In which I butcher a big

"When Butchering Time was over, there were the sausages and the headcheese, the big jars of lard and the keg of white salt-pork out in the shed, and in the attic hung the smoked hams and shoulders." 

~Little House In The Big Woods~

My family eat sort of according to the Levitical laws…no pork, catfish etc. (I know it's weird, but it's the way I was raised) but that didn’t stop me from falling in love with this “forbidden” meat. Once in my house I’ve decided that I had to butcher a pig…and when my Amish neighbor called and asked if I wanted him to pick me up a piggy while he was getting a couple for his family – how could I resist? 

First things first. I made bacon...I choose to use the wet curing method and let it soak in a brine for seven days. The recipe included lots of salt...and in the end my bacon was a bit too salty, but there's always next time. 

And since I loved biology I dissected the heart…back in high school I failed on my cow heart and this was to reconcile myself=) it turned out lovely and all the valves were perfectly viewable. But since I, myself, was the only party interested I’ll spare you pictures of it. But know the lighting was perfect…and the pictures were too cool.

I had never wrapped my meat using freezer paper before. In the past it’s always been those vacuum bags and I have to tell you I’ll never go back. This was way way easier and faster

And I watched this video to learn how to warp the meat...I liked how unprofessional he was=) just to the point and simple as the way to using utility tape haha.

So I made sausage.

I made bacon.

I cut roast.

then... 

the rest I ground into…um ground pork, to mix into whatever I decide when the time comes.

My little freezer is now full of meat=) and I feel so good, I did it all myself. 

I canned bone broth. I had never used a canner before…so this was my first time. I didn’t leave the stove side those entire long minutes. They all sealed and I was about to jump up and down. I can pressure can now…the skies the limit to the creations I’m going to can. Well what I could can=)

Waiting...

It was quite the experience!!! And I had a few weeks of fun as I slowly processed the small portion I didn’t give away. It was such lovely pink meat and the processing ideas for this kind of meat is limitless.


XOXO