Hog Farm Heaven

[dacdots]

This past weekend a friend and myself went to a hog farm to kill a couple of butcher size pigs.This was my first time actually killing,slaughtering,and skinning my own pork.This place was truely amazing as the farmer has over a thousand head of animals.Theres everything there from newborn pigs to 600# brood sows.The two we shot were around 260# which he said is commercial size for selling.We have them worked up and am ready to cure the hams and bacons and will smoke them next weekend[seems like I always end up smoking on Christmas.] Normally I get about 50# of ground meat for sausage making.I stuff 25# into 1# bags for breakfasr sausage and make the rest into links which are my favorite.If any of you ever get a chance to enter into this process and do it from start to finish I highly recommend it as it gives you you a new appreciation and adds a whole new facet to the smoking experience.Here is a most helpfull link from the USDA http://animalscience.unl.edu/meats/porksl.pdf Good luck and happy smoking,David

 

[dr good]

Hi David, That is our process here at "Goodenuff Station" in Aussie. Not 1000 sows, just 6. Have 3 pure Berkshire, two Duroc/Landrace X and the pure Landrace. I have a pure Berkshire boar and am progressing towards all Berkshire. Perhaps keep the pure Landrace for Xing with the Berkie boar for bacon etc.

The other week we did two pigs and one steer, all in the coldroom before 10am. We dispose a lot of it to family, including our own hams and bacon.

It is certainly pleasant to breed, rear and vertually manufacture your own, and you know what you are getting. No butchers wastes etc. Merry Christmas to you

Peter

 

[bwsmith_2000]

David,
I totally agree with your recommendation. I used to do it each fall (when the weather turned cold .... typically the high for the day should be below 40*) when I was a youngster helping my Dad. The dipping of the pig into the hot water, the scraping of the hair, the opening and disposal of the entrails. And then the working up of the rest of the carcass...... we used to make souse meat, liver pudding (scrapple), ham, shoulders and all the rest. It really gives a person a true appreciation of "what it's all about" and where it all comes from. I sometimes miss the days on the farm. It was a lot of work but very rewarding in retrospect.

 

[dacdots]

BW,your right about the hard work.Ive seen hogs scalded,wild hogs in FL,and seems to me that the skinning is eaiser and quicker.I hear there are reasons to scald instead of skinning.I was wondering if you know why you would scald rather than skin.I know a shinned ham will take cure quicker because the cure doesnt have to go through the skin.Just wanting to learn more,David

 

[up in smoke]

David, Nows your chance to make deep fried cajun pork rinds! :shock:

 

[az_redneck]

I've hunted most of my adult life (mostly birds) and don't have a problem killing an animal from a distance. But, I think it would be tough to just walk up to one and give it a whack..I have to look in its eyes :shock:

I would have no problem butchering it since I used to work in a butcher shop.. But, the killing might be a problem with me unless I can stand back and scope it at 300 meters :D

 

[bwsmith_2000]

David,
I really don't know the pros and cons in skinning versus scalding. We just always scalded. I suspect we did it because there was just more pork to consume (even though it was fat). Back then, we lived on what we raised .... that's just the way it was. As a matter of fact, we liked a particularly fat hog because it would render more lard. We had never heard of colesterol. I seem to be in good health though so whatever effects it had must not have been too bad. But I'll guarantee you one thing, that was some of the best eating a person could have ..... no hormones or any other of the things we get now. As a matter of fact, we had never heard of ecoli and chickens were not contaminated. Times do change.