Yucatán Peninsula Hairless Pig

Reared for more than 500 years in the Yucatán peninsula, the Mexican hairless pig is characterized by its black color and large, pointed ears. It all began when the Spaniards introduced Celtic pigs, Asian pigs, and Iberian pigs, and the combination of those three breeds resulted in Yucatán peninsula hairless pig, which has adapted well to local conditions.

The Mayans allowed the pigs to graze freely and they also supplemented the pigs’ diet with food scraps. As a result, these pigs are quite resistant to diseases and able to feed on a wide variety of foods. Their meat is intensely flavored and low in fat.

It is used in a variety of local dishes such as poc chuc, pork and beans, and cohinita pibil. Interestingly, hairless pigs are also used for the annual dance of the pig’s head, performed to summon rain.