[princesspiggy]

what are the typical cutting instructions for 6 mth tammies. im wanting to offer my customers 2 or 3 choices to make it easier for them to decide.
i have one family wanting bacon and ham, is that to be encourage from a 6 mth porker?
and are the sausages to be made from the belly to use it up, or from the shoulder - which is good but uses up good meat?
advice would be appreciated so i can ask the butcher with proper knowledge.
many thanks

[The Mobile Butcher]

I have emailed you .
kind regards

Paul - the mobile butcher

[Dan]

Any chance you can share on here please?

Ta,

Dan

[HappyHippy]

You'll still be able to cure the pork at 6 months, the 'eye' of the bacon will be a bit smaller, but it'll taste just as good 

Sausages are normally made from the offcuts (the ends of cuts which are too small to pack) Bellies are good as streaky bacon (esp coming up to Xmas - gotta have something for those chipolatas  ) or cut into 2 inch strips, marinaded and on the BBQ or grill or you can stuff them and roll them 

Have a look here for info http://www.qmscotland.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=103&Itemid=65
HTH
Karen 

[princesspiggy]

thats great. i will have a good look on there.
any good sausage recipes for tammies ?

[farming_newblood]

I have found people love sausages and chops- as many are now afraid of cooking joints, or don't have time etc, I would have everyone askin for bacon, gammon and chops and sausage, so I do a box £x for xlbs depending on your costs, I use shoulders and belly for sausage, loin for chops and leg for roasts- too much choice confuses ppl! If ppl want Shoulder I take it off before mincing but don't advertise it!

[tizaala]

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/meatcharts.html

Just found this website, it has butchering charts for  beef pork, lamb, and goat

you can download and laminate.
hope it helps

[HappyHippy]

any good sausage recipes for tammies ?

Yeah, pork & leek, pork & apple, caramalised onion (my personal fav  ) sweet chilli, pork & pepper (sweet peppers).................the list is endless  Whatever takes your fancy I suppose. I was talking to a butcher who judged a sausage comp and one of the entries was for banana & vodka sausages  Maybe the competitor was pregnant ?
Just mince your meat & fat (1 part fat to 4 parts meat) mix in your flavouring (either make them from scratch, buy a bottle of Blue Dragon for the sweet chilli  or buy seasoning mixes - Weshenfelder, tongmaster, och there are LOADS of places - Bruce is chucking me off the PC so have a google ) you can add rusk if you want or make them 100% pork & gluten free by leaving it out (providing your added ingredients don't have gluten) Mix it all together really well and get stuffing 
Have fun 
Karen x

[benkt]

The standard cut list for our families (who each get half a pig) is pretty simple

loins: 1/2 as chops; 1/2 boned and rolled
shoulder: boned and rolled
chumps: boned and rolled
hams: boned and rolled
hand&hock: - choice of sausaged or diced if they want to do their own sausages
bellies: whole
heads, ears, trotters,  ribs, other bones, fat, etc

We then try to manage any special requests as and when people have them. The idea behind it is to simply bone and roll as much as possible into large joints which it's then easy for each family to split up into appropriate sized joints for them.

[The Mobile Butcher]

sorry Dan........................ just emailed the member to say that it depends on each person as there is lots of ways to cut up a pig . i.e joints , sausages, boning and rolling of joints, standard cuts, bacon fast cure, old fashioned dry cure, ......the be honest the list is endless.
Also I was touting for work    ........................I know you good folk who run the site aren't too keen on that so I just sent a email.

hope that's OK Dan

best wishes
Paul the mobile butcher

[oaklandspigs]

Ensors cutting list is not a  bad start point

http://www.ensors-ltd.co.uk/pdf/Pig_Carcase_Breakdown_Version_2.pdf

Don't be embarrased when talking to your butcher, they are there to help, tell him you're new and just keep asking.

eg Butcher "how do you want me to do the leg"
You : "How can I have it done?"

[mr.pitt]

The best cuts to use for sausage are the fattier cuts from the carcase such as belly and shoulder, but a nice even balance of lean meat and fat (the fat will help keep moist during cooking and along with the seasonings and rusk during production will also help aid in binding the mix).

As for bacon and ham for size if you have scales to weigh, dead weight you usually want around the 75kg mark for decent size cuts also better for curing etc...

Best practice is the shoulder and belly are your cheaper cuts, best in sausage for the fat and lean meat. The loin is good for chops/steaks and also for roasting joints either with the skin for crackling or without, Chump is also good for steaks and lean diced for stir fries or quick cook casseroles, and same with the leg, also good for roasting and leg steaks, all either on the bone or boneless, the imagination with cuts of meat can produce all sorts of good looking products raw or cooked.