Does anyone do there own butchering?

[NH homesteader]

Ha ha! Yep that's awesome.

I would think scalding sounds way more difficult than skinning. This will be my first year truly helping though. He says it's not that bad

 

[NH homesteader]

Double post .

I don't know... Good question!

 

[secuono]

I've done PBs, the small ones that don't grow to the original 300# size. Skinned it and that was h=ll. I can't imagine doing a huge pig....

 

[NH homesteader]

As far as butchers go... If you use one take the time to find a good one. A lot of them keep some of your meat to resell. And some even give you back someone else's meat. Know approximately how much meat you should be getting.

 

[mtngrl812]

we have a used a butcher before that has a very good reputation here in town. So hoping we get the same meat we take in.

 

[secuono]

As far as butchers go... If you use one take the time to find a good one. A lot of them keep some of your meat to resell. And some even give you back someone else's meat. Know approximately how much meat you should be getting.

I've heard on hog FB forums that, that practice is standard! I was so angry about that! =/
So your expensive, specially cared for, loved, grass fed, drug free, cruelty free meat is traded for golly knows what else in the heap....Uh, no!

 

[NH homesteader]

I just told my husband I'd like to see a butcher try to do that to us. We are happy doing our own! And I know what Old Spot meat looks like so he wouldn't be getting away with that!

 

[micah wotring]

@NH homesteader & @frustratedearthmother Woukd you say it a cultural thing to skin a hog? I've personally never known someone who skins them but most I know are European or South Asian. I thought it was normal to scrap, not skin.

I'm pretty sure scalding is considered 'normal' in the USA. I may be wrong about that though.

Me, my dad and my sister butchered our 260# gilt a year or two ago. It wasn't that hard. We skinned ours just because we didn't have a big pot to dip 'r in. Since then I realize that we could have boiled towels and laid them on her but we didn't think of that at the time. Anyway, here's a few pix for anyone who's interested.

Hope this helps!

 

[Mini Horses]

Had two AGHs butchered about a month ago, ADGA slaughter house & had them "kill & chill". Went to pick up and had them do some cutting to be able to handle them (basically, slit down backbone & then in thirds plus, heads & feet cut off) . So, I got it all back AND they were mine. Plus, they had been scraped. My bacon slabs in the freezer (waiting for me to decide it's time to cure when it's cooler) still have skin on them.

YES it is a big job for one person. I would not do 2 again knowing I would be only one to then cut & package. One, I could. And I didn't have to kill, gut, dip, scrape, or do the big cuts. LOT of work.

 

[Eddy Winko]

Scraping is the norm here in Poland, a 50l pot of boiling water and a sharp knife (even a cut throat razor will do). Pour the water on a small area and scrape, the whole process takes about 30 minutes. Lets face it you can't beat a bit of crackling on your roast Also I can't imagine a bacon without the skin holding it together.
As for the original question, on your own if would be a hell of a job, two people at least required, if only to hoist it up to gut.