I bought a pig!

[shroomgirl]

unless the names remind you why they are living with you......"right, pork chop and andouille?"

I've noticed that one of the national wholesalers has taken to selling Berkshire meat, with a real nice upcharge.
We're so lucky to have so much great pork in the midwest, most throughout this region should not have problems accessing well raised USDA butchered good pork. Chickens, are another matter. Pork is so plentiful and priced so you can buy it wholesale/direct from the farmers.

[MattFin]

I have long considered getting a half a pig myself and going to work on things like the belly for bacon, or braised belly slices and the loins, chops and so forth for all the great stuff that can be done there, and who doesn't want to smoke their own ham/cook their own BBQ? But for me, a pig would be a space issue. I am not sure where/how I could store so much meat. Sure, curing the ham and belly would make refrigeration unnecessary, but the question to me then is what to do with all the other meat. I have a small fridge/freezer combo, and they have other stuff in them already...

What do people out there do for storage? I am assuming you have tricks on this, and I would love to hear them!

Otherwise, my whole pig purchases are just for same/next day pig-pickin's, where the whole pig disappears at once. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)

[shroomgirl]

yep refrigeration can be a big issue. I have residential models in my catering kitchen and a couple at home. So as soon as the pig shows up we schedule breaking it down.
A bone saw makes life easier, the one I've got cost about $40 and well worth it. We've not cut bone in chops but taken the ribs off then cut off the boneless loin then used the back bones for stock (roasted).
The first pig I had my brother smoke the hams, the second pig I sold the raw hams outright.
Head and feet go right into the stock pot. Shoulders go into a bustub.Belly has gone into the freezer or has been cured and does take up extra space.
leaf lard goes right onto the stove. So by the end of the day the process is under way.
One of my buddies suggested a ban(d) saw.....that just seems like a potential accident, it'd be good to have for cutting chops but it'll take several more pigs before opting for one.....now that takes up space.

[KYHeirloomer]

I cure so much of it that freezer/fridge space is not a problem. The bacon, hams, jowls, and neck all get cured and, usually, smoked.

Lard is rendered down and stored in plastic containers, which do go in the freezer, except for the lard I trade off for home-made soap.

Ribs are cooked immediately, cuz that's my reward for breaking down the pig. In short, the ribs get stored inside me.

This basically leaves me the loins and shoulders. Storing them is not much of a problem, as I have both an upright and chest freezer, and can usually fit something like the loins in one or the other, betwixed the venison and the gamebirds.

Generally, the shoulders get turned into pulled pork (24 hours in a slow smoker with my special mop sauce, ummmmmmm, ummmmm!), which lowers the storage problem even more, cuz the bone gets discarded.

[kuan]

Reading what shroom says reminds me of the time when me and my MIL had a conversation. She was talking about how they had to break down the pig and render the lard, and how the treat of the day was the cracklings.

[Mezzaluna]

the treat of the day was the cracklings

Mmmm..... pork gribenes!

[KYHeirloomer]

"Mmmm..... pork gribenes! "

You got it, bubala!

[shroomgirl]

Cajun boudin does it for me.....I'll put hours in to get boudin.

[shroomgirl]

Interesting pig article in the NYT last Wed. 30-35# piglets/shoats roasted whole, sold whole $480.....um wow.....good return.....usually a little guy costs about as much as a 200# hog. Between processing and gestation/raising to 35# weight the majority of the labor has gone in already.
But $480 is still an exceptional return.

A whole shoulder roasted and served with numerous sets of tongs.....pig picking at it's best (only we always used fingers!)......facinating the route several restaurants are going in NYC.

[shroomgirl]

so, Nicko are you making sausage with your pig? if so what kind? using salt peter? can you get casings from your pig supplier? you getting the head and offal with your half?
I'd love to have info on processing bellies.

The new priest I cook for has a sausage recipe from his grandmother, so it's at least 98 years old. He's going to look for his mother's reciept book....should be interesting. I can't wait for the next pig.

[KYHeirloomer]

"I'd love to have info on processing bellies."

Shroomgirl, processed bellies are called "bacon." If that's what you have in mind I can provide my dry-cure recipe and instructions. It's time consuming, but not difficult.

[shroomgirl]

sure that would be great thank you, but if you don't cure them they are still bellies....ala Chinese.....or Italian lardo, or....?

[DMT]

Originally Posted by kuan

Whatever you do, don't give the pigs names.

Oh, but it helps tell them apart...

One would be "Breakfast", the other "Dinner"...

[Littlemama]

We raise just about everything we consume. we have done a hog before and the difference between one you raise and the stuff you buy in the store is drastic! Our pig was fed on barley, corn and oats. they do root around so we kept her in her own pen. that was part of controling what she ate. We also process our own turkeys and chickens, rabbits and goats. There are only a few months out of the year that there is no fresh meat in our freezer.

I think you will be very pleased with your choice of farm raised meat. Any one who has the chance should do this.....remember your county fair is a very good source and buying at the Jr. Livestock Auctions will help support the youth groups.

[shroomgirl]

Small Farm Conference in Columbia, Mo each late Fall has numerous heirloom/heritage (is there a difference?) bread animals for sale and of course the various groups of farmers interested in selling grown critters for meat.

The Mo. State Fair is huge, really huge.....Sedalia in the middle of summer.....it's fun to see the hams hanging and various canned goods.