[Greg]

Just collecterd my butchered pork and have only got three packages of sausages... About 1/2 kilo each...

Is this the norm... I didnt specifically ask for sausages, I was asked if I wanted the leftovers made for sausages at £1.00 a pound extra..I just said yes please.

The slaughter house/butcher charged me £20 for slaughter and £20 for butchering each pig... And £4.00 for the sausages.

apologies if i'm being a bit naieve but its the first time ive done this, so any help appreciated.

Thanks

Greg

[SallyintNorth]

I don't have a lot of experience yet but I paid £70 per pig, all-in - ie, including slaughter, butchering, sausage-making and a bit of bacon home-curing too if I ask for it.  My butcher recommends using one shoulder for sausages as he says the belly pork is too fat for sausages and better used as a belly roast, and unless a shoulder is dedicated to sausages then you don't get very many sausages!  I have to say that I got a lot of sausage from my one shoulder, and we love the shoulder joints, so I will probably look for a different apportionment another time - maybe half a shoulder and some of the belly / scrappy bits for sausages.  I'm not sure if the other middle (we had one middle cured as bacon) got used for sausages, or something else.

I have been wanting to do one of the home-butchering courses, not because I want to butcher my own pigs but because I want a much better understanding of the options so I can give the butcher more guidance another time.  But for some reason, whatever day Smiffy runs her course each month, I can be absolutely guaranteed to have something else on on that day!

[robert waddell]

one and a half kilos of sausages and what did the other pork /bacon/chops and joints weigh
that would seem alright for just the left overs

[HappyHippy]

Edit: Dunno what happened to the original post I'd typed Must learn to check them once I post  It went a little something like this .....

I'm not sure if the other middle (we had one middle cured as bacon) got used for sausages, or something else.

Sally, if you had chops or loin joints that's probably what happened to your other middle 

I agree that the amount of sausages sounds about right, especially if you didn't ask specifically for extra - I didn't have a clue about the cuts & possibilities until I'd done a few 'batches' of weaners and plenty of reading, so don't beat yourself up for not knowing  If you've got shoulder joints you could always go back to the butcher and ask if he'd turn them into sausages for you, or take the plunge and buy a wee combined mincer & stuffer and have a go yourself - it's really not that hard (it can't be - I can do it  )

Here's a link to a great site with cutting diagrams & videos for beef, lamb & pork - well worth checking out.
http://www.qmscotland.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112&Itemid=65
Hope that helps,
Karen 

[princesspiggy]

thats about what we got when we had ours butchered - was just the scraps etc.
when we had the shoulder done, we got stacks of sausages. depends what u wanted. id rather cook the shoulder differently tho as its too good for sausage IMHO
one butcher wouldnt make sausages out of belly as it was too fat and he was told to leave the shoulders as roasts so we got none.
i have found that if u give the butcher too detailed instructions they get a bit narky.
cant beat butchering your own pig to teach yourself what it all means. and when its ur finisher and u can see how much fat they had, that helps ur husbandry too.

[Greenerlife]

My first pigs gave me about 12 kgs of sausages, but it depends how you have it butchered.  Agree with butchers getting narky about specific instructions though - get a butcher who is prepared to go through the options.  As each pig goes to slaughter, I imagine your choices get better with your own specific preferences!  me, I prefer lots of sausages - the answer is always to have more pigs! 

[princesspiggy]

Quote from butcher " basically there are 3 parts of the pig - shoulder, middle and leg"
 

[SallyintNorth]

I'm not sure if the other middle (we had one middle cured as bacon) got used for sausages, or something else.

Sally, if you had chops or loin joints that's probably what happened to your other middle 

   Yup, we had chops.  Lots of chops.   

