[WarescotFarm]

This is the first time we are sending an animal to slaughter. We started our little small holding (with zero experience) in Jan so are still learning everything as we go.
Our 2 GOS are off on Thursday. Does this seem a reasonable list of bits to ask the butcher for? I don't really know where to start!


Head
•   2 x brains
•   2 x cheeks

Spare Rib
•   2 x boned out and rolled as a roasting joint

Hand
•   2 x cubed for casserole pork

Loin
•   1 x cured for back bacon
•   1 x cut into pork chops

Belly
•   2 x first third of belly boned and rolled for roasting
•   2 x remaining two thirds boned and cured for streaky bacon

Leg
•   1 x cured for ham
•   1 x boned for joints

Trotters
•   2 x hock (shank)

Offal
•   2 x livers

[princesspiggy]

in our experience.  our butcher hates detailed lists. he says there are 3 parts to the pig, front middle and end! 
sometimes the head is taken off at the abattoir so u might need to go and get it.
we generally tell them the size of the family and they cut the joints and wrap into that size portion.
the only bit our butcher will cure is the best bacon/loin.
the belly is either sliced or rolled.
the head comes whole or halved.
trotters often go missing! or! we had a 2-3 legged pig without realising
there is only 1 liver!
did u want sausages/mince?
if u want the offal from the abattoir, u have to tell them and go and collect if.


wev never had ham done.
goodluck

[manian]

hi
our butcher sent me a sheet with cutson it as i was clueless!!!!
he was very good
i tend to think in 1/2 pigs and then list like that
 
eg pig 1
Ham for curing
loin- bacon
cheek please
shoulder - joints for 2-3 people, boned
other bits make sausage
pig 2
leg-joint for X-X people
loin chops
rolled belly joint
etc etc
 
i usually ask for all trotters and ears back for dogs (although i am still planning to do nigella's pigs ear recipe!!)
hearts and livers back
and ask for the odds and sods to make sausage etc
2 pigs will get you alot back
phone your butcher and ask - they are usually lovely
 
 
 
 

[princesspiggy]

i do ask for scrap fat back too, cos dogs/wild birds will eat it if u dont make lard.

[arl]

sounds reasonable to me but a pig only has 1 brain ha ha guess you mean 2 halves. When i butcher for my customers i do the shoulder boned and rolled cut into joints, belly either rolled jointed or streaky bacon, loin chops steaks or bacon,3-4 leg steaks from the chump and the leg in 3 or 4 joints depending on size or boned and rolled. head you get 2 chaps (cheeks) and the rest back for brawn, livers and 2 kidneys and various bones that have been removed
Arl

[Berkshire Boy]

Arl 2 pigs have 2 brains, humans?

[oaklandspigs]

Curing is something that many butchers don't do - so ask if yours does - this takes up time and space in their chiller cabinets and for very little extra profit, so is simply not worthwhile in many cases.
 
There are a myriad ways to cut a pig up, and do be partly guided by what your butcher suggests - after all he is the expert.
 
As PP says, some don't like detailed lists - bit like asking the garage to service your car, and then giving them a list that says "change oil, check spark plugs" etc. - it can look insulting if too detailed.  You might do better to ask him what sort of a list he wants, and specify what sort of joint sizes you want ala manian suggestion "joint for X-X people"
 
 

[WarescotFarm]

Thanks everyone, I will scrap the list and see what the butcher says
2 livers, 2 brains etc... were because we have 2 pigs

making lard... never thought of that!

[princesspiggy]

making lard... never thought of that!

lard is so easy, lillian inspired me with that, and u can flavour it and it lasts for ages.

[Bionic]

Does this seem a reasonable list of bits to ask the butcher for? I don't really know where to start!


Head
•   2 x brains
•   2 x cheeks

Spare Rib
•   2 x boned out and rolled as a roasting joint

Hand
•   2 x cubed for casserole pork

Loin
•   1 x cured for back bacon
•   1 x cut into pork chops

Belly
•   2 x first third of belly boned and rolled for roasting
•   2 x remaining two thirds boned and cured for streaky bacon

Leg
•   1 x cured for ham
•   1 x boned for joints

Trotters
•   2 x hock (shank)

Offal
•   2 x livers

I have just booked my pigs in for 19th September at Tregaron abattoir. I told them this was my first time and asked them about butchering. They have asked me to make a list of what I want.  To be honest I am not sure what I want but definitely want some sausages. They will do bacon too.
Anyone got a better suggestion for a list other than the one posted by WarescotFarm?
thanks
Sally

[SallyintNorth]

I did arl's butchery course precisely because I felt daunted by having to tell the butcher what I wanted.

But each butcher is different in what input they want and what different things they'll do for you so it's pretty hard for us to give you a list for your butcher.

Most butchers will give you a sensible selection of joints, chops, steaks, etc, if you tell them what sort of size joints you want either in terms of weight of joint or number of people to feed.  I like biggish joints so usually have two or three off a shoulder and three off a leg.  Having been on arl's course I now have all my belly flat for making stuffed rolled joints.  I usually now take some of the meat off one of the shoulders to add into the sausagemeat then roll the remaining shoulder meat.

We like bacon / gammon more than pork, so we have most of the loin and collar, some of the leg and maybe some of a shoulder to cure.  Our butcher will (on sufferance) cure bacon for us, but prefers us to take any other meat for curing away and do it at home, because of the time it takes and having to keep it seperate from the stuff for the shop.

All spare meat and maybe a bit of shoulder into the sausagemeat.  I have some of my sausagemeat as sausagemeat for making stuffing and some as sausages.

Hope that's of some help!

[robert waddell]

also some of the cheaper cuts if butchered correctly            cutting out individual muscles             can become the most expensive ones

[P6te]

We didn't know what to ask for the first time so took advice from the butcher.  After discussing with them we just went with them doing them the same way they do their own.  The result was lots of joint, bacon and sausages.  It made a good starting point and since then my OH has been on their butchery course (Coates - see good Abattoir guide) and it gave us a much better idea of what can be done.