National Pork Month

Why October? Because that is when the hogs came to market. As the National Hog Farmer has noted for years, October is pork month because it was traditionally the month when hogs were marketed, a time when farms were full, smokehouses were busy, and tables were about to get a whole lot more interesting. According to a National Pork Board spokeswoman, the October observance has been in existence for more than 30 years. Hog supplies historically increase during the fall, which makes October the perfect moment to put pork front and center. Retailers buy much of their featured pork in September, then roll out the promotions in October, stimulating demand and giving shoppers a delicious reason to fire up the oven as the weather turns crisp. It is part tradition, part smart business, and entirely delicious.

The pig has been on quite a journey to get to your plate. Fossils show that wild pig-like animals roamed forests and swamps in Europe and Asia some 40 million years ago. By 4900 B.C., pigs were domesticated in China, and they were being raised in Europe by 1500 B.C., valued for being hardy, fast-growing, and willing to eat just about anything. At the insistence of Queen Isabella, Christopher Columbus took eight pigs on his voyage to Cuba in 1493, which means pork has been an American story almost as long as America has had a name. But it is Hernando de Soto who could be dubbed the father of the American pork industry: he landed with America’s first 13 pigs at Tampa Bay, Florida, in 1539, and by the time of his death three years later, his herd had grown to 700 head, not counting the ones his troops consumed, the ones that ran off to become wild razorbacks, and the ones given to Native Americans to keep the peace.

Colonial pigs were, to put it kindly, a handful. Semi-wild pigs conducted such rampages in New York colonists’ grain fields that every owned pig 14 inches high had to have a ring in its nose, a rule that tells you everything about how seriously the colonists took both their grain and their pigs. On Manhattan Island, a long solid wall was constructed on the northern edge of the colony to control roaming herds of pigs, and the area around that wall is now known as Wall Street. Somewhere under the financial capital of the world, the ghosts of those very determined pigs are probably still snorting with pride today. Pork production spread through the colonies from there, with hogs introduced to New Mexico in 1600 and sows arriving at the Jamestown Colony in 1607, and the pig has been an American institution ever since.

Then came the slogan that changed everything. In the 1980s, the National Pork Board answered chicken’s growing popularity with one of the most famous phrases in food history: “Pork. The Other White Meat.” The campaign was a sensation, even if the USDA officially classifies pork as red meat, a technicality the ads cheerfully ignored and most shoppers never noticed or cared about. Pork sales rose 20 percent, reaching $30 billion annually by 1991, proving that a great tagline and a great chop are an unstoppable combination. The slogan became so famous that it outlived the campaign itself, entering the language as shorthand for a brilliant rebrand. To this day, people who have never seen the ads still know exactly what the other white meat is, which is more than most advertising slogans can say.

Modern pork lovers have no shortage of ways to enjoy the month. Slow-cooked pulled pork, a Southern tradition with roots in techniques Spanish settlers observed among Indigenous cooks, stars on October 12, its own special day within the month. Baby back ribs, pork belly, carnitas, tenderloin, ham, and of course bacon, the undisputed champion of breakfast, all deserve their moment. The National Pork Board and state organizations work with retailers and the foodservice sector throughout the fall to feature pork prominently, which means October grocery aisles are practically a pork parade, with chops, roasts, and ribs all vying for your attention. It is the rare celebration where doing your part means eating dinner, and where the only homework is to show up hungry.

Celebrating National Pork Month is the tastiest homework you will ever get. Try a new pork recipe or explore a preparation style you have never attempted, like slow-smoking a shoulder, crisping pork belly at home, or finally mastering homemade carnitas. Plan a barbecue night with friends and let everyone vote on the best regional sauce, from tangy Carolina vinegar to sweet Kansas City to fiery Texas heat. Visit a local butcher or farmers market and ask what cut they are most excited about this season; butchers absolutely love to talk pork in October. And when you sit down to that perfect chop, take a moment to appreciate the 40-million-year journey, the 13 pigs at Tampa Bay, and the wall on Manhattan that started it all. Use #NationalPorkMonth to share your creations, because a month this delicious absolutely deserves an audience.

From ancient Chinese farms to Columbus’s ships to your Sunday dinner table, the pig has been feeding humanity for thousands of years, and October is when America says thank you. It says it with sizzling bacon on Saturday mornings, with pulled pork piled high at tailgates, with tenderloins on weeknights, and with holiday hams that anchor the year’s biggest meals. So sharpen your knives, warm up the grill, and make room on the calendar. National Pork Month only comes once a year, but the leftovers, if you are lucky and quick, might just make it to November.

THE STORY BEHIND NATIONAL PORK MONTH

🐷 Why October
Hogs were traditionally brought to market in October, so the pork industry turned its busiest month into a celebration. According to the National Pork Board, the observance has now lasted more than 30 years.

🚢 Eight Pigs Set Sail
At Queen Isabella’s insistence, Christopher Columbus carried eight pigs on his 1493 voyage to Cuba, bringing pork to the New World.

🌎 The Father of American Pork
Hernando de Soto landed 13 pigs at Tampa Bay, Florida, in 1539, and within three years his herd had grown to 700 head.

🏛 The Wall Street Pigs
Colonial Manhattan built a wall to keep roaming herds of semi-wild pigs out of grain fields, and the area is now known as Wall Street.

🥓 The Other White Meat
The National Pork Board’s famous slogan launched in the 1980s and helped push pork sales up 20 percent, reaching $30 billion a year by 1991.

WAYS TO CELEBRATE

🍳 Slow-Cook a Shoulder
Dedicate a Sunday to a slow-roasted pork shoulder with your favorite rub, low and slow until it falls apart, then share the mouthwatering results with #NationalPorkMonth.

🍴 Hit a BBQ Joint
Round up friends for ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, and a friendly debate over which regional sauce reigns supreme. Bonus points for ordering the platter.

🥖 Try a New Cut
Visit a local butcher or farmers market and cook a cut you have never tried before, like pork belly, country ribs, or fresh ham. October is the perfect month for delicious experiments.

Celebrate National Pork Month

All through October 2027, give pork the standing ovation it deserves. Fire up the grill, try a new recipe, and savor every single sizzle. Yum! After 40 million years in the making, this is one delicious month you will not want to miss, so gather your favorite people and make every bite count.