ryaldinhio 4,540 Posted November 12, 2017 Report Share Posted November 12, 2017 On 04/10/2017 at 21:18, PeskyWabbits said: The meat from the first pigs arrived tonight. This was £50 per pig for joints then an additional £30 for the sausages - worked at £1 per pound processed. Plus the £20 slaughterhouse fee, though that includes delivery to my butcher. We are in it for the fun of keeping pigs. The main cost is still the feed. I am hoping to collect 1 tonne bags of blown feed next year and shovel it out into my containers when I get home. How does it work put against shop meat. Is it cheaper doin it or more expensive but better meat and you know where its from? I had some land at back of my house and almost went for it, was guna go for tamworths to turn it all over, but ended up digging a pond instead! I am still very interested in doing it and there may be a couple of fields near me I could get. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted November 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2017 We are getting better at making it cost effective. I would say we are now on a par with farm shop prices. The big cost is always the feed. You would still need to give them a cereal base, but this can be boosted by fruit and veg. Pigs getting ill is always a risk. I have had poorly pigs each year. They are susceptible to sun stroke/heat exhaustion, even if you give them a big sunscreen and mud hole. The other thing that hits them is eating something that gives them a poorly tummy. If you have them in an open field, this can be something dropped by a bird, or something they have dug up. You get a bit worried at times. My total vet bill this year was £144 but then I did have 9 pigs, so ok really. Tamworths are nice but slow growing and lean. Mine were Tamworth/Berkshire cross, to get a more even meat. Berkshire being fatty and quick growing. With the cheap land rent - still £75- £100 for an acre, per year, near me, I do recommend keeping livestock, for anyone who is interested. For pigs it doesn't have to be great quality land either. You could really help someone out by putting pigs in a field that is full of nettles and brambles. I was running a cooperative, so that gives you cover for when you want to go on holiday. My pig year isn't over yet. There are still the hams to come back from the butcher. These will be hung in muslin to make prosciutto. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted November 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2017 My hams came back from the butcher yesterday. These have been injected with brine then sealed in polythene for 4 weeks. I could slice them as bacon or.... I have a spare room (of shame as I am supposed to be doing it up but have stalled) Last year I used my bike repair stand, this year I have a more suitable frame. The hams are wrapped in muslin and will air dry then eventually be thinly sliced as proscuitto. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
terryd 8,411 Posted November 19, 2017 Report Share Posted November 19, 2017 wow mouth watering stuff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,590 Posted November 19, 2017 Report Share Posted November 19, 2017 Should be getting mine back Thursday/fri will put pics up Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Squeamish5 309 Posted November 19, 2017 Report Share Posted November 19, 2017 Really love this thread. Just out of interest, Pesky, do you have a meat slicer? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bell 3,598 Posted November 19, 2017 Report Share Posted November 19, 2017 Good stuff chaps.....got my 3 old spots back, cooked a joint in the aga for 24 hours......top notch. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted November 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 I am still hanging my hams from last year. The last pig went in December 2016. These hams were left in brine for 3 weeks then hung in January. I got them down in August and sliced them using a butcher's knife. The meat was nice but not quite there. I took samples round to friends and they were impressed I have re-hung the meat and will test it again in January. I think the Italians and French hang it in caves for 3 years. So a Yorkshire spare bedroom isn't quite the same. A Pig Clubber (member not executioner) has bought a meat slicer from Argus for about £30. It is ok but only cuts to 1mm, so bacon really, not proscuitto. I have been looking on eBay and you do see professional slicers from around £60 second hand to £400 new. They are enormous though. Much bigger than a microwave, so storage is an issue. I might just take my hams to the butcher. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bell 3,598 Posted November 20, 2017 Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 Did you bone them out mate before curing ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted November 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 Yes, they have been boned. I notice that those hams you see in Aldi and Lidl at Christmas, still have the bone, and even the trotter still there. While it didn't really occur to me and the butcher did it anyway, the bone would have been a problem at the slicing stage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bell 3,598 Posted November 21, 2017 Report Share Posted November 21, 2017 I think there is more chance of them 'going off' if the bones left in.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,590 Posted November 24, 2017 Report Share Posted November 24, 2017 Well it's back 58 kg roughly of organic pork works out roughly just over £5 a kilo? So cheaper than Waitrose etc 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted November 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2017 What a terrific result. Some huge joints there and what a variety. What are you planning on doing with the trotters? You could make a nice jelly with the bones. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted November 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2017 I didn't hang all my hams, I kept one back for slicing into gammon and bacon. It isn't the conventional joint for bacon but the process is the same. I sliced a few pieces off with my butcher's knife and grilled it. Served with sprouts, spinach, roast potatoes and kohl rabi. The gammon was definitely the nicest bit. Lovely and juicey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,590 Posted November 25, 2017 Report Share Posted November 25, 2017 2 hours ago, PeskyWabbits said: What a terrific result. Some huge joints there and what a variety. What are you planning on doing with the trotters? You could make a nice jelly with the bones. I didn't have any bacon or sausages and as there is 10 of us here big joints is the way to go. trotters I might do Asian style Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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