Growing bacon...
- Thread starter NDT
- Start date
Captain PartyMarty
Crew Member
Thru the scalding process the dark colours come off with the upper layer of the skin. You won’t even be able to tell
getbent
Well-Known Member
Yes, Please do keep it up!
If I was able, I would be raising my own bacon as well and specifically some of the heritage breeds like the Berkshire...superior fat content by far.
Back when pigs were pigs before the scare of fats in our diets.
You should get exceptional bacon and hams and making your own sausage will be a treat...really jealous man...
If I was able, I would be raising my own bacon as well and specifically some of the heritage breeds like the Berkshire...superior fat content by far.
Back when pigs were pigs before the scare of fats in our diets.
You should get exceptional bacon and hams and making your own sausage will be a treat...really jealous man...
walleyes
Crew Member
There isn’t even a comparison to home raised pigs to the tasteless slabs of meat you buy in the store. It would blow most peoples minds to taste it. It’s hard to explain really. It’s Pork flavour of course but its a lot more prevalent but not like eating old pork, it’s such a clean appealing taste.
Fat content is good in pig but you have to watch it it can take over the meat. You don’t want it marbled in like beef, Pork fat goes bad and rancid in the freezer fast. You want to eat the fattier cuts early on and bag, and wrap it tight keep the air away from it.
Pigs are a lot of work but the end product is well worth it. We usually buy ours from a farmer market size and the last couple years he arranges the butcher and the whole deal, just pick it up wrapped and freezer ready. But you’ll enjoy it I’m sure.
One word of advice, if you have kids keep them away cause pigs become pets really fast, kids get attached to them and come time they have a hard time eating Porky their pet lol.
Fat content is good in pig but you have to watch it it can take over the meat. You don’t want it marbled in like beef, Pork fat goes bad and rancid in the freezer fast. You want to eat the fattier cuts early on and bag, and wrap it tight keep the air away from it.
Pigs are a lot of work but the end product is well worth it. We usually buy ours from a farmer market size and the last couple years he arranges the butcher and the whole deal, just pick it up wrapped and freezer ready. But you’ll enjoy it I’m sure.
One word of advice, if you have kids keep them away cause pigs become pets really fast, kids get attached to them and come time they have a hard time eating Porky their pet lol.
fish brain
Crew Member
We always told the kids whenever they came to the pig pen with us that we were going to eat them and that they were not pets. The kids played with them and even rode them when the pigs got big enough. No one complained on slaughter day, and the happily ate the pork when it was put on the table
wolf
Well-Known Member
Where are you located?
pigs a re bit different to butcher to get the most yield , I do it for a living on a average hog (est) weight should be around that 200 lb mark, in that you will yield per hog this is what I have hnghing in my shop and I do many ( 14 coming in next few weeks)
If you have any questions pm me, 6 pigs your going to have a TON of product to do. best advice if you dont have a smoker that can hold 200 lbs plus of hams and 150 lbs of bacon find someone who can as doing in mass is easier then doing small batches as it will take FOREVER. had a guy bring me his 3 pigs once I had it all butchered for him and he saw the huge amout of hams he was like ummmmm I only have a small smoker.... he realized it was easier for me to do it for him. this is only 130 lbs you will have double that.
Information on Cuts: HOGS
ROAST Approximately 8 roasts on whole hog. .
PORK CHOPSThere are approximately 40-50 chops on whole hog. Based on thickness…..
HAM 8 hams at approximately 5 TO 8 pounds each. 8 shank hams. Alder smoked
BACON Two slabs of bacon at approximately 10 TO 15 pounds each. Thick sliced, cured and ALDER smoked.
PORK SAUSAGE the pork trimmings are made into sausage. OR mince
ALL my sausages are available; there are approximately 30 to 45 pounds of sausage/mince per whole hog.
Note: An average size market hog is approximately 225 lbs LIVE weight. The packaged weight or the amount of meat taken home is around 55% of live weight or about 120 pounds.
pigs a re bit different to butcher to get the most yield , I do it for a living on a average hog (est) weight should be around that 200 lb mark, in that you will yield per hog this is what I have hnghing in my shop and I do many ( 14 coming in next few weeks)
If you have any questions pm me, 6 pigs your going to have a TON of product to do. best advice if you dont have a smoker that can hold 200 lbs plus of hams and 150 lbs of bacon find someone who can as doing in mass is easier then doing small batches as it will take FOREVER. had a guy bring me his 3 pigs once I had it all butchered for him and he saw the huge amout of hams he was like ummmmm I only have a small smoker.... he realized it was easier for me to do it for him. this is only 130 lbs you will have double that.
Information on Cuts: HOGS
ROAST Approximately 8 roasts on whole hog. .
PORK CHOPSThere are approximately 40-50 chops on whole hog. Based on thickness…..
HAM 8 hams at approximately 5 TO 8 pounds each. 8 shank hams. Alder smoked
BACON Two slabs of bacon at approximately 10 TO 15 pounds each. Thick sliced, cured and ALDER smoked.
PORK SAUSAGE the pork trimmings are made into sausage. OR mince
ALL my sausages are available; there are approximately 30 to 45 pounds of sausage/mince per whole hog.
Note: An average size market hog is approximately 225 lbs LIVE weight. The packaged weight or the amount of meat taken home is around 55% of live weight or about 120 pounds.
