4. Pork became a major source of meat throughout the Western world
Pigs are edible from their curly tail to their whiskered snout. That which is not consumed directly can be rendered into fat or gelatin. Their bristles were made into brushes, their hide into tough leathers. They can eat virtually anything, scavenging upon the wastes produced by other animals, including the two-legged kind. They didn’t require special pasturing as did sheep and cattle. They can fend for themselves in woods and fields, and though they rapidly become feral such condition does not detract from their food value. As such, they were ideal for raising in both rural areas and urban, and without the religious restrictions imposed in the Jewish and Muslim worlds, they were a valuable food source.
They were far less expensive to raise than beef, and unlike venison, there was less likely to be a penalty for killing one running wild in the woods. Truly wild boar was however a game animal often preserved by noble landowners. It was also a daunting animal to take while hunting using only a longbow due to its tough hide and surprising speed. The development of the crossbow, and later firearms, made hunting wild boar more feasible. Until then it was often taken using traps. In the manors of the wealthy pork was often consumed seasoned with a paste made of the ground seeds of the mustard plant, mixed with honey and vinegar.