Post by Mitra on Oct 21, 2008 10:32:29 GMT -5
Yesterday, two of the pigs (Porky and Horton) went to the butcher. This Sunday, the third pig, Snorton, will be butchered here and what an "extravaganza" this has turned into. Oh My!
Once I decided that this was going to happen, some amazing things fell into place. No sooner had I decided we were doing the butchering here, then planets aligned and I got a call from a real live "Foodie" named Paul. He's not just a foodie but a "real-Foodie" - all about simple, fresh, local, seasonal, and don't waste anything! He is a chef but prefers the term "traditional cook". And not only is he over-the-top knowledgeable about what to do with all those less-than-scrumptious-sounding pig parts, he knows how to cut up a pig from snout to tail. I had heard of Paul through Janet (2ndchance). He heard about me through our local gourmet shop, Up Front & Pleasant, and through another member here Laura (lj). Laura is the matriarch of Flying Pond Farm where my pig Charlotte moved .
Paul and I could have spoken for hours about food and animals. It became immediately obvious to me that he needed to join this forum! I believe he has joined us, now we just need him to do an intro and dive in
Paul was willing to share his knowledge about butchering for, what I consider, a beautiful trade; his expertise for certain pig parts - all bits I have no idea what to do with and if I did I'm not sure I would ! He wants organs, the bladder, the blood, trotters and head.
Paul has a friend Erik who is chef/owner of Evangeline's, a French restaurant in Portland, Maine. He is also planning to join us on Sunday. Here is a link with some info about his restaurant. Check out some of the menu items! chowhound.chow.com/topics/510868
Paul says Erik has a lot of experience with snout to tail processing of pigs. At his restaurant, they get them whole and custom cut them. I believe the bladder is to be used as a type of sausage casing
Paul's helped me a great deal on the preparation end of this event. He provided me with a list of the items we need in order to do this. I think it's worth posting it here:
Pig Slaughter Equipment List
55-gallon barrel or a 95-gallon stock tank
Blocks or bricks for a firebox
A sturdy platform that is equal in height to the height of the barrel or tank plus the firebox.
A block and tackle or come-along and a hanging pole are useful for lifting and scalding the pig.
A hose
Rubber aprons and boots
A curved or double-edged knife for sticking
Bell scrapers
Meat saw and a place to hang it
Small, sharp butchers or boning knives
A sharpening stone
A hog hook or a 2-handled hay hook
A singletree or gambrel stick
Feed the morning before slaughter or early afternoon at the latest, and withhold food the day of slaughter and allow free water.
A 22. caliber weapon or a 5# maul.
Clean pans to catch blood and hold organs, jars as well
Rope and or chain to raise and secure the pig
Lugs for butchered parts
A cutting table
Butchers wrap and tape
A freezer
Joann immediately went to work getting as many of these items together as she could for us. Max brought home a truckload- worth but there are still some outstanding items including a couple of things that need to be built, like a tripod, and a couple of things to purchase, like a pulley and the blocks for the firebox.
I am waiting to receive the two bell scrapers I ordered on-line.
There will be separate cutting, wrapping, grinding, and sausage stuffing stations set up. It should be a few hours worth of work with the crew I am expecting, which in addition to our own matriarch Joann, includes three KFC members, Janet, Amy, and Josh. I plan to photo document the process as well and look forward to being able to post some useful pictures here for future home butchering.
Once I decided that this was going to happen, some amazing things fell into place. No sooner had I decided we were doing the butchering here, then planets aligned and I got a call from a real live "Foodie" named Paul. He's not just a foodie but a "real-Foodie" - all about simple, fresh, local, seasonal, and don't waste anything! He is a chef but prefers the term "traditional cook". And not only is he over-the-top knowledgeable about what to do with all those less-than-scrumptious-sounding pig parts, he knows how to cut up a pig from snout to tail. I had heard of Paul through Janet (2ndchance). He heard about me through our local gourmet shop, Up Front & Pleasant, and through another member here Laura (lj). Laura is the matriarch of Flying Pond Farm where my pig Charlotte moved .
Paul and I could have spoken for hours about food and animals. It became immediately obvious to me that he needed to join this forum! I believe he has joined us, now we just need him to do an intro and dive in
Paul was willing to share his knowledge about butchering for, what I consider, a beautiful trade; his expertise for certain pig parts - all bits I have no idea what to do with and if I did I'm not sure I would ! He wants organs, the bladder, the blood, trotters and head.
Paul has a friend Erik who is chef/owner of Evangeline's, a French restaurant in Portland, Maine. He is also planning to join us on Sunday. Here is a link with some info about his restaurant. Check out some of the menu items! chowhound.chow.com/topics/510868
Paul says Erik has a lot of experience with snout to tail processing of pigs. At his restaurant, they get them whole and custom cut them. I believe the bladder is to be used as a type of sausage casing
Paul's helped me a great deal on the preparation end of this event. He provided me with a list of the items we need in order to do this. I think it's worth posting it here:
Pig Slaughter Equipment List
55-gallon barrel or a 95-gallon stock tank
Blocks or bricks for a firebox
A sturdy platform that is equal in height to the height of the barrel or tank plus the firebox.
A block and tackle or come-along and a hanging pole are useful for lifting and scalding the pig.
A hose
Rubber aprons and boots
A curved or double-edged knife for sticking
Bell scrapers
Meat saw and a place to hang it
Small, sharp butchers or boning knives
A sharpening stone
A hog hook or a 2-handled hay hook
A singletree or gambrel stick
Feed the morning before slaughter or early afternoon at the latest, and withhold food the day of slaughter and allow free water.
A 22. caliber weapon or a 5# maul.
Clean pans to catch blood and hold organs, jars as well
Rope and or chain to raise and secure the pig
Lugs for butchered parts
A cutting table
Butchers wrap and tape
A freezer
Joann immediately went to work getting as many of these items together as she could for us. Max brought home a truckload- worth but there are still some outstanding items including a couple of things that need to be built, like a tripod, and a couple of things to purchase, like a pulley and the blocks for the firebox.
I am waiting to receive the two bell scrapers I ordered on-line.
There will be separate cutting, wrapping, grinding, and sausage stuffing stations set up. It should be a few hours worth of work with the crew I am expecting, which in addition to our own matriarch Joann, includes three KFC members, Janet, Amy, and Josh. I plan to photo document the process as well and look forward to being able to post some useful pictures here for future home butchering.