This little piggy went to market......

[Banjo]

My Gloucester Old Spot goes off to the abbatoir tomorrow.

It's been a happy time watching him grow, scratching his ears and feeding him apples, but his time has come. He has piled the weight on in the last 6 weeks so I'm hoping he has a good layer of fat.

I'm going to butcher him myself - the abatoir are going to split and hang the carcass for me and I'll collect on Saturday.

My plans are to split out the butts for cooking on the Traeger and make sausage out of the picnics.
The bellys will have the sheets of ribs taken off and left as whole pieces. Slow cooked, I think they are just sublime.
The loin will be chopped.
One of the legs I plan to salt and air dry for the next 6 months, the other will be cut into joints.
The head will be brined, along with the trotters, tail and hocks
And the liver/heart will be mixed with some of the minced shoulder to make faggots and pates.

Haven't decided what to do with the squeal yet....

[keith157]

If you are going to use the head etc for brawn/scrapple may I suggest removing the cheeks first, also known as Bath Chaps, they braise/slow cook sublimely, serve with a slow cooked red cabbage and apple mix. Absolutely a delight on a cold winter's night with fresh bread and a good cider.
Good luck with the home butchery, & charcuterie (as in envy !!!!!)

[oddsocks]

good luck banjo! have you done this before or is it a first? i would be really interested to see how you get on and would love to see some pictures. hope you're doing some air dried sausage too!

[Banjo]

If you are going to use the head etc for brawn/scrapple may I suggest removing the cheeks first, also known as Bath Chaps, they braise/slow cook sublimely, serve with a slow cooked red cabbage and apple mix. Absolutely a delight on a cold winter's night with fresh bread and a good cider.
Good luck with the home butchery, & charcuterie (as in envy !!!!!)

The thing is, if you remove the Chaps, there is little meat left for the brawn; but I have to agree that they do braise nicely. Never tried cooking them on the smoker though......

good luck banjo! have you done this before or is it a first? i would be really interested to see how you get on and would love to see some pictures. hope you're doing some air dried sausage too!

I have butchered a pig before, but this will be the first on one I have reared. I have a couple of sausage recipes ready but I will not be doing any air dried yet - I want to see how the ham goes first as I have only done brined hams before.

I have also located a supply of local farm reared lamb and have negotiated to buy a whole lamb for collection on Saturday. Looks like I'm going to busy this weekend

[keith157]

........................ I have a couple of sausage recipes ready but I will not be doing any air dried yet - I want to see how the ham goes first as I have only done brined hams before.

I thought you still had to brine the pork first, then hot smoke it ?