[Fowgill Farm]

Just got back from the butchers an hour ago.
Sent 3 GOS pigs and this is how it panned out
6 halves @ 18.3kg,19kg,21.9kg,21.9kg,19.8kg & 22.3kg
i also got from the 3 of them 28kg sausages

Slaughter cost 76.50 for the 3
Butchering, packing & boxing cost 96.00
and sausages cost £1.50kg (41.93)
Total 214.43

The cost may seem high to some of you but i sell mine on and want it to look the business so use a top end butcher, but horses for courses.You pays your money you takes your chances and it also depends what you asked your butcher for.
HTH
Mandy

[oaklandspigs]

Mandy,

We pay well above the bottom rate to get a good cut.  Having lashished care on my pigs, I want a pig that has been killed with care, and butchered just as i want it.

I feel that both abattoirs and butchers get slatted too often for being expensive, so some people go for the cheapest but then complain about them for not taking enough care, time and not following long cutting lists - this is a general comment, I am not having a pop at the OP or subsequent posters!

[JulieS]

Exactly the reasons we started our own butchery 

I spoil/pamper my pigs and want to make sure I do the best for them right up to the plate......because we are only a small butchery we have the time to be able to talk through exactly what our customers would like.

I remember when my first pigs went on their 'holidays' and the big plastic bag with joints sloshing about in the bottom that I picked up . Not an experience I'd like to go through again. 

I agree with the others who say that price isn't how you should choose your butcher.  Speak to a few butchers and if you aren't happy/or it doesn't feel right, then go somewhere else.....It really is worth paying a bit more to get exactly what you want or need.





 

[princesspiggy]

we used 2 diff butchers, one was twice the price but both equally good.
we did have a disaster with a diff butcher once when we had 2 complete 10mth tammies cured.  it was inedible and salt was so strong it burnt ur mouth. we tried soaking etc but never really improved but maybe we made the mistake freezing it? it took us years to eat our way thru that.
this time our bacon is sooo beautiful, maybe a bit strong for the little kids but sooo good for the older ones and me!! lol
next time we are going to try a cutting plant - so will be another learning experience - i guess! 

[humphreymctush]

We butchered a pig last week and made sausages from the scrappy bits without chopping up any big chunks and we got 6kg of sausages

[Mel]

I just had my two sows done,both weighed in at 125kg and 130kg,like I have already said,lots of fat.I kept these for curing,ok,so it cost me
£60.00 for slaughter
£150.00 for butchering including curing and sausages.
£20.00 transporting.

so £230.00 for two!

I have 40KG+ of sausages.

Unfortunately,he did not tell me prior but the place where he subs to is closing down next weekend and he is much more expensive than last time-though I did not have the cure,they were £55.00 each then. plus slaughter.Last time all was shrink wrapped in joints,this time,it is all just in shrinked bags but in  large joints,so once it is cured,I still have to take it out and cut it into manageable joints.So would not look as appealing to sell.

Like Mandy said,ok you take your chances,I think I have the brunt end this time around though I cannot complain as he has cut off so much fat and used a very nice sweet cure.And I am sure to get my money back because there is just so much of it.6 bread crates stacked double this time! That is a lorra Ham n Bacon!

[chickenfeed]

I just had my two sows done,both weighed in at 125kg and 130kg,like I have already said,lots of fat.I kept these for curing,ok,so it cost me
£60.00 for slaughter
£150.00 for butchering including curing and sausages.
£20.00 transporting.

so £230.00 for two!

I have 40KG+ of sausages.

Unfortunately,he did not tell me prior but the place where he subs to is closing down next weekend and he is much more expensive than last time-though I did not have the cure,they were £55.00 each then. plus slaughter.Last time all was shrink wrapped in joints,this time,it is all just in shrinked bags but in  large joints,so once it is cured,I still have to take it out and cut it into manageable joints.So would not look as appealing to sell.

Like Mandy said,ok you take your chances,I think I have the brunt end this time around though I cannot complain as he has cut off so much fat and used a very nice sweet cure.And I am sure to get my money back because there is just so much of it.6 bread crates stacked double this time! That is a lorra Ham n Bacon!

where did you take them leghorn, only asking because you are pretty local to us. we get our bacon & gammon cured and vac packed into 1lb pack for bacon and 2 - 4lb gammons, the gammons are netted etc they look fantastic.