Butcher Time - Hogs

You are now an official "PIG SLAYER" congrats.
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Just awesome!

I wished these were around twenty some years ago when my family was raising a few pigs and one fell down and died just prior to morning feeding....he was warm at the time Dad got to him. He was so ticked off because they were only two WEEKS away from butchering. What a waste! Certain it was heart attack because everyone was doing well, no one was sick or off the feed that evening. So DAd dragged him out to the field, still snowing........

Called the rendering guy to come out and the guy asked for details and he told Dad if he would have taken that pig immediately to the butcher shop or at least butcher it himself, the pig could have been good to eat.

Now seeing those links, I bet I could do most of it except for the killing part. Once I shoot, I want it down NOW, not injured or suffering, but gone right then and there.

There is NOTHING like home raised hogs......the taste is unbeatable and delicious!
 
great work, bigredfeather!

heck i didnt notice you were in ohio.. howdy neighbor!

i hope you are frying up some meat in a pan about now.. we just got our hams back and they are amazing!

all good lessons learned. dont know if you saw on the Step by Step (which was done by my buddy, Bourbon Red) but he says you have about 10 seconds to get in there and stick the pig. you were extremely smart not to try and get in there while he was flopping about. one of ours looked like it was over, then suddenly lurched and breached high in the air, rolled over, and when he hit i swear the ground shook.

next time you'll know to kind of 'rehearse' where you'll put what and such. and while having 2 people is a good option. my hubby put the knife in the fence nearest to him so it was: shoot, gun holstered, take knife, stick pig.

but now you also know what to expect...so you'll be miles ahead next time.
:)

and yep, Brunty we were kinda freaked out by the shooting too. and another thing to consider is... you are a workin' guy and have a huge risk if you get hurt. so sometimes you just gotta do what ya gotta do and if taking them in is the best option, thats just fine too.

booker81 - just show him this:
http://adventuresinthegoodland.blogspot.com/2010/12/is-it-worth-it-um-yeah.html

Dogfish, you'd just about bust a gut to see me then and now. Then = dressed by Nordstroms on the way to Maui b/c the surf was up but taking my laptop because i was just that important... Now = dressed by Tractor Supply on the way to shovel out the hen house because they are just that important. my golly. and yeah i like my life MUCH better now

;-)
 
Wooo! You make sauerkraut too?
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DH loves his kraut, but since I started making it a few years ago, he won't eat the store stuff..."It doesn't taste good and it's too stringy" LOL!
 
yeah baby!

actually its the easiest thing in the WORLD to make. and its good. i searched on the Nourishing Traditions recipe (there are a million of them out there) and did it... no you dont need the whey... i cant believe it worked.

we were very suspicious... but next year we'll do up a huge batch of it

:)
 
I do it the lazy way - shred the heck out of the cabbage, pack in jars, and fill with boiled water and some salt. Put in a dark place, and every week top off with boiled water. After four weeks, take em out, tighten the lids and boil for 40 mins. All done!

Just pulled a jar out from last year for dinner tonight
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That's awesome... you know, I would have came down to give you a hand. Would have loved the opportunity to help out. Not to mention I actually didn't have anything to do this weekend... for once.


Are you going to cure the hams and bacon yourself?

Good job... I will definitely come down next year if you decide to do them again.
 
Quote:
Weekdays I wear a dress shirt, slacks, dress shoes, and a green Carhart jacket (I own 10 suits, can't remember the last time I wore one). Weekends, old Carhart jacket, Wrangler "Ranger pants", and a pair of Cabela's goretex boots. I sometimes shock my clients when I run into them at Home Depot and I am dressed as a hick, AND I "out-hick" them. Mind you, I bank a bunch of com'l fishermen and loggers now, and it is hard to be a bigger hick than those guys.
 
BRF,

Glad it worked out well for you. As mentioned, a come-along or a chain hoist work well for raising and lowering your animal. (wish I had a tractor!) Sounds like you had things well under control. Great job describing your process!

Skinning is usually much easier when the animal is warm, and if I had two I would probably skin both, then split them in the morning. Next time give us a call and I'll lend you my boys. They'll skin anything out in 15 minutes or less.

Enjoy your pork.

The more I think about this, the more I think that it is easier to ask forgiveness than ask permission. Might just have to build a hog pen and buy a "Wilbur". Does a hog pen need a roof?
 

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