# Pork in Cairo (redux)



## rustydegras

The german butcher I've heard so much about seems to be currently closed down All our Products

Any other options for pork in this town?

thanks


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## PoleDancer

Getco – Star

[Edit] Also the Deli on Road 216 in Maadi, or at least it did when I last visited. Greek pork, and not cheap.


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## canuck2010

There is a deli along road 216 in degla, near the cilantro coffee shop. There is another small deli on road 9 selling pork.


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## rustydegras

This is wonderful information!


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## MaidenScotland

Imported pork is best.. i wouldn't eat local pork even if I could find it


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## PoleDancer

Pork chop also often on the menu at the BCA. Also pork sausages.


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## Whitedesert

rustydegras said:


> This is wonderful information!


The one in Rd 9 has refurbished his shop, looks much better than when I arrived here 7 years ago, and sell good quality pork now. It is not cheap because it is all imported now that there is no longer any piggies in Egypt, but, it is almost afforadable, and I like my pork chops now and again...


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## PoleDancer

Whereabouts on Road 9 is this?


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## kevinthegulf

A very good shop is GETCO STAR (google it) imported frozen german pork, look for the website for opening times, just down the street from Miriams Market & Seoudi 2 on road 205 in maadi, it is not well signposted, but at the side of the building. they used to deliver but not sure now


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## Whitedesert

PoleDancer said:


> Whereabouts on Road 9 is this?


 right below the chinese restaurant, red dragon or something like that. Fairly close to the Metro supermarket.


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## PoleDancer

Thanks WD. I think I know where you mean. I'd never spotted that one.Time to investigate.

I've also heard talk of a local butcher in Hadayek El Maadi who does piggy-wig. I've never found him though (I guess he would be discrete). Presumably if he is still in business his meat must now be imported also.

I've been pleased with what I've had from Getco Star so far (link above).


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## jemiljan

Has anyone seen any Iberico ham or chorizo from Spain?


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## CatMandoo

If they are raising pigs again, I would think twice (if I was a pork eater) about buying it. It seems to me that they were fed mostly on a lot of the garbage that is collected from dumps. Just recently I read a report about how Medical Waste is being dumped here, without regard to any health risks it poses. That waste, along with all the other stuff thrown away, would surely have to worry anyone here that would think of eating locally grown pork. Stick with the imported stuff.

Sometimes I do miss a BLT.


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## jemiljan

CatMandoo said:


> Just recently I read a report about how Medical Waste is being dumped here, without regard to any health risks it poses.
> Sometimes I do miss a BLT.


Whoa! Would you have any more info/sources on this?


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## MaidenScotland

CatMandoo said:


> If they are raising pigs again, I would think twice (if I was a pork eater) about buying it. It seems to me that they were fed mostly on a lot of the garbage that is collected from dumps. Just recently I read a report about how Medical Waste is being dumped here, without regard to any health risks it poses. That waste, along with all the other stuff thrown away, would surely have to worry anyone here that would think of eating locally grown pork. Stick with the imported stuff.
> 
> Sometimes I do miss a BLT.




This is the reason I do not eat local pork...


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## CatMandoo

jemiljan said:


> Whoa! Would you have any more info/sources on this?


This is the most recent article I read, there is lots other on the net if you google around abit.

Medical waste piles up as government downplays problem | Egypt Independent


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## CatMandoo

Zabbaleen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Use of pigsThe initial and very integral step of sorting the trash is the responsibility of Zabbaleen community members who own pigs. The pigs are fed the organic waste. After the organic waste has been eaten by the pigs, the rest of the trash is sorted into different categories such, as PT plastic, paper, cans, etc.[40] Thus, as Engi Wassef, the director of Marina of the Zabbaleen notes, "One of the reasons why Coptic Christians are given a kind of monopoly status on the garbage collection and sorting system is because the Muslim religion does not allow for breeding or eating or living near pigs. It's considered a dirty animal."[40]

In addition to their use in sorting out organic waste, pigs are an important source of income. After the pigs have grown, the Zabbaleen sell the pig-meat to large tourist facilities. According to Fahmi and Sutton, "Hitherto, the Zabbaleen claimed to collect 6,000 tons of MSW a day, of which 60% was food waste and organic garbage which their pigs consume. Every 6 months, the waste collectors sell adult pigs, 5 to 15 pigs to a trader for LE 7 per kilogram (US$ 1.25 per kilogram). The trader then takes pigs to the slaughterhouses, where a kilogram is sold for LE 30–35 (US$ 5–6.25). The waste collectors can earn around LE 450 (US$ 80) per pig."[41]


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## wolfrespecter190

I don't think there's any evidence that pigs are being fed medical waste. Large amounts of medical waste being dumped improperly doesn't mean that pigs are eating said waste. Pigs need to eat food of some sort, not drugs/used syringes/whatever, to survive: most bin men around my bit will ask you to sort rotten food into separate bags so that they can feed it to pigs. British pigs were often fed waste food until at least the mid-20th century. Feeding waste food to pigs is good because the amount of food that's wasted is enormous, and it's better to do something with it (Google "food waste [in the United Kingdom]").

Compare most kinds of bacon (and pork generally) you get in Europe - it often comes from Danish or Dutch pigs kept in horrendous conditions and fed on frank-knows-what. Ok, conditions have been getting better in the past 5-10 years, but Egyptian pork is still the ethical and environmentally-friendly choice. 

It's also delicious. I've been eating Egyptian pork sausages, bacon, ham, salami, chops and mince for years and loving it. My advice: find your nearest butcher, stock up on HP sauce and dig in.


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