The Red Wattle pig, with its signature wattles that hang from its jowl, can be traced to New Caledonia where it arrived thanks to traders from China. After centuries in the South Pacific, where farmers made breeding decisions to maintain the breed’s quality, it was discovered by the French who liked it so much they boarded it onto ships and took the pig to New Orleans. There the Wattle would come to anchor the great gastronomic traditions of Creole and Cajun cuisine, even when many other pork options were available. Later the breed ended up roaming the forests of east Texas, part wild, part domesticated. Rumors eventually spread of their possible extinction until a wild herd was discovered, recognized by their cinnamon color and wattles. Starting in 2005, chefs at America’s top restaurants started demanding the Red Wattle for their menus, more farmers started to raise the breed, and their population numbers started to increase.
