format_quote Originally Posted by
AlHoda
:sl:
I always wonder why non-muslims, find pork so delicious. I mean, what is so special about it?
A lot of this can be traced to the food availability that was traditionally available in many countries. Throughout much of recorded history pork has been the only meat or the most available meat for much of the world. The far Eastern Countries and Polynesia had no other meat source except pork until the past 300 years or so. The same goes for the The far north European countries. Pigs are not native to the Americas, Australia or Antarctica, but they were widespread through out the rest of the world since the dawn of history. The Native Americans and the Australian Aborigines are probably the only people that have no "Native" recipes for pork.
As for the taste of pork, the most common now comes from the domesticated European Pigs. But there are over 10,000 varieties of pig. some of the Far East pigs are indistinguishable from lamb or goat in taste. Most pork sold in the Americas and Europe is "cured", salted or smoked. The smoked versions will have different flavors based on the wood used for the smoking. There are also many types of "cures" for pork some popular cures are Maple sugar, honey, brown sugar, spices, vinegar and others. It seems every country has a unique recipe for curing pork.
Since it has only been in recent times (past 500 years) that pork was the only common meat for many people there are a very large number of recipes for it. The big appeal for it throughout the centuries is low cost and it's ability to be cooked in so many ways. Pork can be prepared to taste like any other meat.
And that is why pork has been popular with non-Muslims.
But in spite of any good or bad from pork. We only need to remember that Allaah(swt) has made it haraam for us to eat and we do not need any other reason to not eat it.