[Mel]

Hi ,

Just a thought,when I was speaking to the Butcher,he asked me if I wished for the entire pig,some do,some do not,ok,so I can make brawn with the head right? I actually like Trotters -made with a Hungarian recipe

So what about all the offal- and after sausage making what is left and what can be done with it?

Your suggestions please

[norfolk newbies]

We did this once ( with our first 2 when we did a home butchery - with butcher cutting and explaining) so we had all of pigs including the head from the slaughter house. We thought it would be a great idea, as we could feed dog any unapetising bits. HOWEVER we still have not given dog all bits (including ears) and trotters/cheeks are still in the freezer.

The biggest issue was diposing of the head. We did not have the oven space (or big enough pan) to cook it , nor the freezer space to store it until we could borrow equipment. So oncve cheeks and ears removed we had to get rid of almost an entire head x 2. We ended up taking them to a fallen stock diposer, and this costs ( cannot remember how much now, but I know we were surprised). The slaughter house has the contacts and usually builds this diposal into the cost of cutting etc.

I would not advise against it totally, but be sure you know what you are going to do with remnants ( and the bits you actually want). For us it was not cost effective.
Jo

[Fowgill Farm]

I never get the head or trotters back as i know the pigs too well and i couldn't bear to see XYZ's head bobbing about in a pan 
so its a no from me.
We do get the liver & kidneys but thats all on the gory side.
Mandy 

[welshlass181]

I have the trotters, heads and offal back.  I give this to my mate who races huskies they love the lungs and heats and that stuff.  I have boiled a head up for my staffies but they were not keen.  My mate gives it raw and lets them chew it to death.

[SallyintNorth]

Roast pig's trotters is the ultimate treat for dogs.   

[darkbrowneggs]

My Great Danes will have a half head, and eat it all bar the teeth, which they spit out.  Mostly I stick them in the bottom oven overnight, but they would eat them raw as well.  We used to make brawn, but I think you need a family around to eat it all up, but homemade it is nice

I don't generally bother with the intestines, as I would guess the abattoir would charge extra to clean them out, and that is something I am not going to do.  The rest makes faggots, though I am not keen on the lungs in mine so the dog gets those as well.  You always have to ask for the caul back, and give an explanation of what it is to the abattoir.

Its a bit of a nuisance having to go back the same day to get the offal, but I think it is worth it.

All the best
Sue

[robert waddell]

sue do you have a recipe for faggots
the intestines heart lungs liver kidney and coul fat are the slaughter houses perks that is why you have to ask for them

[lill]

I get all the pig back, head, trotters liver, lungs etc. I make potted haugh from the head (except the cheeks i'm saving them up to make a meal) The trotters i give to a friend who make gelatine from them, all the rest can be used for faggots.

[Padge]

how do you describe what the caul is to the abattoir?   and once you have it how does it keep   could i freeze it? Not the brightest question i know but i had wanted to make lincolnshire haslet when ours come back.......very shortly

[white-blazes]

I never get the head or trotters back as i know the pigs too well and i couldn't bear to see XYZ's head bobbing about in a pan 
so its a no from me.
We do get the liver & kidneys but thats all on the gory side.
Mandy 

SNAP, I specifically told hubby not to ask for the heads.  We only got the liver/kidneys/hearts of the gory bits, that was enough.

[melodrama]

I get all the pig back, head, trotters liver, lungs etc. I make potted haugh from the head (except the cheeks i'm saving them up to make a meal) The trotters i give to a friend who make gelatine from them, all the rest can be used for faggots.

I'd love your potted haugh recipe x x

[Barrett]

HI Ya, I only have the ears, trotter, liver and kidneys back and the butcher knocks money off butchering costs in return, ears and trotters are roasted for dogs and stock, liver and kidneys for pate, as someone has said already I know each and everyone of my pigs and to see one of them bobbing about starring at you in a pan of boiling water would be a bit weired.

[Roxy]

Thinking back, when I was probably about 6, going into the farmhouse kitchen at my aunties farm, and seeing a large pan on the stove, with a pigs head boiling away there!!  My auntie obviously did not have any sentiments about her pig   I used to love the brawn, but cannot imagine my hubby allowing me to boil a pigs head ....let alone him eat it!!!!

[darkbrowneggs]

how do you describe what the caul is to the abattoir?   and once you have it how does it keep   could i freeze it? Not the brightest question i know but i had wanted to make lincolnshire haslet when ours come back.......very shortly

Tell them you want the fine fatty membrane that surrounds the guts, at least that's what I think it is,  Also you can say you want the stuff that goes on faggots, they usually understand eventually.

[darkbrowneggs]

sue do you have a recipe for faggots
the intestines heart lungs liver kidney and coul fat are the slaughter houses perks that is why you have to ask for them

I am not much of a recipes person, I usually just start cooking and keep going till it seems good.  But basically you simmer the bits of offal you want to use - (I generally use liver and heart , but you can add lights - which are lungs and melt - which is spleen)  with some onions and a nice bunch of herbs for about 3/4 hour.  Use about one nice onion per pound of offal. 

Strain off the liquid and reserve for gravy. Mince the meat and onions (not too fine), and add about 3oz breadcrumbs per lb of mince, but really just enough to make it to a suitable consistency for forming into faggots.  Season well, (I will add a traditional store cupboard seasoning at the bottom.) 

Stretch the caul (which has been soaking in tepid water) out as far as it will go without tearing, then cut into squares. I wrap my faggots in the caul, but most people just form the faggot then put a piece of caul on top.  Pack side by side into a dish.  Then bake with a little of the stock poured over.

Sorry that is all so vague, but I just do it the way my mother and grandmother did, and I suspect my great-grandmother showed them, so nothing was written down

But this is a recipe for seasoning faggots which can be made in advance and kept in the storecupboard
5 of salt
1 of ground white pepper
1 ground ginger
1 powdered sage
1 ground pimento (hot red pepper)

I make all the liver and heart into faggots, as I prefer lambs liver for frying.  Once the batch is baked I leave them to cool and freeze them in boxes of a suitable size.  To reheat leave to thaw and put them with a bit of the reserved stock/gravy in a baking dish and heat through.  I serve them with mushy peas which I also make in quantity and freeze down, and offer plain bread, or if someone is a really hearty eater some nice creamy mashed potatoes, and of course plenty of the thickened stock/gravy. 

I am making my mouth water and I didn't get any pigs this year, as I worked out the cost of buying feeding and butchering them, and decided I had sufficient fowls of various description and beef to keep me going - - -one of the sheep is playing up and she is a big girl, and I am right out of lamb/mutton..........