Boning a hog

[rifledbore]

I've been lurking around the forum for a while and have learned quite a bit. I'd like some suggestions or resources to learn how to bone out a pig.

I've read the section in Bob Robb's book but for someone inexperienced I didn't find enough detail. I was hoping for more diagrams or illustrations.

I have skinned a pig before and watched the field dressing. I'll do both of those but the boning out is different - a big unknown for me. When I've taken a pig, I've always had it butchered.

I'm hoping to head out to Carrizo Plain sometime in March. From what I'm reading, I need to plan to hike a ways with my pig (notice the positive attitude here - I will get a pig!). I have an old frameback pack and other assorted gear to use. If I'm fortunate enough to be close to a road, I'll just field dress it and carry it out. But, if I have to go far I will need to do some boning.

Any suggestions??! Thanks

 

[Hogskin]

Welcome, Mike!

Sorry, can't help you on boning out your hog, I always have mine butchered. Seems like rocket science to me, but I'm sure it's not that difficult with the proper guidance, just never had it. Some of the guys do it pretty regular so hang around and I'm sure they'll post up.

Regards,
Paul

 

[DKScott]

I did one in college, but I was drunk.

 

[Zippy the Pinhead]

I can't claim any hog boning experience, but I have boned out a few deer. I expect they are different from hogs, but I'd wager there are some common points, too.

When I boned out deer, it was because I wasn't interested in carrying anything but meat. That was heavy enough. Too, understand I'm no expert. I learned how to do this by trying it for myself.

All animal muscles are grouped in bunches, for lack of a better term, which are separated by slick connective tissue. Following a tip from a medically-educated friend, all one has to do to make the boning as easy as possible is to follow the connective tissue pathways as much as possible. This will help you find your way to the hip and shoulder joints, which will need to be separated. When you move the animal's legs, you can estimate where the joints are located by the way the legs move and don't move. In fact, before you hang the animal with a gambrel, which is what I prefer to do, it is wise to move the legs around a bit so you can see the approximate joint locations.

Once the animal is hanging and skinned, and the hooves/feet have been sawed off, start cutting along the connective tissue to get at the shoulder and hip joints. If you hang it from the back legs, as I prefer to hang deer, you'll obviously work on the shoulders/front legs first. I usually don't fully bone these out; rather, I just disconnect them from the carcass and put them in a game bag. Then I remove whatever other cuts I can-- usually the neck meat, the backstraps, and the tenderloins-- and then I take off the back legs. As with the front, I don't fully bone these out, but I just disconnect them from the carcass and throw them in the game bag. On deer, I leave the ribs. On a pig, I guess you may want to take them... I don't really know. If you want the ribs, I guess it would pay to have some kind of a good meat/bone saw with you. I have a backpack-style saw I've used, and while it works good for sawing off leg bones, etc., I don't think I'd want to tackle two whole sides of rib bones with it.

Now I have to admit it has been a few years since I've done this. My memory is not so good. I'll bet there are others here who can give you a better answer.

 

[m57jager]

Just learned this myself. I was told that hog musk glands are these little black tumor looking growths by the hams. After it is skinned, follow up the front side of the ham and you'll find them in the fatty connective tissue near where the hams connect to the body. Carefully cut these out. That way you can at least limit the adrenaline leakage into the meat. Thought I'd pass it along.

 

[Raully]

Originally posted by DKScott@Feb 17 2003, 10:25 PM
I did one in college, but I was drunk.

LMAO!

Scott good one.

 

[MrRee]

How many fingers you got left now Scott??

 

[orchardhills]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

I did one in college, but I was drunk.  [/b]

Way to go DKScott. You made me laugh all through my lunch period. Now the kids will be wondering why I am still laughing during math. Too funny! The bag over the head is very appropriate.

Orchardhills

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

DK Scott-

That was too funny!

 

[Hogskin]

Welcome, Zippy!

Regards,
Paul

 

[Hawghunter]

Scott,

Ha-Ha-Ha! Too funny...
Mark

 

[jrifenbark]

When I gutted my hog, I thought that gland (I only saw one) was a tumor and resolved to cut it out. Man was I surprised when it popped and sprayed me with pig stink. I will never forget the smell and can smell it in the air when hogs have been in the immediate area.

 

[MNHNTR]

backwoodshome.com/articles/geissal123.html]Butchering[/URL] check this out...found it on Jesses page

 

[Hawghunter]

Mike,
Seroiusly, whatever you have to do-- make sure you cool the meat off as soon as possible. This seems to have as much say in how it will taste as anything else.
Mark

 

[nobuckkev]

I have not gotten one big enough for a good sized ham yet, and other than that, I do not like any bones in my meat so I cut off all the meat and make roasts and steaks only. the guy above was right on the bunching of the various muscles, they will actually pull off already looking good enough to eat in most cases with just a little knife work involved. Usually the legs and rump are split into 3 sections of roasts. the back strap speaks for itself, cut along the spine and the loin strips are excellent. When I am done getting all the good sized meats off, I go back and strip the carcass for scraps and throw them in a bowl for the grinder. Make sure you leave some fat for the ground stuff though. The best thing I can tell you is to throw it on your counter at home and just start playing around and cut it the way you want to eat it.

 

[OR186]

Never did a pig but this is how we do elk & deer.Should work for pigs.You will be working on the ground instead of a hanging animal.Your back will be talking to you before you are finished.Lay the animal on its side and skin from the belly out to the backbone.Spread the skin out on the ground .It will be hair side down.Start separating the muscles and cutting them loose from the carcass.Take the meat off in as big a pieces as you can.You can deal with it later at home.Fillet off the backstrap.The process is kind of like filleting a big fish.Don't forget the tenderloins inside.If you are able to get the front legs out whole, cut them off the carcass at the shoulder.If not, bone them out also.After finishing a side ,roll it over on the skin you spread out and repeat. Take along a clean tarp to lay the chunks of meat on to let them cool a little before putting it in gamebags for the packing.It looks like quite a chore but as you are doing it it just kind of comes to you and it is no big deal.

 

[tnctcb]

if you are just concerned with getting out of the woods with minimal weight try this.cut the shoulders and hams off, i will assume you know that part and not bore you.start at the back side of a leg at the bottom near the foot and cut the meat all the way to the bone, i usually make slices instead of trying to do it all in one cut.follow that bone all the way down the back side of the meat.at this point you can fold back the meat to expose the bone and cut at an angle oround the bone. as it comes loose you can push it back and away so you have more room to work.when you are finished you will have one peice of meat sort of butterflied and you can cut the steaks and roasts when you get home. the hams will have a thicker L shaped bone that is pretty easy to trim around but the shoulders will have a blade in them that takes a little more patience but use the same process.this leaves you more work to do later but i would rather cut smaller peices at home sitting in a chair at a table than leaning over it in the feild