Processing a hog yourself

[jay07ag]

We are covered with pigs and I kill several each year....would like to chop one or two of them up for the freezer. What do you typically guys do?

Cut backstraps into steaks?
Grind up hams/shoulders?
Roasts?

Just curious what the best way to process them (and eat them) is!

[DoubleGProstaff]

If they are smaller hogs I will keep the backstraps and tenders whole. Cut off the shoulders and hams whole. Of the hog is bigger I will just grind the shoulders and hams for sausage.

[DoubleGProstaff]

The shoulders and hams also make some good carnitas. I have my carnitas recipe under the recipe forum .

[DocB78133]

If they are smaller hogs I will keep the backstraps and tenders whole. Cut off the shoulders and hams whole. Of the hog is bigger I will just grind the shoulders and hams for sausage.

Yep, big hawgs get sausaged, the young ones get quartered...

[tmurray]

The last one I did was about a 60 pounder. I cut the straps, loins, and deboned shoulders into nuggets and battered/fried them like a fish fry with all my buddies. Fresh never frozen pork nuggets and it was dang good! The hind quarters I cleaned up, injected with with Tony C's Creole Butter and rubbed with seasoning then vacuum packed them so they were ready for the smoker whenever I wanted them. That worked out well too.

[AntlerCollector]

The backstrap will make your pork chops. Belly will make bacon. Ribs are ribs. Front shoulders bone out for sausage. Roast or ham out of hind quarters. Trim the rest for sausage as well. Head will make cheese and tamales. Ears will make dog chew toys.

[Seacoal]

Backstrap= porkchops. You can make ham fry if you want to, on the little pigs, we don't even cut back straps off, just leave em to go with the ribs. We usually grind all the meat from the shoulders and the hams for sausage, but my brother has cured a ham or two

[old killer]

Stew is good.
I will cut some for grinding and freeze till I have enough deer or elk to add to it. It makes a great burger.

[jay07ag]

Thanks for the tips...carnitas sound good!

anyone else do anything different?

[dustoffer]

Cut shoulders, hams, and ribs off the backbone. Cook the back with strap and tenderloins on the smoker. Something about cooking "bone-in" makes the meat stay juicy and tender!!!

[buckmastertexas]

How do you get bacon out of a hog?

[topwater blowup]

Be sure to cut all of the fat off or it will have a not so pleasant taste.

[aerangis]

The shoulders and hams also make some good carnitas. I have my carnitas recipe under the recipe forum .

You got that right!

I cover the outside of the shoulder or ham with powdered mustard and Lowerys seasoning salt, seal it in foil, then in the oven at 250 degrees for 8-12 hours depending on weight. You cannot screw it up if you keep it sealed in foil. It will be moist, juicy, and flavorful.

I have butchered and cooked 800lb hogs. Sawzall, lopping shears (for cutting tree branches), a sharp machete and a skinning knife is what I use in the field.

[Uncle Saggy]

How do you get bacon out of a hog?

You don't from a feral one IMO

[Uncle Saggy]

I keep the ribs, a roast from each hind quarter and the backstraps....... The rest goes to sausage