Em Nau Farm BLOG

In April I wrote a bit called “The Last Three Years – A Recap”.  In that scribble I mentioned that we buy in a couple of pigs twice a year to raise to six months before dispatching for meat and that we do chickens and ducks for meat as well.  I thought over the next couple of blogs I would explain how this is done.  This one I will talk about processing our pigs.

As I said in the April scribble we get the pigs in a couple of times a year to raise to about six or so months.  This is about the time they reach sexual maturity and by doing them at this time we reduce the chances of “little pigs” arriving before dispatch date.  A interesting fact that you may not be aware of pork is the most widely consumed meat in the world making up about 40% of meat consumption. It is followed by poultry and beef with about 35% and 22% respectively.

On the day the home butcher arrives about 6AM and sets up his tripod and then we go down and walk the first pig up to where they are to be dispatched.  We put down some grain and as the pig is eating the home butcher shoots it at a spot in the centre of the skull between the eyes and ears with a 22.  The only sound you hear is the shot thusly the pig is dispatched very quickly.  The pig, will of course, jump around as the muscles twitch and you must be very careful not to be kicked as it could break a leg (yours).

Once the pig is confirmed dead we bleed, then (if not being cut up for ham or bacon) strung up to be dressed.  If we are doing it for ham and bacon before we dress it we need to scald the carcass to remove all the hair.  The water is brought to about 68°C and the pig is placed into it and fully submerged.  We use an old cast iron bath-tub, about half to two thirds full which is placed up onto a couple of chocks under which we have a fire.  The pig, as I have said is raised up on the tripod and placed in the water so it can be scalded.  After a coup[le of minutes the scrapping of the hair can commence, we use either a shovel or metal catering scrapers to do the job, and once complete the pig is raised out of the water and dressed.  It is a funny thing no matter the colour of the pig before we start the pig always ends up pink after the treatment.  We have had pink, spotted, stripped, black and brindle and they all end up pink in the end.

As I have said the home butcher dresses the pig , that is removes the feet, head, stomach and offal, then when done we put it in a portable cold room that the home butcher provides which stays on our farm for three days until he comes back to do the cutting up.

When he comes back he cuts and we bag in “pot size” roasts, chops, and some is de-boned so we can make sausages.  If we are doing ham or bacon the butcher takes away the cuts of meat for processing.

That it for now so until next time take care and live your dash.