To skin or scald...THAT is the question

[zeekm]

I am getting ready to butcher 2 hogs, Duroc/Hamp cross....so we want to try our hand at a country style ham. but the question I have is can I do a country style ham with a skinned ham? 

What about the bacon?  We will be making bacon, can I do it with the skin on?

The hog will be processed like this: whole loins (back straps), pork belly for bacon, and the whole hams...the rest is sausage.  What is the point of keeping the skin on?  Folks have been scalding and scraping for many,many years..but why?  

Thanks
Zeek

 

[daveomak]

I think they scald and scrape to render the fat from the hide to get cracklins and fried pork rinds..   AND it's a PITA to skin a whole hog..   It ain't like a deer or cow...   I've seen on u-tube where they pour hot water on a spot then scrape..   never done it...   looks like a lot of effort goes into it...

 

[mikedacarpenter]

Skinning isn't that difficult...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/253071/knowing-where-your-meat-comes-from

 

[macmmj]

We used burlap and boiling water to scald and scrape. I've done them both skinned and scraped. We used to always skin because we didn't have anything large enough to dunk for scalding and scraping. I found out about using burlap and pouring scalding water over let sit when the hair starts to pull out rubbing with your hand then scrape and move the burlap to another area. I don't think I'll skin a pig again, I think scraping is much easier to deal with. I've skinned a lot of animals and their not the hardest to skin, but I think processing a scraped pig is way easier.

 

[chilerelleno]

Skinning a hog is easy as any other animal.
When it comes to feral hogs I always skin their nasty smelling, parasite ridden hides off'em.
And since I'm not making cracklings or rendering fat it only makes sense for me.
Also, it allows me to get the meat on ice quicker.

Dehairing a hog by any means is an undertaking, only made somewhat easier by having the proper tools for the method used.
Best done with a small team of people who know what they're doing.

 

[hbarton]

Great advice fellas!

 

[tkobbq]

I am getting ready to butcher 2 hogs, Duroc/Hamp cross....so we want to try our hand at a country style ham. but the question I have is can I do a country style ham with a skinned ham? 

What about the bacon?  We will be making bacon, can I do it with the skin on?

The hog will be processed like this: whole loins (back straps), pork belly for bacon, and the whole hams...the rest is sausage.  What is the point of keeping the skin on?  Folks have been scalding and scraping for many,many years..but why?  

Thanks

Zeek

Yes very interested in this. Does anyone know if you can do country style hams with skinned hams? Is the skin necessary for the process?

 

[foamheart]

I have scraped hogs when a kid. Its cold, wet, work! I have never skinned a hog though.

You might investigate singing the hair. I have seen pictures of butchers and good ol'boys doing it with wild hogs but have no first hand experience. If singeing is as good as scraping, I would be using that as my prefered choice.

Fresh bottle a propane and a good sized weed burner and you're in business.

Again I have never seen it first hand or know anyone personally that has used the method.

 

[tennesseecold]

Just noticed this post. How did it go? I added a link that might help answer some of your questions. Good luck!

Lots of hard work when you kill hogs. Most folks in my area take their stock to a processor and pay them to do it. Not too many done on the farm anymore.

Dry Curing Virginia-Style Ham pdf

pubs.ext.vt.edu

https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/.../458-223/458-223_pdf.pdf

 

[daveomak]

This link works...

https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/458/458-223/458-223_pdf.pdf