Whole Hog Cut Options

[SmokinGumby]

I've ordered a whole hog from a local butcher, and I've done some research, but I have a few questions/clarifications...
I don't have any specific problems with bone-in chops, but I'm concerned that I won't get back ribs if I don't specify boneless rib chops, is this correct?
My thought process is that I can smoke back ribs low and slow and gnaw every nib of meat and edible gristle off a back rib. Grill/oven cooked chops are going to be more flavorful, of course, for the loin portion, but when I've done bone-in chops before there's always a fair bit of meat and connective tissue left behind.
Also, I'm not sure about options with the center loin.

 

[pops6927]

definitely! just have them bone out the whole loin and package up the bones into sections, leaving some meat on the bones for gnawing on! then get the boneless chops cut into reg, thick, thin and country style boneless cuts!

 

[thirdeye]

Didn't the processor give you a cut sheet, so you could decide what options are best for you? Everything is give and take. For example, if you want center cut pork chops, you cant get a whole tenderloin or some loin roasts because those are the muscles in a center cut pork chop. If their cut sheet is a list of "bundles", this might be really handy for the shop, but might not apply to what you really want. I grew up around custom butchering, and a good operation will still offer that.

I prefer to cure my own hams and bacon, and would rather take "sausage grind" meat rather than getting their sausage. I also specify some "chili grind" to use in my green chili. I also want full shanks, not hocks. And don't forget to ask for the neck roast. Shoulder butts are so common in the stores, so I like to have the butt sliced into 3/4" pork steaks. If you ask for a coppa roast (cut from the money muscle end of the butt and possibly the finest roast on the hog), you can still get pork steaks but they are just smaller.

HERE is a help sheet that might you navigate the cut sheet or give you some ideas.

 

[Sowsage]

Take some time and watch this. Its very informative and should help you decide what cuts you want. It's a little long but its worth watching the whole video

 

[SmokinGumby]

Didn't the processor give you a cut sheet, so you could decide what options are best for you? Everything is give and take. For example, if you want center cut pork chops, you cant get a whole tenderloin or some loin roasts because those are the muscles in a center cut pork chop. If their cut sheet is a list of "bundles", this might be really handy for the shop, but might not apply to what you really want. I grew up around custom butchering, and a good operation will still offer that.

I prefer to cure my own hams and bacon, and would rather take "sausage grind" meat rather than getting their sausage. I also specify some "chili grind" to use in my green chili. I also want full shanks, not hocks. And don't forget to ask for the neck roast. Shoulder butts are so common in the stores, so I like to have the butt sliced into 3/4" pork steaks. If you ask for a coppa roast (cut from the money muscle end of the butt and possibly the finest roast on the hog), you can still get pork steaks but they are just smaller.

HERE is a help sheet that might you navigate the cut sheet or give you some ideas.

I actually found that in my Google searches before I ordered! They did provide a cut sheet, and it was pretty similar to that one. It still leaves quite a few questions, but I'm going to talk to them now that I at least know what questions to ask. Thanks!

 

[SmokinGumby]

Take some time and watch this. Its very informative and should help you decide what cuts you want. It's a little long but its worth watching the whole video

I did watch the whole video, which is a rare occurrence out here in the barely 3G countryside. Thank you very much, now I want to become a butcher and cure my own specialty meats lol

 

[Sowsage]

I did watch the whole video, which is a rare occurrence out here in the barely 3G countryside. Thank you very much, now I want to become a butcher and cure my own specialty meats lol

UK has a bunch of videos on that stuff worth watching. Good stuff.

 

[SmokinGumby]

I spoke with my butcher today and I think I've got it all straightened out. Glad I called, they had me down for Western ribs for some reason, and I don't think that's what I want. I asked for boneless chops and "baby" back ribs. I know some folks are diehards for bone-in, but I don't know, I just feel like it's a waste of rib. Does that make sense or have I got it twisted?

 

[thirdeye]

I spoke with my butcher today and I think I've got it all straightened out. Glad I called, they had me down for Western ribs for some reason, and I don't think that's what I want. I asked for boneless chops and "baby" back ribs. I know some folks are diehards for bone-in, but I don't know, I just feel like it's a waste of rib. Does that make sense or have I got it twisted?

Did the butcher elaborate on Western ribs? I live in the west and have never heard of them. I wonder if he's talking about double chops with one of the bones cut away, or a pork chop cut like a beef tomahawk steak with an extended bone?

The whole point of buying a farm-to-fork raised hog, and giving cutting instructions is to get exactly what you want..., so getting loin back ribs and boneless chops is perfectly fine. However, since you asked.... I would go with bone-in chops mainly because they will have more fat which keeps them moister, and I could get 3/4" or 1" thickness, which also works in your favor. You are only talking 2 racks of loin ribs anyway, so you could easily find nice racks at the supermarket. And if you like boneless chops for some applications, buy a full loin for about $15 and slice it yourself.

 

[SmokinGumby]

Did the butcher elaborate on Western ribs? I live in the west and have never heard of them. I wonder if he's talking about double chops with one of the bones cut away, or a pork chop cut like a beef tomahawk steak with an extended bone?

The whole point of buying a farm-to-fork raised hog, and giving cutting instructions is to get exactly what you want..., so getting loin back ribs and boneless chops is perfectly fine. However, since you asked.... I would go with bone-in chops mainly because they will have more fat which keeps them moister, and I could get 3/4" or 1" thickness, which also works in your favor. You are only talking 2 racks of loin ribs anyway, so you could easily find nice racks at the supermarket. And if you like boneless chops for some applications, buy a full loin for about $15 and slice it yourself.

