditions. Pigs are omnivores and are typically fed diets based on wheat, barley, sorghum, and protein meals. After slaughter, the carcass is butchered into primal cuts for fresh meat, or processed into cured and smoked products such as bacon, ham, and sausages.
What it costs the planet (per kilo)
* Based on what it takes to produce, from farm to factory gate.
Keeping it
Keep it: in the fridge on the lowest shelf.
Advice from Cubud’s own keeping notes — how to keep it, not a measured number.
What comes from this
Your household's take
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