[Rich/Jan]

Hi all - seven hours later and we have just finished jointing up a Tamworth pig.  It killed out at 100.9kilo so as you can imagine we had rather a lot of pork.  Tomorrow morning we will be  starting on making the boudin noir, sausages and faggots  I think it will take both of us all day but at least we will have plenty of organic goodies in the freezer.  The meat for the sausages has already been minced so its just a question of adding seasoning and herbs and put into the sausage stuffer, and then into the skins, labelling and freezing.  The boudin and faggots take a bit longer but with a fair wind we should be finished by tomorrow night.  Will Sunday be a day of rest I ask myself. but I know the answer - it wont - still loads of other jobs to do as well as feeding and cleaning out the animals - and so it goes on - but we love it really.  Jan and Richard.

[robert waddell]

that was some weight   was the head still on at that weight
you will get quicker the more you do   mincing takes ages depends on your mincer

[Plantoid]

Are you making any brawn , jellied trotters , pressed tongue  , pork pies , hazlets or sausage rolls ?

[Rich/Jan]

Hi - we put the tongue, heart, kidneys in the faggots.  Might make brawn - depends if I'm sick of pig by them.  Head was still on at that weight.  OH still mincing for the second time - time to call it a day I think.  Bacon in fridge dry curing and some in salt mix for wet cure for gammon.  Kitchen relatively tidy - so all set to start again tomorrow.  Nighty nite.  Will let you know how much in weight we make of sausages and boudin noir.

[Lesley Silvester]

I love pigs' hearts done in the slow cooker,     How big a freezer do you need for that much pork?

[Rich/Jan]

Hi - nearly finished boudin noir - approx 68 at eight inch long.  We gace two large chest freezers, two uprights and two tops of fridge type freezers.  We keep sheep so need room in the freezers for them - love mutton as well.

[MAK]

Wow sounds like a very full day ( and a lot of pig!). Did you kill the pig yourself to collect the blood for the boudin or did that come back with the rest of the pig.
I think you have just given me a reality check on how long it takes to process a pig. Maybe I should drop my plan to do our very first 2 on the same day.
We are desperately trying to run the freezers down at the moment and although we have made sausages before we need to get to grips with "pig processing".
Will you dry cure anything ?
Hope you get a few hours to relax tomorrow  !
Cheers Martin   

[Rich/Jan]

Hi - our girl was taken to the abattoir in Confolens - she weighed 101.9kg dead weight - so not a small weaner as such - I think she was about 1.5-2(ish) years old.  Tamworth X GOS X whatever so no point in us keeping her as we keep pure breeds.  We were given her with her very very thin 9 tiny piglets.  Took some feeding up I can tell you - she was really thin - we gave her a good life and good food whilst we had her.  Some pork curing in brine for bacon/gammon/ham etc and some dry curing for a comparison of the bacon.  We have just 5pm started on the sausages - everything ready just need to put into the skins now via the sausage stuffer.  A brilliant piece of kit.

[MAK]

Nearly there then - just 79 meters of sausage to knot !
Sounds like the "gift" will be much enjoyed - you could sell the sausages to the "British Shop " in Confolen or "Le Chippy" Pukka Pie - Fish and Chip shop on the bridge. 
We take our dogs to get their haircut in Confolen and and would definitely buy some bangers if we see them.
How many pigs do you have there? Sounds quite a big set up and plenty of sausage making to come.
Martin

[HappyHippy]

Wow sounds like a very full day ( and a lot of pig!). Did you kill the pig yourself to collect the blood for the boudin or did that come back with the rest of the pig.
I think you have just given me a reality check on how long it takes to process a pig. Maybe I should drop my plan to do our very first 2 on the same day.

I think you might struggle Martin 
We had hubby's friend up to help us do two not that long ago (he's a full time butcher) and even then we struggled  It's not so much the cutting (he can do a whole pig in under an hour, easy) but the wrapping, weighing and labelling that takes the time. Get as prepared as possible beforehand with labels, freezer bags/trays and pens. 
Karen

[NormandyMary]

Im very partial to a nice boudin! Onion or pomme, I dont mind which. I so envy you having your own porc. The nearest Ive got is buying a demi-porc from the supermarket. That took some wrapping, so heaven only knows how you managed to do a whole one plus the innards. Its at times like this I wish I lived a bit further south!!

[Lesley Silvester]

I;m now wondering how long a goat is going to take.  I'm not planning on making sausages as I don't have the machine but sounds like just bagging and freezing is major work.

[tizaala]

I 've done two now, it's a lot of work if you let them get too big, the last one ( gos x pietrain )  I killed the week before xmas and she was 130 killos, you realy appreciate an electric winch when they are that big,
We always make the black puddings as soon as we have the blood straight after killing, how did you stop it from congeiling ? 
I know that the next lot will get done at about 50 / 60 killo , just to make the whole job easier.
Well done you.

[Rich/Jan]

Hi - the abattoir at Confolens gives you back the blood if you ask for it when you take your pig in.  Remember to take a bucket with you.  The whole thing cost 28euros (charged by the kilo) - would never bother to home slaughter - too much fuss and bother for the cost the slaughter house charges and it is veterinary inspected as well.  Any sign of fluke and the liver is condemned - reassuring in my mind to know everything is as it should be.  Both ovens on now to make crackling and render out the fat - have bagged up sausages 30kg, 7kg sausage meat (farce)  and the liver and 68 large boudin noir.  We prefer the boudin made the English way - pearl barley, back fat, spices including two tsp ground mace.  We also put in toasted breadcrumbs which I do in the oven from any stale bread until I have collected enough for when a pig is due to go. Gave a few kilos of sausages to our three lots of neighbours and boudin to see what they think compared to the French ones.  Joint in the oven ready for tonight - can anyone guess what meat we are having.   Now I can relax for an hour or so - then must check on the bacon and hams.  That should do us for a year or so - peut etre!!   OH outside cleaning out the other pigs - at least he has one less to do.  lol

[MAK]

Bet you are shattered but so worthwhile. So turkey tonight ?
Our nearest abattoir is in Gueret but it is halal ( kosher I can handle but halal  ?).

Our problem is that we have no trailer to transport the pigs because of the cost and major burn out of all the electrics on my 4x4 that resulted in the trailer electrics being ignored when I payed for the rewiring).

My neighbour said he will help with the pigs but I do hear what you are saying about the benefits of an abattoir. Maybe I should pay someone to transport the pigs and use an abattoir.

Hope your neighbours love the boudin noir ( sounds great...mmmmmm)