I think here in Ohio a western rib is a boneless shoulder cut. Not 100% sure, I've seen a few different definitions online. Either way, I want my shoulders intact for smoking.
The reason I finally made the jump to buying a whole hog is that grocery store meat selection is getting spotty around here and I'm concerned that Widespread meat shortages are going to get to a toilet paper scenario lol
I'm surprised I haven't seen any threads about the processor overload going on right now. Maybe I've just missed those discussions? There are definitely some strange things happening in food supply chains right now.
I'm not able to capitalize, but there's a farm in Ohio selling nearly 1,000 250-300lb market ready live hogs because their processor can't take them. They are selling them for $140 each!!!

 

[chopsaw]

I don't know either , but would say " western rib " is a CSR . My question is west of where ?
I used to buy a 1/2 hog every year . have not in awhile . You are going to love the quality of the meat .
What did you get for the Hams ? I used to get some ham steaks ( they were cured ) but also got " green ham " A 2 inch cross cut from the rear leg that smoked / grilled up awesome .
I used to get bone in chops , pork steaks , the ham sections as mentioned , and the rest as sausage . Awesome sausage . I need to revisit this .

 

[thirdeye]

I think here in Ohio a western rib is a boneless shoulder cut. Not 100% sure, I've seen a few different definitions online. Either way, I want my shoulders intact for smoking.
The reason I finally made the jump to buying a whole hog is that grocery store meat selection is getting spotty around here and I'm concerned that Widespread meat shortages are going to get to a toilet paper scenario lol
I'm surprised I haven't seen any threads about the processor overload going on right now. Maybe I've just missed those discussions? There are definitely some strange things happening in food supply chains right now.
I'm not able to capitalize, but there's a farm in Ohio selling nearly 1,000 250-300lb market ready live hogs because their processor can't take them. They are selling them for $140 each!!!

At a certain time chickens, hogs, steers all have to go to the processor or the seller starts loosing money and the animals get too heavy.

 

[SmokinGumby]

I don't know either , but would say " western rib " is a CSR . My question is west of where ?
I used to buy a 1/2 hog every year . have not in awhile . You are going to love the quality of the meat .
What did you get for the Hams ? I used to get some ham steaks ( they were cured ) but also got " green ham " A 2 inch cross cut from the rear leg that smoked / grilled up awesome .
I used to get bone in chops , pork steaks , the ham sections as mentioned , and the rest as sausage . Awesome sausage . I need to revisit this .

For the hams I got 1 cured and smoked, center sliced with the ends as roasts. The other ham I had cut in half but left green. I've never done a fresh ham, so I will be excited to do that.
The butts I left green and whole for smoking into pulled pork, and I gave 1 picnic shoulder over to sausage and kept 1 for smoking as well.
The sausage I asked for a 50/50 split between fresh and smoked.

 

[SmokinGumby]

Price quoted is $1.49/lb plus about $50 in smoking/curing/stuffing fees.
Seems like a pretty good price for a place that only deals in local animals.

 

[tallbm]

Hi there and welcome! U have the right idea SmokinGumby. If i could spend $140 on hogs like that I would buy 2 of them.
My preference would be bonless loin (backstrap) and baby back ribs. I would also take pork belly and then spare ribs. I'd use almost the whole thing if they would scrape and scald it too. If not no biggy.

I've processed feral hogs no problem (skinned not scrapped) and I would have no problem processing farm raised pigs. Now processing a steer would be a whole other ball game but I bet I could find a way to make it happen. Its just the sheer size of the animal but if I could get a steer hung on a hook I could break it down with confidence but I don't know of such a setup that I would have access too lol.

Congrats on the hog man!

 

[Bearcarver]

I spoke with my butcher today and I think I've got it all straightened out. Glad I called, they had me down for Western ribs for some reason, and I don't think that's what I want. I asked for boneless chops and "baby" back ribs. I know some folks are diehards for bone-in, but I don't know, I just feel like it's a waste of rib. Does that make sense or have I got it twisted?

I agree!!

Bear

 

[thirdeye]

Hi there and welcome! U have the right idea SmokinGumby. If i could spend $140 on hogs like that I would buy 2 of them.
My preference would be bonless loin (backstrap) and baby back ribs. I would also take pork belly and then spare ribs. I'd use almost the whole thing if they would scrape and scald it too. If not no biggy.

I've processed feral hogs no problem (skinned not scrapped) and I would have no problem processing farm raised pigs. Now processing a steer would be a whole other ball game but I bet I could find a way to make it happen. Its just the sheer size of the animal but if I could get a steer hung on a hook I could break it down with confidence but I don't know of such a setup that I would have access too lol.

Congrats on the hog man!

We still have a meat plant that will hang game and farm hogs for 3 to 5 days, and if the weather is cool, butchering either of those at home is not that bad. It's been done for hundreds of years. PVC leg extensions are a must to keep your back in check!

 

[SmokinGumby]

View attachment 444225
We still have a meat plant that will hang game and farm hogs for 3 to 5 days, and if the weather is cool, butchering either of those at home is not that bad. It's been done for hundreds of years. PVC leg extensions are a must to keep your back in check!

I'm going to try it one day. My father used to feed out a few pigs a year, I've been wanting to do the same. He never butchered himself, but I think I can handle it. One step at a time.

 

[rc4u]

i buy em this then you can decide how thick the chops are or not, and do some this or that.. iv'e butchered on farm and lotsa hunting .. its not hard and fun i was a builder so i have an extra sawz-all thats easy to clean and sanitize and selection of blades.. you dont need one just depends on cuts.. my ban saw is not for meat. if ya have a local sams club they sell these two to a carton or can buy one..

 

[chopsaw]

Yup , cutting up deer for the last 12 years gives you the idea of what to do . Gets easier each time .