We got pigs again!

[troedyrhiw]

Finally managed to get around to buying some pigs again after not having any in over a year . This time we went for saddlebacks as there were no OSB's around locally.

It's nice to see them playing in their run and turfing up the ground, they do appear to be a lot more friendly than most we've had. Fingers crossed they taste good as well.

 

[enrico]

Our pigs are due for slaughter in October, osb's, we had five but one died of pneumonia, we were lucky not to lose the lot, they have just been going through their growing spurt and eat anything, wellie boots, clothes, hands! I hope they are as sweet meat as last year, can't wait!
Can you let me know what you think of the saddleback meat? We had all sorts of problems getting hold of osb's this year
Ta

 

[troedyrhiw]

Will do. Sorry to hear about the pneumonia . So far OSB are the best meat we have had (had OSB, durrock/old spot cross and Welsh). We found the fatter the better flavour so you may want to 'slightly' overfeed toward the end to make sure they're not too lean. Good luck.

 

[Glenviewbee]

We've had GOS, GOS x OSB, Tamworth x middle white and this year's lot were large black x landrace
I 'think' my favourite meat was the GOS - but to be honest as I haven't had an opportunity to taste test at the same time I can't compare! All I know is our pork is hands down MILES better than the supermarket stuff

 

[troedyrhiw]

All I know is our pork is hands down MILES better than the supermarket stuff

Know what you mean, haven't bought pork in years, (except for sausages).

 

[Worldsend]

Ive found Saddlebacks much quicker to finish than saddleback X middlewhite so be careful they dont run to fat

 

[troedyrhiw]

Thanks for the tip, they do appear to be growing rather quickly!

They've settled in well and got used to the feed bucket very quickly and they are a lot more chatty when they see you.

 

[For want of a better word]

Our Sandy & blacks made wonderful bacon..... got salts and did belly in fridge!
with liver and onions ........ |YUMMEEEEEE..
next spring will do another run !!!

 

[enrico]

Our Sandy & blacks made wonderful bacon..... got salts and did belly in fridge!
with liver and onions ........ |YUMMEEEEEE..
next spring will do another run !!!

I bought a cheap smoker off fbay, had great fun smoking my bacon!

 

[Paulf]

When you did your bacon did you use salt Peter

 

[enrico]

No, put off by all the carcinogenic hype on google, so we bought some 'butchers cure'. You rub it in and leave it in the fridge so that all the moisture comes out. You buy a big bag of it and then use about 2 Gms so it will last us about 100 years! There are recipes on the sites you buy it on. Google 'butchers cure'
We were well impressed with it!
E

 

[Magwat]

Don't forget that you can cure meat that has been frozen. I have baconers boned & cut into suitable sized bits & just get a piece out of the freezer to cure for bacon (rub the stuff in & put in fridge) or ham (brine cure) whenever I want it.

 

[user 6228]

Will do. Sorry to hear about the pneumonia . So far OSB are the best meat we have had (had OSB, durrock/old spot cross and Welsh). We found the fatter the better flavour so you may want to 'slightly' overfeed toward the end to make sure they're not too lean. Good luck.

you can over do that... the last one we had was 100Kg. that was a whole GOS.
previously we had half and whole saddlebacks...
THe 100kg monster took us a whole day to cut up. Elaine did the cutting I did the fetching and carrying... I worked out I must have moved about a tonne of meat during that day.
The hams are hanging up in the garage 12 months later as "Pamber Ham". The loins and belly were made into bacon.(dry cure) now in the freezer.

 

[troedyrhiw]

...and the meat came back today, the sausages and kidney was great! Can't wait to try roast.

 

[Worldsend]

Congratulations

One of my boys still refuses to eat the Pork from my pigs but will eat the sausages

I've even tried swapping the pork with a neighbour who ran pigs at the same time but still a refusal-will still eat shop bought pork which didn't make sense

 

[mbc]

"Pamber Ham".

Lol. Very good

 

[peter genders]

It does make sense was a butcher from very early age cut thousands of pigs up but could not have a family friend killed to soft maybe you tell me.

 

[Skyhook]

Speaking as an ex-smallholder, now vegetarian, I could never understand the farmers who always eat meat, but wouldn't buy any just after they'd sent beasts to slaughter in case they got their own back- quite a common phenomenon.

To my mind, you either believe in killing animals for meat, or you don't.

.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It does make sense was a butcher from very early age cut thousands of pigs up but could not have a family friend killed to soft maybe you tell me.

Can't say I've ever had a problem with it - having, from an early age helped my grandparents raise and slaughter poultry (and having no difficulty eating them afterwards - even the Christmas turkey I took personal charge of) and having the story of Horace the pig related to me by my grandmother, I don't think anyone else in the family had problems either.
But I agree with Peter, couldn't eat a family friend - and I should think society and the law enforcement agencies would take a dim view of that, and as many of mine are now nearing retirement age I should think they'd be a bit tough.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Speaking as an ex-smallholder, now vegetarian, I could never understand the farmers who always eat meat, but wouldn't buy any just after they'd sent beasts to slaughter in case they got their own back- quite a common phenomenon.



.

Strange.
I was talking to a smallholder at my farmers' market and she recounted a tale about local abattoirs.
She had raised two pigs, treated as pets, but it was always understood they would be going for meat. One lost half its tail one way or another.
All went well as they were personally delivered to the slaughter house but when she got her carcases back there were two complete tails.
I don't think she was happy about eating a beast that wasn't lovingly brought up be her family


This may be a rural myth....she might have been pulling my tail