Forget about being efficient for this single slaughter. Kill the animal and bleed it. Immediately hoist it by the upper jaw over a limb, rafter or any other structure using a rope or chain and a vehicle. Wash the hog with buckets of water and a stick broom while the body heat remains. Cut off the feet with a handsaw, Remove the shoulders and the hams while it hangs. Remove the loins. All that is needed is a sharp knife. Take all this in the house and leave the animal hanging. Let the rest freeze. Work up the meat in the house where it is warm. You can later go back and salvage whatever you want from the carcass. Where the idea came from that you have to gut an animal I do not know. If you want organ meat just cut into the cavity and get what you want leaving the rest. Yes, you are going to waste some of the meat but you will have rendered the more desirable cuts and it was free. Scavengers have to live also, just share the bounty. This effort will take less than 30 minutes outside.
Give me a detailed list
Think of all the stuff you could possibly need while butchering a hog. Think big hog. Not sure of the weight, but here's my problem. I want and would butcher a hog, if ours were ready. However, today we got a call from a friend, the one who we are getting the free feed from, just for coming and emptying out his bins?
Well, he has a free hog, only it has to be butchered now. Hubby says oh, I wish we could, however, we don't have the stuff we need to do that.
When he hung up, I asked him if he was crazy? All that meat????
He said no, we don't have any place to hang it or any water source as it is so cold outside.
Okay, given the fact that it IS below freezing out there, this is the only point I understand.
From my point of view, I would have that hog on the ground, skinning it and gutting it, and I'd bring chunks of it into the house, properly cut up or not, and put it in the freezer.
That being said, this time, I am having to work till nearly midnight, and he is (I think) reluctant to take on a hog by himself. I told him if I wasn't working I'd be taking this hog. Anyway, I forgave him, but I want there to be no excuses from this point forward.
I am going to start gathering in every little piece of equipment we might possibly need, or I might possibly need, and I am going to take the next hog that is offered. I can't stand this! :grit:
Okay, done with my rant, now help me with the list everyone!
Valorie
Well, he has a free hog, only it has to be butchered now. Hubby says oh, I wish we could, however, we don't have the stuff we need to do that.
When he hung up, I asked him if he was crazy? All that meat????
He said no, we don't have any place to hang it or any water source as it is so cold outside.
Okay, given the fact that it IS below freezing out there, this is the only point I understand.
From my point of view, I would have that hog on the ground, skinning it and gutting it, and I'd bring chunks of it into the house, properly cut up or not, and put it in the freezer.
That being said, this time, I am having to work till nearly midnight, and he is (I think) reluctant to take on a hog by himself. I told him if I wasn't working I'd be taking this hog. Anyway, I forgave him, but I want there to be no excuses from this point forward.
I am going to start gathering in every little piece of equipment we might possibly need, or I might possibly need, and I am going to take the next hog that is offered. I can't stand this! :grit:
Okay, done with my rant, now help me with the list everyone!
Valorie
1 - 2 of 11 Posts
When the animal is taken inside the home put the flesh side down and cut the outer skin with the hair off in strips. It would be a simple task and would be clean provided you always work from the exposed side of the area just stripped of skin and hair. Remember, you washed the hog before starting. You would be essentially peeling the animal.
1 - 2 of 11 Posts
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