# any interest in a butchering thread?



## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

So one of my talents is im a mobile butcher/slaughtermen. Im working on a how to butcher a pig write up for another group, with pics. Is there any interest for that here?


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

I'm betting there is a lot of interest in this subject.

I know I am, 

Not that I'm physically not up to it, I may be able to help those that are..

My family butchered hogs, every Thanksgiving , all my life, up until about 10 years ago , when we all got too old.




Jim


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

I would be interested. I have my own methods learned at the hunting camp but Im sure there is some room for improvement.


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## obg12 (Apr 9, 2016)

I'm interested


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

I would love a thread like that, please do.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Count me in.


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## HardCider (Dec 13, 2013)

Bring it. I've butchered a truckload of deer and most wild game but I'm always open to improvement


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Me to. We send our pigs and goats out to be butcher but want/need to learn. A list of needed equipment would be helpful too. Knives are obvious but what type of saw to get through the bones?


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## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

Heck yeah....Bring it!!! I'll be DIY late next year and I don't know a damn thing about butchering ANYTHING except small game and quartering deer. And I don't know as I'd call small game "butchering," more like just chop into chunks!


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## bacpacker (Jul 15, 2011)

Count me in.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

We butcher all our pigs every year for the holiday feast here in Miami ,is a family tradition or I should said it was ,city ordinance and codes and the bloody mess stop all that ,now the animal comes home clean and ready but in farming areas I think they have a Mobile Butcher Service ,I seen it on tv ,nice air condition truck with a professional butcher .I personally I`m to old and frail to kill anything now days ,have done it many times but is a job and if you have raise the animal its very personal for some ,but its no denying is very educational to see a good butcher at work on a big animal . I remember the morcillas(blood sausages) the elders used to make after the slaughter. So yes it would be a good educational posting for many here, I wouldn't mind reminiscing a little too.


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## AmishHeart (Jun 10, 2016)

The first thing I ever butchered was a pig; with a group of 5 other ladies at a Becoming an Outdoor Woman Retreat. Would like to see how you do.
Other things I've butchered: goats, chickens, and turkey


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## Danil54 (May 8, 2017)

Does yours involve an air compressor too? Now I am curious as how a real butcher does it. We broke out the Foxfire book 2 first go around but have gotten a lot of practice since.


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## timmie (Jan 14, 2012)

we have butchered a cow , hogs , chickens , and wild game. personally i didn't like doing the cow, but i can do it if i have to. maybe your lessons could make it a little easier.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Always happy to get new ideas.


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## bogey (Aug 10, 2015)

YESSSS! Would love this


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

Danil54 said:


> Does yours involve an air compressor too? Now I am curious as how a real butcher does it. We broke out the Foxfire book 2 first go around but have gotten a lot of practice since.


Air compressor for a pig? Nope. Works well on other critters but pigs i just knife the skin off. An air compressor with a pig i would be concerned about taking to much fat with the skin. Have you done it that way?


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## azrancher (Jan 30, 2014)

terri9630 said:


> Me to. We send our pigs and goats out to be butcher but want/need to learn. A list of needed equipment would be helpful too. Knives are obvious but what type of saw to get through the bones?


Oh terri, you sometimes leave yourself open...

A bone saw.

Yes I would like to learn to butcher, I do poultry, i.e. anything with 2 legs and 2 wings, would like to know procedure for goat, sheep, deer, elk, squirrel, javalina and good information on how dead can they be before not being able to be harvested, i.e. if in a SHTF scenario, and you found an animal that had been winged and got away but died on your doorstep, is it salvageable?

Also different cuts of meat, where they are, what they are called in the Super...

*Rancher *


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

Well .....when does the lessons on butchering begin...?

Lots of folks, lots of interest.


Hey. Redbeard.. its your thread.


Jim


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

azrancher said:


> Oh terri, you sometimes leave yourself open...
> 
> A bone saw.
> 
> ...


:goink::facepalm: Walk into Lowe's or Home Depot and ask for a bone saw.....

A good supplier of these things would be helpful.


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## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

terri9630 said:


> :goink::facepalm: Walk into Lowe's or Home Depot and ask for a bone saw.....
> 
> A good supplier of these things would be helpful.


