[readaboutchxnpigs]

Oh my goodness!!!  I'm not sure if it was because we reared the pig ourselves or not but it sure tasted out of this world.  The kids even said thankyou to the pork (pig) for letting us eat it.  And what's more there's a whole lot more of it in the freezer. 

Is this experience the same with eanyone else and there animals?

[thenovice]

I have yet to taste my pigs, but it was exactly the same with my lamb. It makes you realise just how dry, bland and chewy the stuff you used to eat was! Plus you know exactly where it has come from, how it was reared, and what it ate, which is a major bonus. Well done for making the change, and all this talk of food is making me hungry! 

[readaboutchxnpigs]

Thanks, i think we will be venturing onto lamb in the spring, i hear pet lambs are fairly easy for first timers, any thoughts?

[princesspiggy]

we always say thanku to which ever animal we are eating, just a sign of respect. it put my friend off from eating once she knew the meat had a name. tonight we had delilahs belly. her teat was a bit off putting tho, but so delicious, followed hfw's recipe...sooo good...not diet food but 2 jars of seasoned lard to store for xmas tatties.

[thenovice]

Ha ha if only you knew the truth! If you have the grazing space i would definately give it a go. I am only a novice myself (hence the name) with just 18 months experience, and its a steep learning curve, but its worth it. If you have someone to show you the basics to start with, and good advice from the folk in this forum you will be off to a flying start. I think Hogget (1-2 yers old) is a much better meatier/tastier carcase. They do need watching, esp in summer for fly strike tho. Good luck 

[lachlanandmarcus]

And when you do eat your own hoggett (we have Shetlands) you then watch Masterchef where they bone a leg of lamb and you think 'blimey that meat looks so pale and pappy it looks like supermarket pork!' But it was lamb!

what I love is that homeraised meat when cooked smells lovely straight away and doesnt have that 'fishy' smell that a lot of supermarket meat does (either cos its old or cos of all the water and crap added to it to get the weight up).

[thenovice]

I saw that too, and i couldnt believe it! It looked more like a chicken drumstick! I had a bacon sandwich made from local butcher bacon at the weekend, and i had to double check it wasnt a Shipphams one. I hoped the days of fishmeal feed were over?

[princesspiggy]

I saw that too, and i couldnt believe it! It looked more like a chicken drumstick! I had a bacon sandwich made from local butcher bacon at the weekend, and i had to double check it wasnt a Shipphams one. I hoped the days of fishmeal feed were over?

while we were looking for a good butcher for our pigs, i went round and checked them out and tasted their bacon and sausages etc....now most butchers round here (small and local) import from denmark!! i couldnt believe it. even the butcher who advertises home cured bacon only has that in his side fridge. the main fridge was full of imported bacon. i just presumed bacon would be scottish, was quite suprised.

[robert waddell]

lamb even from the supermarket should be alright  there is not much the suppermarkets can influence there other than say 42 kilos liveweight which gives 20 kilos with the bones  all lambs are feed on grass the only variable being the spring lambs fed inside so maybe a bit on the pale side
pork is different  the danish bacon or any bacon commercially produced  is cured by injecting brine into it that is where you get the scum from and why it shrinks    any bacon that is cured without saltpeter stays white like chicken  and is one of the biggest ofputs of selling bacon

[lill]

you certainly will enjoy your own home reared produce over the supermarket food. 

[little blue]

we've had this experience this weekend - I was so excited!
And the meat is delicious
Liver tonight...

[NormandyMary]

I so envy you all rearing your own animals for meat. My hat goes off to you in respect. We are just too soppy where animals are concerned, I know I couldnt even kill a chicken, neither could my husband who is more of a softie than me. We have a huge field going to waste, ideal for piggies to run around, but the thought of them going off to the slaughterhouse after we have fed and watered them is too much.
Plus the red tape and paperwork over here is ludicrous, although I know of many around who do things by the back door, and get the mobile butcher round to do the deed.
So as I say, and I really do mean it, Well Done to those clever people, and Bon Appetit!!!