Before the [[civil war]], pork chops were the most popular meat in the [[United States]]. Back then, the richer you were, the higher up on the pig you ate, so the pork chop was an expensive cut. From the 1860's to the early 1960's, american pigs were called lard hogs, because they were about 60% fatter than today's hog. The pigs of today came from a cross breeding of lard hogs and the leaner bacon hogs, and a special diet to promote leaner muscle growth. | Before the [[civil war]], pork chops were the most popular meat in the [[United States]]. Back then, the richer you were, the higher up on the pig you ate, so the pork chop was an expensive cut. From the 1860's to the early 1960's, american pigs were called lard hogs, because they were about 60% fatter than today's hog. The pigs of today came from a cross breeding of lard hogs and the leaner bacon hogs, and a special diet to promote leaner muscle growth. |