Butchering

[feelinducky]

How do you guys usually get your hog butchered? Do you smoke the hams? Grind everything, chops, steaks or??

 

[ltdann]

http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/hog-javelina-hunting/202016-before-after.html

Do it yourself. See the links, particularly the one for the meatman.com. They have a 5 min sample tutorial thats awesome.

 

[myfriendis410]

We were tired of less than optimal results from the butcher so we too took it on ourselves to process our own game animals. I think it just shows more respect for the animal to be involved in the whole process. We do our own deer, elk and hogs and enjoy the fruits of our labors all year long.

I will say again that it is my belief, shared by my friends, that bone marrow imparts an off flavor to wild game. By boning it out instead of bandsawing (a common practice among butchers) you end up with a superior product. I don't even use a saw on my game animals when skinning and hocking; just cut through the joint. It even works on big elk, to my surprise (I know I should have bet money on it when I tried it).

We aren't butchers so the cuts we get are not recognizable except to us. But you know what? It's all fantastic. I pity the poor folk having to eat those crappy Ribeyes and Filet Mignons..........

 

[feelinducky]

Thanks for the replies. But, I am actually wondering what "cuts" you get. Roasts or chops or sausage the whole thing. If I had the time this round I would probably do it myself but I don't have the time.

 

[ltdann]

Thanks for the replies. But, I am actually wondering what "cuts" you get. Roasts or chops or sausage the whole thing. If I had the time this round I would probably do it myself but I don't have the time.

Front shoulder=ham steaks and picnic hams, flanks=both bacon and ribs, spine area=pork chops, haunch= hams and hocks.

Those are the normal things to order. There's usually enough left over scraps for about 10-15 pds of ground pork, depending on the hog size.

There are pork charts out there to help you decide. If you want pork loins for example, you won't get pork chops cause they come from the same area. Same thing with country ribs, you want thick ribs, you don't get bacon. Just google pork chart.

It took me about 3 hours to butcher my hog and that was the first time. Next time it'll be half that.

 

[weekender21]

-Boneless chops from the backstraps

-either smoke the hams or separate muscle groups into roasts.

-grind the trimmings and the rest into breakfast or italian sausage.

DIY is the way to go. It's easier than you think!

 

[feelinducky]

How does the bacon turn out?

 

[ltdann]

How does the bacon turn out?

Normaly not much bacon on a small feral hog, but its leaner than store bought. Depending what recipe you use to turn it into bacon, it tastes like.....bacon!

Nunzio's Bacon Page

 

[myfriendis410]

It really is not that hard. I would also favor hanging the carcass for a few days in the cooler to dry out. That makes the meat more tender and easier to handle.

Like Weekender said: follow the muscle groups for roasts. We usually just grind the shoulders (assuming Steve didn't put a 180 gr. TSX through both of them) and make sausage. I have a cajun recipe that we case in kielbasa casings and then cold smoke/vacuum pack/freeze for lasagna that will make you lose sleep dreaming about.

Usually I crockpot my pork roasts and either do pulled pork or my absolute favorite: carnitas! The backstrap is reserved for schnitzel and the tenderloins go in the oven. When we use ground pork we use it like any ground meat.

 

[Knock 'em Down]

Oh my god that sounds delicious!

 

[k_rad]

Where can I find a list of ingrediants for breakfast sausage (my favorite)? Also 410 I don't have a walk-in cooler.(I know i still live in the dark ages) so say I get a Tejon hog on Sat. I can hang it over night but then Sunday when they tell me to hit the bricks should I bone it out then or put the whole hog in my meat box and look for a butcher with a freezer that would have room to age it for me? I guess I would be obligated to pay him to cut it up...what say you? oh wize hog butcherers

 

[weekender21]

K rad, Pork doesn't benefit from aging as much as venison or beef. It certainly doesn't hurt but if you don't have access it's really not a big deal. I've put pork in my ice chest, ON TOP OF THE ICE, several times for up to four days prior to butchering. Make sure it doesn't soak in water as the ice melts.

I've tried several blends for pork sausage but my favorite is from made by Legg's. Just grind your wild pork and domestic pork fat, add seasoning, freeze and enjoy.
A.C. Legg, Inc. :: Seasonings

 

[myfriendis410]

Once again, Andy is right. We don't age pork for as long as red meat and a cooler will work just fine as long as the meat is not immersed in the ice water. I've even set small cuts on a wire rack over a drip pan in the 'fridge for a couple of days when I've had nothing else.

I have not found a breakfast sausage recipe that I like to date. Sausage done properly requires the introduction of fat from domestic sources to make it palatable. Usually the best bet for finding fat is at the supermarket.

 

[ltdann]

Fresh Breakfast sausage

10 lbs pork trimmings or pork butt
4 Tb salt
1 Tb ground white pepper
2 Tb Sage, rubbed between your hands, not ground
1 Tsp ginger
1 Tb nutmet
1 Tb Thyme
1 Tb Ground red pepper
2 cups of ice water

If you want brown and serve sausage, follow above but add 2 level Tsp's of Instacure #1, or LEM cure, or morton cure(whatever you can find-follow the directions) and 2 cups of soy protein concentrate or 2 cups of non-fat dry milk.

If its not fatty enough, you can get fat from the butcher or what I do is, use smoked bacon trimmings that you can find cheap at the grocery store.

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

I've only butchered one hog that I've shot (My last one). I do have to admit, the feeling you get from the "DIY" kinda completes the hunt. It took me about 5-6 hours, cause I was learning as I was doing it. It did come out well and I saved the $80 I typically spend at the meat house.

 

[ltdann]

I've only butchered one hog that I've shot (My last one). I do have to admit, the feeling you get from the "DIY" kinda completes the hunt. It took me about 5-6 hours, cause I was learning as I was doing it. It did come out well and I saved the $80 I typically spend at the meat house.

I bought the meatman DVD after I did my hog, if I'd bought before, it would have been much faster. $26 bucks well spent.

 

[jagdman]

The most common way that we butcher at our ranch is.

round steaks : back legs
roast : back legs 1 roast a side
fillet : bad meat, I will get rid of those for you so you dont have to eat.
loins :AKA-back strap/ boneless chops I like to fillet of and cut into steaks
ribs : no brainer
sausage: Front legs and all the trimmings
Breakfast/ Hot Italian?/ Sweet Italian

Any way you eat it, it's all good.

We do it all boneless and dont age them. They are ready for you when you go home on Sunday and they taste great.

 

[bux-n-dux]

This is a very good place to start for the beginning home sausage maker.


Sausage Making

bux-n-dux