There are spots in the world that are magically secluded and give you a full experience of how locals live, what they do and what they offer to their guests. Bihari Farm is one such place. A family owned and operated farm, the Bihari family has lots of different animals on site, including family pets, but not limited to pigs, horses and the like.
In the winter of 2018, I got to spend a couple of days here with the family, tour their property, go horseback riding and even…experience a traditional pig killing.
Still one of my most popular and highest viewed videos on my YouTube channel, the pig killing is a show-stopping sight that few get to witness, especially in real life.
A long standing Hungarian custom and tradition, the pig killing is generally done in the dead of winter and in the dead of morning too.
The morning starts anywhere between 6:30 and 7 in the am, is begun with a swift chug of strong Palinka (which usually contains around 50% alcohol if homemade); followed by the slaughtering of the pig by slitting its throat, draining the blood and finally the burning off of its skin.
Afterward, it is gutted from sternum to groin, the intestines are thrown out of the pig to the ground (or in the case of what I witnessed, fed to the family dogs and the farm chickens); the pig is then butchered into pieces; the meat is hung out in the air and while all of this horror is going on outside with the men, the women are inside cooking up that delicious pig’s blood – mmm-mmm-mmm.
A classic Hungarian stew-like dish known as Pörkölt is traditionally made with beef, veal and in some instances, lamb. It’s usually cooked with red wine, but on this morning it wasn’t wine that was making the dish so vibrantly red – it was blood.
After the party-goers ate their vampire-like delicacy, they continued the day with grinding the meat, chopping it up and turning it into things like pork chops and lunch meat. The entire process from start to finish was really something to behold, and I’m not going to lie, I didn’t eat pork for a period of time after that.
But the farm itself doesn’t showcase this event often – only in the late December/early January time frame. Aside from the pig killings, the farm is a quiet, peaceful getaway with several cabins where guests can lodge and enjoy brisk walks around the property.
Escape your day-to-day life with some tranquil horseback riding, take a walk in the adjacent wooded area, or take a ride into town and check out the bustling city of Nyíregyháza – which is the seventh largest in all of Hungary.
All in all, the experience is unique and unlike any other you’ll find in the States. So why not give yourself a little cultural push to experience something new? Check out Bihari Farms the next time you’re in eastern Hungary. And when you do, make sure to let them know that Lisa sent you!
Get Lost with Lisa 