F. Dick has high quality bone saws. (I kid you not! )

https://www.knifemerchant.com/product.asp?productID=8860&gclid=CMO0guPCm9QCFUM8gQod92UA-A

https://www.knifemerchant.com/products.asp?SRS=1


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

I have one of my pigs to do in the next few weeks so it will be soon. I will make it photo heavy and explain the best i can and be happy to answer questions. So the funny thing is i do go to home depot to get my meat saws! I use a saw-zall with a fine blade the i also have a handle that takes any blade. I use it mostly. Red saw blade bottom of pic.


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## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)

And I was just thinking to myself, don't we have enough butchered threads around here?


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## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

RedBeard said:


> I have one of my pigs to do in the next few weeks so it will be soon. I will make it photo heavy and explain the best i can and be happy to answer questions. So the funny thing is i do go to home depot to get my meat saws! I use a saw-zall with a fine blade the i also have a handle that takes any blade. I use it mostly. Red saw blade bottom of pic.


Ahhhh, an actual lesson coming up!! I'll be waiting! I have no clue regarding proper butchering of a hog. I get a wild hog for the BBQ, I chop his azz up with a hatchet, and throw him on the grill!! I have no idea what I am doing, but that don't stop people from digging in when it's done!!


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

RedBeard said:


> I have one of my pigs to do in the next few weeks so it will be soon. I will make it photo heavy and explain the best i can and be happy to answer questions. So the funny thing is i do go to home depot to get my meat saws! I use a saw-zall with a fine blade the i also have a handle that takes any blade. I use it mostly. Red saw blade bottom of pic.


Is that just a hacksaw blade on the bottom one?


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

terri9630 said:


> Is that just a hacksaw blade on the bottom one?


It is a fine tooth sawzall blade from home depot. I have had the fancy bone saws. They work nice. This works better for me.


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

Pessimistic2 said:


> Ahhhh, an actual lesson coming up!! I'll be waiting! I have no clue regarding proper butchering of a hog. I get a wild hog for the BBQ, I chop his azz up with a hatchet, and throw him on the grill!! I have no idea what I am doing, but that don't stop people from digging in when it's done!!


Bet its frigen good too! To me there is no wrong way to cut up pork. You just need to know what cuts you want. Hell I've butchered pigs for myself and others and basically ground the whole pig to sausage. I do one every year in the slow roaster and turn it all to pulled pork. This pig im doing is going to be a full cut list so i will show all the cuts of meat.


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## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

RedBeard said:


> Bet its frigen good too! To me there is no wrong way to cut up pork. You just need to know what cuts you want. Hell I've butchered pigs for myself and others and basically ground the whole pig to sausage. I do one every year in the slow roaster and turn it all to pulled pork. This pig im doing is going to be a full cut list so i will show all the cuts of meat.


Slow....I give 'em about 8 hours over low/medium heat, baste them & turn 'em about every half hour. Meat just falls off the bone...man, I love wild hog!! artydance:


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## azrancher (Jan 30, 2014)

terri9630 said:


> :goink::facepalm: Walk into Lowe's or Home Depot and ask for a bone saw.....
> A good supplier of these things would be helpful.


Why would you go to Lowe's or Home Depot for a meat processing piece of equipment, do they sell ground round, or ribeyes?

Bone Saw,
closer than you thought

*Rancher*


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

azrancher said:


> Why would you go to Lowe's or Home Depot for a meat processing piece of equipment, do they sell ground round, or ribeyes?
> 
> Bone Saw,
> closer than you thought
> ...


Yea, doesn't yours?

Our Wal-Mart doesn't sell any of that.


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## azrancher (Jan 30, 2014)

terri9630 said:


> Yea, doesn't yours?
> Our Wal-Mart doesn't sell any of that.


However you can order online, pick it up at the store 2 days later, or order $35.00 or more and it's delivered to you free.

I've done that with hummingbird feeders, which of course is a must have item if the SHTF.

*Rancher*


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

Caribou said:


> I have a couple bone saws. Mine are the collapsable type and went with me on hunts. To break down a large animal like a deer, caribou, or moose I prefer a Sawsall and a new blade.


