[oinky]

My pigs were put to the sword Monday. Butcher says they're fine specimens (almost 6 months), plenty of fat, etc. He reckons they should be hung for 7-10 days before butchering. Is this too long? I'm planning to take most of the meat for the freezer but will have a go at some streaky with the belly and some bratwurst sausages which obviously will need to be fresh.

[Daisys Mum]

My butcher always hangs mine for 7 days and they are fine at that, I think the first ones I sent it was about 8 or 9 days as he was too busy and they were ok too.

[Hilarysmum]

You are really lucky to find a butcher to do that.  Here its a real fight to get mine hung for 4 days.  They like to get them out within 24 hours.

[honeypig]

I have just booked my first two in and was told that they only hang them for 2 days.  Is this too short?  What does hanging do exactly?

Cheers,
Joe

[Hilarysmum]

According to my butcher, hanging allows the meat to relax and to mature therefore tenderising it. 

It may also allow the flavour to develop, but thats just my thoughts not necessarily a scientific fact   

[oinky]

Have done some homework.
Generally, hanging means that the naturally occurring enzymes start beaking down the muscle protein into  amino acids, glycogen and glucose and the fats into aromatic fatty acids. All of which, apparently, are responsible for the meatier taste one gets from aged (hung) meat and extra tenderness.
Processing meat too soon after slaughter means that one is left with meat which is still in a state of rigor mortis - so the final product is tough and tasteless. Poultry need a day or two and pigs need 'several' days, but I'm not sure if this actually includes the time spent in a fridge prior to cooking.
I reckon you can mitigate the problem of 'young' meat by ensuring it is at room temperature, for a bit, before cooking and that you leave it aside after cooking for 10-15 minutes before carving , or whatever.

[JulieS]

We hang pork here for as long as the customer would like.

My preference is to hang for 2 - 3 days.

[oaklandspigs]

Hanging pork for a couple of days does let it "set up", and makes it easier to butcher (before that it is like cutting jelly)

Unlike beef that should be hung for 21 days (at least) and lamb for 7 or more, pork does not improve in flavour much after a couple of days, but it does not get worse either, so hanging longer than 2 days is no problem in a properly chilled environment (not domestic) it will stay fresh for a long time.

[Padge]

have to confess i didn't know about hanging poultry

[Wizard]

Padge a country story (fact) Every thing you kill to eat needs bleeding and hanging for a time to suit you. So AH don't eat mah pheasant until ah see the feathers movin Then ah put it head thro mah fingers an gi it a flick its self guttin then they all cums out wi the mawks,They eat the birds entrails first.Yes it is true its known as well hung game.

[Padge]

i know about game   just not chicken as such   

[dixie]

We have our pork butchered between 24 hrs and 4 days after slaughter, I was told its of no benefit to hang pork, unlike lamb or beef. Pork becomes 'sticky' and loses its freshness if hung for too long.

[Hilarysmum]

Isnt it odd how these things differ, our butcher wont touch a pig that has not hung for at least 48 hours and his preference is to hang them for 4 days.

[dixie]

I use 2 butchers, 1 butchers the day after slaughter, the other waits until the Friday (we slaughter mon or tues) as he has more time on Friday afternoon!

[supersean]

the pigs iv killed in past have all been hung for 7 days, 2 sounds very short, and 10 slighty long