Here's a new one for STW

Mrs Llama has bought half a pig from a small holder work colleague. Its getting near time so they are asking how we want it chopped up.

I'm not sure exactly because I don't really know massive amount about cuts and don't have a feel for quantities

But I'd like to get from it …..

Joints for roasting: for us 1 kg of leg or shoulder is more than plenty for dinner. How many joints of this size can I get?

Chops: Like to get a good few plus some loin steaks too, half and half. What sort of weight would this be?

Pork mince (from collar/neck?) how much would I get?

Ribs: How many would I get so I can get them cut into appropriatly sized racks?

Belly: What sort of quantity?

Hock I assume we'll get 2 bits as for trotters

I assume we'll get the offal too

If we want sausages, where is good to take them from?

Any practical suggestions for the head (apart from sticking it on a spike and worshiping it please) or should I pass? My dog would like the ears I suppose.

Yes I know it depends on the size of the pig etc etc

Hungry now ….

It doesn't directly answer your question, but have a look here for inspiration: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/video/2010/feb/09/butcher-pig-italian-sausage-salami

And here for the head: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/video/2009/aug/28/fergus-henderson-cook-pig-head

yum, yum

Hog Roast

Eat it all in one go!

sausages are a bit fiddly so I'll probably skip doing them myself this time

A good sized ham would go down well and I might give bacon a go

Sorry, I'm not doing it all in one, I'm not that generous 🙂

Years ago my parents bought a whole lamb for the freezer

Me & dad were chopping it up into joints etc. on the kitchen table with an axe, a hacksaw & knives
In walks the vicar after gently knocking on the kitchen door

Staring at us – looking like he couldn't quite make out what we were doing, he stuttered & said
"arr, sorry – I didn't mean to disturb your tea, I'll come back later"

& off he went 😀

Ask your butcher for advice – he'll know!

I'm not buying direct from the butcher so I'd feel a bit cheeky (pork cheeks?) going down the road and asking my usual one for advice

I'd like to be able to ask some intelligent questions instead of just getting what they feel like doing.

Get yourself a copy of the river cottage meat book, it won't tell you how to butcher the pig but it has some great recipes in it.

Google: butchering pigs, that bring's up loads of info to.

What weight is the pig ?? I finish mine at heavier than normal pork weight to get a better flavour but this means the legs are huge (roast one on a sunday and it lasts all week for two of us). I ask my customers how many people they are going to feed and get the joints cut accordingly. Usually this is the leg and shoulder joint split into two (so that makes four large joints), I get the belly sliced (very tasty roasted) or sometimes get half the belly turned into sausages and the remaining half sliced.

Just weighed one of the leg joints from the last pig I did and it's about 5.5kg.

thanks keyses2