Daniel Todd with Paula, one of the Large Blacks at Woody's Free Range Farm where visitors on the Horowhenua Taste Trail can learn more about heritage pig breeding and taste the products.
Nine to 10 minutes, turning and basting in a medium-heat pan with a dash of olive oil and knob of butter is all it takes to cook the perfect sausage.
That's according to Daniel Todd of Woody's Free Range Farm, one of the venues on next month's Horowhenua Taste Trail.
Todd and wife Claire have been breeding and raising Large Black and Berkshire pigs on their 80 acre Manakau farm, named after their dog Woody, for the last three years.
"Large Black and Berkshire pigs are hardy breeds that produce robust, marbled meat which is moist and tasty," said Todd.
The breeds can trace their roots back to before industrial farming, living outside in all seasons foraging for their food. It's something the Todds are replicating as much as possible.
"We like to call our pigs and pork 'pasture-raised' because that is where they live. Our mission is to produce high quality pork and to raise happy pigs in an ethical way.
"We believe our pigs should live outdoors all of the time. I really hate intensive farming.
Pigs are intelligent and social animals, which mean free-ranging pigs are happy pigs."
The Todds do not use sow stalls or farrowing crates. To keep them well-fed, they have developed a grain-based pellet that contains vitamins, minerals and amino acids, and supplement the feed with brewer's mash.
At any one time there are about 200 pigs on the farm which go through three tonnes of mash and more than one tonne of pellets a week.
At first paranoid about the pigs sneaking under fences and getting lost in the bush, Todd said the odd escapee doesn't go too far. As soon as they see him with food they come running back home, he said.
The two breeding boars and 23 breeding sows are on constant rotation, with three litters of piglets born in the last month.
"The piglets get two months with mum, mum gets a month off and then she's back on the job."
The Todds are also starting a cross-breeding programme to combine the best of both heritage breeds.
"This is a working farm, not a hobby, I don't spend my time tickling the pigs behind their ears as some people imagine. I feed them, and that's all the pigs need me for. I'm not intrusive in their lives. They can go about their own day in the paddocks.
"We grow pigs in an ethical way to eat them, but before that they have a good life."
However, they do name the pigs that stay on the farm after famous chefs. There is Gordon (Ramsay) and Hugh (Fearnley-Whittingstall) the breeding boars, and the breeding sows (females), include Ruth (Pretty), Delia (Smith), Nigella ('Domestic Goddess' Lawson) and Annabel (Langbein), while others are named after nuts.
The Todds sell their range of heritage breed pork, bacon, sausages and ham online, and Todd said there is a misconception their products are too expensive.
"This is not true. If you compare our prices with the supermarket you will find some cuts are cheaper and some more expensive. Our bacon and ham is cheaper than free farmed bacon (pigs kept indoors) and our sausages are far cheaper if you compare the percentage of meat in them - we are more than 90 per cent."
People planning to visit Woody's Free Range Farm during the Horowhenua Taste Trail can judge for themselves.
There will be a barbecue serving up a range of the heritage pork products, and produce to buy. A bouncy castle and face painting for children, and live music is also planned.
Todd said if people want to go on the farm tour to bring gumboots as people will need to step through a sterilising bath.
"We will be asking people not to touch the pigs. They can catch human colds so we have to be careful."
- Horowhenua Taste Trail, Saturday November 12. Venues include RJ's Licorice, Woodhaven Gardens, Tendertips Asparagus, Genoese Pesto, Turks Poultry, Ohau Wine, Levin Eels, Country Treats. More information on Facebook @horowhenuatastetrail
HERITAGE BREEDS
The Large Black pig is known for its taste, pasture foraging skills and overall hardiness.
Slower to mature, but growing to a very large size, Large Black sows are known to be great mothers and produce large litters and plenty of milk.
Large Blacks produce excellent bacon and moist meat with old-world flavour. They are distinguished by their long droopy ears and scooped nose.
The Berkshire is the oldest pig breed in Britain, famous for its exceptional marbling.
Berkshires produce a dark, flavourful meat and delicious fat cap making them a favourite with chefs and consumers. Berkshire pigs are friendly and curious.
Black with a white face, legs and tail, they have pointy ears and a short, upturned nose.