A meat grinder is a must if you plan on making sausage.
What's needed/suggested for butchering a hog?
I'm planning on butchering my first hog. The biggest thing I've ever done before has been deer so I need a little advice.
The main question on my mind right now is what kind of platform would you suggest I have to do the actual butchering on? Right now I'm thinking of taking some lumber and build a platform out of a 4X8 piece of plywood and cover that with either a tarp or plastic. Too big? Too small? Do I need the cover? How high would you suggest I make the platform? I don't want to be bending over the entire time I'm cutting the carcass up. Should I slope the platform to allow for drainage?
What kind of 'tools' would you suggest? Here's what I have now.
I've got the hog
A tractor with a front end loader/bucket and chains which I plan to use to hang the carcass to skin and gut it.
Sawsall to split the carcass and to cut it down to smaller pieces. What blade should I use?
A few OK knives and sharpener to cut and bone the pieces.
Running cold water and access to (but not that easy to do) running warm water if needed
The main question on my mind right now is what kind of platform would you suggest I have to do the actual butchering on? Right now I'm thinking of taking some lumber and build a platform out of a 4X8 piece of plywood and cover that with either a tarp or plastic. Too big? Too small? Do I need the cover? How high would you suggest I make the platform? I don't want to be bending over the entire time I'm cutting the carcass up. Should I slope the platform to allow for drainage?
What kind of 'tools' would you suggest? Here's what I have now.
I've got the hog
A tractor with a front end loader/bucket and chains which I plan to use to hang the carcass to skin and gut it.
Sawsall to split the carcass and to cut it down to smaller pieces. What blade should I use?
A few OK knives and sharpener to cut and bone the pieces.
Running cold water and access to (but not that easy to do) running warm water if needed
