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Pig --> pork --> dinner

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Sea2Ski
Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
in EggHead Forum
 Yesterday I took a pig butchering class. My hope was to up my pig butchering skills. It was given at a local farm to table restaurant.  While the butchering was not hands-on it was a small class of about 14 people. We butchered half of a pig. I did not get a picture of the half before it was cut up into three sections. Sorry about that. I was taking careful notes of where he was cutting. 

Here are are a bunch of pictures:


We all left with the goody bag of about 8 - 10 pounds of meat of assorted cuts. So tonight for dinner, a piece of coppa, 2 ham steaks and a thick chop: 


On the egg now in a reverse sear setup:


Finished pictures when I am done eating. Stay tuned...
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Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
....just look for the smoke!
Large and MiniMax
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Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • Eggucator
    Eggucator Posts: 226
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    awesome!
    LBGE
    Zionsville, IN
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
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    Dinner is ready:



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    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
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    Awesome man, I've been wanting to take their butchering class, would you say it was worth it?
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    That's way cool!  Nice dinner too brother!
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
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    I'll be over later to pick up the rest of that pig! Looks like some awesome swine. Enjoy those chops. Mmmmmm
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  • bhedges1987
    bhedges1987 Posts: 3,201
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    Oh man, look at ALL of that meat

    Kansas City, Missouri
    Large Egg
    Mini Egg

    "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us" - Gandalf


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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
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    As expected, it was not as tender as commercial pork, but the flavor was really delicious. I seasoned only with salt, pepper, white pepper and the slightest amount of cayenne that you could barely feel any heat.
    I cooked to 138F internal at 250'ish, then seared.

    Oh yea, it was a bit juicy too...
     

    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • gmac
    gmac Posts: 1,814
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    When the pictures started loading j thought the pig was tattooed but it ended up being the butcher. 
    Nice idea. Now you need to get a pig and go at 'er!!
    Mt Elgin Ontario - just a Large.
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
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    DMW said:
    Awesome man, I've been wanting to take their butchering class, would you say it was worth it?
    @dmw, The class was 2 hours, cost $85 and you came away with enough meat for 6-8 dishes, maybe 10 if you got a bigger bag.  The instruction was good, but not great. I personally learned a lot, and the butcher was more than willing to get as detailed as you wanted to get. While he started high level, a few of us asked detailed questions and he happily answered them.
    He broke the pig down in a "modified" American/Italian manner. He pointed out the markers of where to cut for most traditional cuts, but at the same time maximized the most prized cuts. He also broke it down further to individual muscles for curing. Example, deboning the ham and separating/identifying the muscle used for speck.

    So yes, I think it was worth it if you have a general idea of how to do it, but have not done it a lot. If you are a bit more advanced, I am not sure how much you would really learn. However, when you factor in the "free" meat you get - yes, definitely worth it since it is about $40 worth. That brings the class to $45 if you think of it that way.

    Just a FYI, in the fall, they also include a slaughter for one of the classes. They slaughter one pig, then butcher a different one they slaughtered a few days earlier.  I hear that class sells out really fast.
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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