Ya i switched to sawsall blades after i broke a bone saw mid pig and that's all that was available, never went back.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

azrancher said:


> However you can order online, pick it up at the store 2 days later, or order $35.00 or more and it's delivered to you free.
> 
> I've done that with hummingbird feeders, which of course is a must have item if the SHTF.
> 
> *Rancher*


The 2 stores closest to me aren't that efficient. It took almost a month to get in the canning jars I ordered and I couldn't have the Dutch oven lid lifter I wanted shipped. Why have it on your website if you won't ship it?!


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

Well first off i am in full believe that i have the worlds greatest wife! Not much question in my mind. I just finished my meat locker that a friend has been after me to build for him so since my crapped out i borrowed his freezer and installed the hooks. So tomorrow is my wife's and mine 7 year anniversary. I asked what she wanted to do for it and she said "well that meat locker is done right? So lets kill a pig.". I love this women! We will be snapping pics and then put it into a write up and it will be here shortly.


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## obg12 (Apr 9, 2016)

terri9630 said:


> The 2 stores closest to me aren't that efficient. It took almost a month to get in the canning jars I ordered and I couldn't have the Dutch oven lid lifter I wanted shipped. Why have it on your website if you won't ship it?!


One stop shopping(almost) 
https://www.lehmans.com/


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

obg12 said:


> One stop shopping(almost)
> https://www.lehmans.com/


I love that place. I could spend a fortune there.


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## AmishHeart (Jun 10, 2016)

They have really great stuff, but it's pricey


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

oldsouthfarm.com
Old South Farm Museum
8570 Manchester Hwy
Woodland, GA 31836 
They hold classes in Feb each winter. You can watch or participate; The cost of the Hog Killin* is Class Participants (watch) @ $12.00 each***or Workshop Participants @ $35.00 each. The local church as meals available for purchase; you also need to bring along a cooler & ice to take home your pork. 
This is my kind of day trip, and you can bet I'll be going. I've butchered deer, chickens, rabbits, but never a hog (yet). 
I found other classes all over the country, but most were more expensive.
******


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

kappydell said:


> oldsouthfarm.com
> Old South Farm Museum
> 8570 Manchester Hwy
> Woodland, GA 31836
> ...


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## AmishHeart (Jun 10, 2016)

Happy Anniversary to Mr and Mrs Redbeard


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## obg12 (Apr 9, 2016)

terri9630 said:


> I love that place. I could spend a fortune there.


I have in the past,good place for Xmas gifts that most have seen before


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

AmishHeart said:


> Happy Anniversary to Mr and Mrs Redbeard


Thank you very much!


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

Here is a good chart


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

I haven't participated in a butcher since I was a kid, but we always dipped the pig/hog in a vat of boiling water and then scraped the hair off, the outside cuts the hide stayed on.


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

Tirediron said:


> I haven't participated in a butcher since I was a kid, but we always dipped the pig/hog in a vat of boiling water and then scraped the hair off, the outside cuts the hide stayed on.


Ya i only do that for roaster pigs going to a pig roast. Around here no one wants the skin on their cuts. Plus i charge 50cents a pound hanging weight for cut and wrap. So if they want to scald it that means they are paying me to cut and wrap skin and the skin is heavy. Even skin on cuts only make up 20 percent of the pig so unless your old school and making goodies out of the 80 percent left it's going in the gut bucket anyways.


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

RedBeard said:


> Ya i only do that for roaster pigs going to a pig roast. Around here no one wants the skin on their cuts. Plus i charge 50cents a pound hanging weight for cut and wrap. So if they want to scald it that means they are paying me to cut and wrap skin and the skin is heavy. Even skin on cuts only make up 20 percent of the pig so unless your old school and making goodies out of the 80 percent left it's going in the gut bucket anyways.


A lot of calories in that skin. In a survival situation Id do my best not to waste it. Pain in the butt though. I rarely do it but then again I have easy access to bacon fat for when Im cooking up a wild hog.


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

CrackbottomLouis said:


> A lot of calories in that skin. In a survival situation Id do my best not to waste it. Pain in the butt though. I rarely do it but then again I have easy access to bacon fat for when Im cooking up a wild hog.


