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Original poster

Yesterday we butchered two pigs at home. It was brilliant

243 replies

HumphreyCobbler · 09/10/2010 10:38

We made sausages and salami. We had chops, tenderloin, ham, hocks,roasting joints - absolutely vast amounts of meat. We won't have to buy meat for at least six months.

We cure the bacon later and finish packing the sausages. The salami looks brilliant hanging in the shed.

I am so pleased Smile

We do it all again on Sunday, two more pigs are being slaughtered and we butcher them on Friday.

I feel Hugh FW would be very proud Grin

OP posts:
TotorosOcarina · 09/10/2010 10:39

murderer!

Wink
Aitch · 09/10/2010 10:40

yum!

Tortington · 09/10/2010 10:40

more exciting than watching eastenders i suppose, but the same loud pitched squeal non the less

Vinegartits · 09/10/2010 10:40

i fancy a bacon butty now Grin

POFAKKEDDthechair · 09/10/2010 10:41

If you have six months worth of meat, why are you butching two more so soon?

squashedfrogs · 09/10/2010 10:43

Very Envy here Grin

HecateQueenOfWitches · 09/10/2010 10:46

those poor pigs.

Steaming great hypocrite here, because I eat meat.

I just prefer to think that the people who kill animals for meat do so sobbing and beating their chests.

Makes me feel less guilty.

LoveBeingAMardyBum · 09/10/2010 10:47

If you have to much you can pm me Smile

TeasingFireDragons · 09/10/2010 10:48

OOooh yum. Envy at having space to keep pigs and store the meet.

meltedmarsbars · 09/10/2010 10:49

I'm jealous. Envy

My parents used to get half a pig a year and cut it up for their freezer. Very slippery meat to butcher.

Lamb is much easier - drier texture so you can grip it to saw and cut up.

Do you really think you will eat 4 pigs in a year? We only eat 2 lambs per year!

ISNT · 09/10/2010 10:50

Wow brilliant Smile

SecretNutellaFix · 09/10/2010 10:52

yummy- if we had enough space for a small freeholding, I think we would raise our own animals for meat.

Rockbird · 09/10/2010 10:52

Are you going to eat pork for the next 6 months then or have you got some sort of butchery exchange programme going on?

How do you make salami btw?

rapidsjohnson · 09/10/2010 10:53

wow!
does this mean you won't be eating any meat other than pork for 6 months? or do you know something who has butchered, say, a cow, that you can swap with?

Miasma · 09/10/2010 10:54

How much pork do you eat !?

Lauriefairycake · 09/10/2010 10:55

How did you kill them How did you make sure they didn't suffer.

Pigs are the hardest animal for me to kill if I had to choose (on account of them being more intelligent than dogs).

Apart from the twice a year bacon sandwich I don't eat pork because of this.

well done you though Smile

TheButterflyEffect · 09/10/2010 10:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
HumphreyCobbler · 09/10/2010 10:59

We are have a large extended family who are getting an ususual type of christmas present this year, that is why we have had so many done.

These pigs had a seriously nice life, much nicer than most pigs. Two buckets of apples a day for their pudding and nice wallowy mud to play in.

We are going to swap for stuff too.

We will be eating pork twice a week all year.

We are also planning a huge party and might do our own pig roast. Lots of sausages for bonfire night.

So pleased about making brine with our own apple juice and perry too.

This is our first year of smallholding life and I LOVE it. I feel very lucky to be able to do such things.

OP posts:
throckenholt · 09/10/2010 11:01

we have just got our first two pigs for fattening (don't think we will do home slaughter and butchering though - although it is probably best for the pigs). They have a much better life than commercial animals - ours are luxuriating in our excess autumn harvest - so far apples, broccoli stalks, runner beans, plums (big favourite) and even grapes.

The only sad thing is to think they have such a short life (approx 6 months) - but at least it is a good one. What breed were they ?

Enjoy your pork - but not sure how you are going to get through 4 pigs ?! (big big freezer ?).

Miasma · 09/10/2010 11:02

Sounds lovely :D

Envy
Original poster
HumphreyCobbler · 09/10/2010 11:03

We HAVE A large extended family that is, sorry.

We led the pigs out into a secluded place where the other pigs could not see or hear. They had something nice to eat to follow, there was no duress involved. A very experienced slaughterman licensed for home slaughter put a bolt gun into their brain and death was instantaneous (this can go wrong if it is put in the wrong place but this is rare).

We did them at home so we could use every bit, and that meant the blood for black pudding. I found this very hard initially to deal with, but eventually overcame my trauma.

Making the brawn was worse though, my friend had to remove the eyeballs, I wasn't able to cope with that AT ALL.

OP posts:
southeastastra · 09/10/2010 11:06

ew i just keep picturing babe :(

Original poster
HumphreyCobbler · 09/10/2010 11:08

I found it hard too southeastastra, but I know that if I am going to eat meat in the first place (which frankly I am) then this is the most humane and ethical way in which to do it.

OP posts:
cornsilk · 09/10/2010 11:08

Babe was really annoying though. I'm sure Humphrey's pigs weren't.

southeastastra · 09/10/2010 11:08

i know, am impressed but i certainly couldn't do it myself