Rain City
Crew Member
This is awesome.Where are you located?
pigs a re bit different to butcher to get the most yield , I do it for a living on a average hog (est) weight should be around that 200 lb mark, in that you will yield per hog this is what I have hnghing in my shop and I do many ( 14 coming in next few weeks)
If you have any questions pm me, 6 pigs your going to have a TON of product to do. best advice if you dont have a smoker that can hold 200 lbs plus of hams and 150 lbs of bacon find someone who can as doing in mass is easier then doing small batches as it will take FOREVER. had a guy bring me his 3 pigs once I had it all butchered for him and he saw the huge amout of hams he was like ummmmm I only have a small smoker.... he realized it was easier for me to do it for him. this is only 130 lbs you will have double that.
Information on Cuts: HOGS
ROAST Approximately 8 roasts on whole hog. .
PORK CHOPSThere are approximately 40-50 chops on whole hog. Based on thickness…..
HAM 8 hams at approximately 5 TO 8 pounds each. 8 shank hams. Alder smoked
BACON Two slabs of bacon at approximately 10 TO 15 pounds each. Thick sliced, cured and ALDER smoked.
PORK SAUSAGE the pork trimmings are made into sausage. OR mince
ALL my sausages are available; there are approximately 30 to 45 pounds of sausage/mince per whole hog.
Note: An average size market hog is approximately 225 lbs LIVE weight. The packaged weight or the amount of meat taken home is around 55% of live weight or about 120 pounds.
tinboatrobb
Well-Known Member
we bought half a pig last year and had it butchered, the flavor took me back 50 years to when I was a kid. There is no comparison to mass produced pork. We have a whole pig on order this year and it too was just born.
wolf
Well-Known Member
YES totally agree with you and ive been fortunate enough to have been taught by a Austrian chef back in the day (when I went to culinary school) and we were friends for many years before he passed
doing hams and bacon isnt hard its just following the steps my brine for hams is everyone's fav as I dont skimp on ingredients just not a normal salt and water mine has "stuff" in it and having a huge smoker...
NDT
Active Member
wow thank for all the info @wolf I'm located in creston, bc. I will definitely PM you with some questions closer to butcher. If I were closer, I'd get you to butcher them. Your product looks amazing!
I have been looking at smokers, particularly the dyna-glo. I believe @Rain City has this smoker. How many pounds do you think I can hold? Hams??
https://dynaglogrill.com/product/43-inch-wide-body-lp-gas-smoker-dgw1904bdp-d/
Any recommendations on larger smokers?
I have been looking at smokers, particularly the dyna-glo. I believe @Rain City has this smoker. How many pounds do you think I can hold? Hams??
https://dynaglogrill.com/product/43-inch-wide-body-lp-gas-smoker-dgw1904bdp-d/
Any recommendations on larger smokers?
NDT
Active Member
Got any pics of said large smoker? Maybe i can build one similar
Rain City
Crew Member
NDT
Active Member
Very nice, did you build the cabinet? That would be perfect
wolf
Well-Known Member
No its a converted 2 door stand up freezer PERFECT for a smoker
like to old days of a old fridge you just want one thats metal inside. as you dont want a smoker with plastic inside (toxins) just type in "fridge smokers" on google some great ideas ive .with just hot plates on bottom CHEAP 20 bucks at can tire which will give you heat and then use a huge cast iron fry pan with chips in and 1 cup of water for the smoking part... WORD of advice make sure you have a shield up above the heat system on a curve so any dropping of fat or juice etc drains down on the sides . I had a huge pan on my original smoker and brick that i place my element on and shield was about 10 inchs above made for easy clean up...
I learnt that from watching a smoker go up in flames (no not mine) LOL salmon fat dripped down and caught fire.
Thats why you see mine has a piped in combo heat/firebox.
A old fridge is a cheap and easy way to do a smoker and hold alot...
Hope that helps and good luck . If you have any questions feel free to call me
like to old days of a old fridge you just want one thats metal inside. as you dont want a smoker with plastic inside (toxins) just type in "fridge smokers" on google some great ideas ive .with just hot plates on bottom CHEAP 20 bucks at can tire which will give you heat and then use a huge cast iron fry pan with chips in and 1 cup of water for the smoking part... WORD of advice make sure you have a shield up above the heat system on a curve so any dropping of fat or juice etc drains down on the sides . I had a huge pan on my original smoker and brick that i place my element on and shield was about 10 inchs above made for easy clean up...
I learnt that from watching a smoker go up in flames (no not mine) LOL salmon fat dripped down and caught fire.
Thats why you see mine has a piped in combo heat/firebox.
A old fridge is a cheap and easy way to do a smoker and hold alot...
Hope that helps and good luck . If you have any questions feel free to call me
Last edited:
Gear'n'beer!
Well-Known Member
I built a freezer smoker years ago. One thing you have to be pretty careful about is making sure there is no Rigid insulation......they manufactures are kinda sneaky and hid it in little spots. I found some and ended up taking the whole thing apart and removing the blue rigid and insulating whole thing in glass. The rigid stuff gives off formaldehyde when it's heated which probably isn't great. It didn't have lots in it but it did have a few pieces.
NDT
Active Member
End of week 3. Gone through around 280 pounds of feed so far. I seem to have minimal feed waste once I build the trough feeder. When small, the saucer pans worked good, after week 2, they would dig all the feed out of the saucers then step in it and then try to eat off the ground.
Estimating around 35-40 lbs based on a math equation from different measurements. That was fun.
Hoping to expand the pen this week if I can get panels, rolling closures here with C-19.
how do it rotate this pic? I tried on my phone and then ended up to large?
Estimating around 35-40 lbs based on a math equation from different measurements. That was fun.
Hoping to expand the pen this week if I can get panels, rolling closures here with C-19.
how do it rotate this pic? I tried on my phone and then ended up to large?