Totally agree. And you made me realize this, i forgot bacon! The people here in the nh vt north country, right next to Canada, leave the skin on the bacon. They call it rine on bacon and it is really good.


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

Caribou said:


> If you wanted to tan the hide would you still take the hair off or leave that to the tanner?


The tanner takes care if that.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

I have heard arguments for both skinning and scraping. I want to do the scraping as I would want to render out & can the lard for cooking. No better fat for high temp work, except maybe beef tallow which takes a higher temp and makes superb French fries!
I guess that is the sign of a prepper? One who knows what kind of fat is good for what use? 

chicken fat = baking. can be used measure for measure for butter or margarine. For soap it does not make a hard bar, so is better for 'soft soap' for laundry purposes (because soft soap dissolves better in the wash water). Very mild flavor, popular with kosher cooks. Easy to infuse with onion or garlic flavor for use as a table spread.

goose fat = baking as well; tends to be more unsaturated than many other kinds of fat. Good flavored. 

pork fat/lard = baking, frying. An excellent carrier of herbs for ointments. Good for soap as it tends to make solid bars.

beef tallow = highest burning point and excellent for deep frying. Makes nice hard soap. 

Mutton tallow = excellent lubricator for tools and applied to wood will preserve without becoming 'sticky'. Also excellent on metal to prevent rust.

Deer tallow = excellent as liniment base due to texture. Skin softener par excellence. Extremely popular in Europe for athletic rubs.

Bear grease = renders down like lard, cooks like lard. (Also bear makes great 'ham') Good grease for axles and other moving parts due to high heat tolerance.

Skunk oil (fat rendered down) = renowned rub for arthritis/rheumatism rubs. Has 'warming' properties and is an excellent 'carrier' to aid absorbtion of herbs.

Possum fat = does not taste all that good, BUT is excellent leather preserver for boots and other leathers (though it can darken the color).

No way I'd waste pig skin or fat....just chuck into the fat pot for rendering and away we go. Cracklin' bread is a tasty treat as well, I'm told. I'd love to try it out.


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

kappydell said:


> I have heard arguments for both skinning and scraping. I want to do the scraping as I would want to render out & can the lard for cooking. No better fat for high temp work, except maybe beef tallow which takes a higher temp and makes superb French fries!
> I guess that is the sign of a prepper? One who knows what kind of fat is good for what use?
> 
> chicken fat = baking. can be used measure for measure for butter or margarine. For soap it does not make a hard bar, so is better for 'soft soap' for laundry purposes (because soft soap dissolves better in the wash water). Very mild flavor, popular with kosher cooks. Easy to infuse with onion or garlic flavor for use as a table spread.
> ...


Ya your mostly right. You can get plenty of fat from a pig skinning it. In fact you get most of it still on the pig. People who don't know what they are doing take the fat during skinning. Also there is a big difference between leaf lard and pig fat. Leaf lard is the good stuff for baking and fat is just that, fat or grease. I kill enough pigs and most people don't want their leaf lard so i get it. It's spoiled me because i have no use for the straight fat with all the extra lard.


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## Danil54 (May 8, 2017)

Only bad thing I have noticed when baking with my renderer lard is that I need to add in a little more flour to most recipes, especially my pie crust, but there is nothing that makes a better flavored crust.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

My MIL was horrified when she saw we had lard, and no Crisco. Oooooo. I use real butter too. No margarine in this house. It really annoys my sister. She buys all the "healthy" stuff and eats "right" but is the one with diabetes and high cholesterol. She gets so mad at me.:dunno:


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

terri9630 said:


> My MIL was horrified when she saw we had lard, and no Crisco. Oooooo. I use real butter too. No margarine in this house. It really annoys my sister. She buys all the "healthy" stuff and eats "right" but is the one with diabetes and high cholesterol. She gets so mad at me.:dunno:


It never ceases to amaze me how people can be fooled into thinking chemical-based simulated food-like products are healthier for them than natural real food products. Yeah, I can believe it's not butter. Tastes like butter flavored yellow car wax. I bet people can feel their arteries hardening as they eat it.


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