AGH--Breeders & eating them

Looks better than it reads/sounds. That's some good looking pork! Those chops are going to be awesome I think. And man... I'd sure like to try some of that bacon :drool Waiting for the taste test results too :pop
 
OK--- finished all packaging today!! (Th 9/1) THANKFULLY -- a job. My DD helped me on the last 1/2 of one so I could e "done".

My son had been given a shoulder/Boston butt on 8/31 & 9/1 he says he threw it on the grill that evening and it was "AWESOME". Girlfriend kept asking what he had put on it to make it so tasty and he said nothing at all!! Not even salt/pepper. He was amazed! This evening DD & I had a rib roast from a crock pot, tiny bit of garlic shook on at tie of putting into post, tasted wonderful. Both cooking were tender, moist, quick cooking.

This has been a great tasting pork! I was a little taken aback when I saw the first cut (neck area) at the slaughter house and concerned--first venture with this type of hog--and a lot of fat to render, no doubt. But the meat has been so tender and tasty, I'm sold on it. PLUS these were boar hogs....purchased @8wks, feed minimal pelleted feed, grazed, fed cut grass, excess veggies, breads, excess goat milk on occasion, etc. Great personalities.

These 2 boys were 13 mos old at butcher, had been put with the 2 girls 5 wks ago, did their job, then to slaughter house. There was NO taint to meat One was slightly longer & leaner than the other.

Yes, I was concerned at first sight after butchering but, having cut, packaged, eaten the meat,,,,good all around. Gilts should farrow first week of Dec. Next one will probably be at butcher about 9-10 months of age. No worry about neutering, they love grass! They are "smaller" and thus well suited for smaller families who don't want 400# to freeze.

This is a LOT of work to process the carcass. Only one at a time from now on. It will challenge your freezer, so if proper cutting & packing is available, consider cost. My own was not cheap!! But I love having pork that I KNOW was well fed & treated....no chemicals, no brine in the meat at packers.
 
Now that I have had a good nights sleep, couple other things I wanted to mention as some of you want to butcher at home. the bones are surprisingly small in these animals. A battery recip saw was used here and a hand saw also worked, much slower. But when alone, worked. DD held the meat so that I could more easily run the recip saw.

Next the fat is of a very nice texture, knives move easily thru it. While there is a couple inches under the skin, the central leaf lard fat is just creamy when mashed with you fingers. Want to get that rendered soon, for now in fridge/freezer, etc. Because I just don't want all the skin/fat, I am hoping to find another who does. Otherwise, dump. Probably 50# per pig. That cuts useable meat to 75-85 # per pig.

This is not the most efficient conversion of many hog breeds but, the food conversion is excellent if you have pasture. Plus, they loved (and ate well) the green chop I used by bagging fresh lawn cutting. In fact, when in smaller pens I cut sections each day just to feed. I had access to outdated produce for them plus buy outdated breads for them, chickens & goat treats.....cheap!

Surprisingly, with their blanket of fat, the meat is not full of thick streaks of fat. Nice color, no "white meat" here. Also no chemicals, drugs, etc. So tender a sharp knife works.

Many breeds have been culled to produce a leaner hog. That's great but, I do like this one. Next ones will go sooner, running larger pasture first. I now have a comparison for next product to see where it goes.
 
I'm curious what would happen if you crossed one with a heritage standard sized hog like a GOS or something. Hmm.... Best of both worlds?
 
Thanks so much for the review! I'm anxious to get one of mine done too. Just waiting for a good cool front... and waiting...and waiting...
 
thanks for that review. I am a firm believer in trying to produce our own meat, as much as possible. Small livestock for small farms. Small livestock is easier for us to handle, easier to process and easier to raise than a 2,000 pound cow. I am seriously considering adding a small breed pig to the farm. But I will wait to get ALL my fencing up before deciding. I already have sheep, so might just get feeder pigs from time to time. Might even work out a trade.
 
We got one we are waiting to do as well. He is a barrow and a berk/hamp cross. We will also be butchering one of our young gilts for a whole hog roast. She has been with the boar thru 3 heats now and still not bred and she is grumpy and flighty which is not what we want. Same mix as the barrow. Both pigs are north of 250# atm and wont be slaughter for at least 2 more weeks since we do our own and like to hang them for a day.
 
Since Hermine visited our area with much rain, heavy winds & cooler temps, I could go with no a/c, opened windows under porches for wonderful airflow and rendered all the leaf fat into lard. Have two gallons, about 25# of lovely white lard. (Plus a qt I'm saving for winter bird cakes)

Not even going to attempt the skin/fat this go round. Don't need it and not wanting to work it. But, plenty of lovely, tasty meat....chops, roasts, ribs, hams. There are 4 large slabs to cure into bacon in the freezer. Will give that a go in a couple months, after weather cools off. Next go I may do some sausage but, really don't eat a lot of it so, not a priority for me.

The size of these pigs is FAR more easily handled for home butchering. I have an acquaintance who IS a pro butcher (which he does for a living in a grocery chain) as well as a native of CO where he was an avid hunter. So he has all the equipment and knowledge for the home job. He will do home butchering. It is an option for next year, esp since he will barter the work for a portion for self. I'm good with that!!

Just an update for the lard.....for those who use it.
 
So glad to hear that! I do love lard and used up all I had from the previous butchering a couple years ago. Thanks for the update. My neighbor helped with our last butchering of two 300+lb hogs. Did them both the same day...whew! I gave him LOTS of meat for his efforts. He has all the equipment too...and he's a good guy. He was almost my son in law - but that's a different story, lol!
 
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