WitchHazel Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 I hope it's OK to post this on the "Self Sufficient" board.. I've had many years of not eating being able to eat pork. it started when I was about 12, when a school teacher told us about an unpleasant risk with pork, especially in Months without an R in them. I didn't like pork that much anyway (I found Chops really dry, I didn't like roas pork), and I found couldn't eat it at all after this. Except bacon, of course. Anyway. A few years ago we started to make our own sausages. Then I started to make meatballs from minced pork, as a change from beef and veal. And then some months ago, DH fancied some form of pork casserole and made it for me. I found I was able to eat it, and it was OK. So, I thought about what it was I hated about pork, and I realised it was the dryness. We tried a shoulder of pork, slow cooked, and that was the first time I'd eaten roast pork in about 30 years. It was really good. Anyway, fast forward through the chickens/dinner chickens part. Last year I read an advert on the Practical Poultry forum from a lady who raised her own pigs and she was offering sides of pork either fully butchered, or butchered to requirements. I had this in the back of my mind, and I've been trying to eat more pork to see if I really could manage more than just a shoulder roast. I decided that it might be interesting to do a one day pork butchery course, and then have a go at one of her sides of pork. I found details of a number of places doing courses and looked at what was in the course (how much was hands on), and how much it cost (the costs varied incredibly), and where it was located. I contacted Shirley, the lady with the pork, to ask what the availability was and explained that I wasn't sure whether to get a fully butchered side from her, or to have a go ourselves and that I wanted to know when her pork would next be available, if I missed this time. The lovely lady, aho had been trained by a master butcher, said she would be happy to teach us the rudiments of how to butcher, using a side we would buy from her. The amount she charged for this was less than it would have cost DH and I both to go to another course, We went to see her on Friday, and came home with half a pig, butchered ourselves! It was absolutely great. I feel really proud of what we've done. The almost-hardest thing was making decisions on what we were going to do with each piece - we had thought about what types of things we wantred, but had no idea how much of each we would get. The head was optional. We decided we'd use it this time and see how we got on. That was the only bit that was hard to work with. The freezer is full of pork - minced, diced, loin chops (for DH, I still won't eat them), and several joints for slow roasting; we had hand of pork slow roasted for dinner with friends yesterday evening; we've got a ham soaking in a Wiltshire cure; half a belly covered in salt, dry curing; and a big tupperware tub with the brawn ingredients in (Lesley, when I saw the ears I thought of you, realised why you felt that way, and we left them with Shirley for her dogs) brining away, and we'll be cooking it this afternoon; and many kilos of sausages, which we made yesterday. We rendered the fat and strained it so that we now have several jars of lard; and I have some bones to roast to make stock. From the entire half-carcass we had less than half a Sainsbury's carrier bag of waste! At the moment it feels like we've got enough pork to see us through the next couple of years, but I think we'll aim to get another half pig after Christmas. And we'll definitely get them rom Shirley. Her pigs are just lovely, and have such a wonderful life. I can't see us raising our own, so this is the next best thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Good for you! There's only the two of us at home now so I don't think I could justify half a pig. We used to buy in bulk from a local farmer when the kids (4 of them) were at home, including buying a quarter of a cow and a half a lamb- but we never thought about butchering it ourselves. Sounds a great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Marple Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Well done there- its sounds like a profitable experience on so many ways. We buy half a pig from a lovely small farm close to us, however I have not tried to butcher myself, just take advice on what to get. I always thought of pork as quite dry- especially chops. However, I slow roast my pork chops as well. Low temp in the oven for a couple of hours with a bit of water and seasoning and they come out sooo tender- everyone here seems to prefer them that way now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 I always thought of pork as quite dry- especially chops. However, I slow roast my pork chops as well. Low temp in the oven for a couple of hours with a bit of water and seasoning and they come out sooo tender- everyone here seems to prefer them that way now. Thanks for the tip, I might try that. What sort of temperature? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 What a wonderful idea. A great way of understanding what you are eating. Something to think about... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Marple Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Do you know, I don't really know what temperature actually. I start them off in the top oven of the Aga and once really hot I then transfer to the lower oven for 2- 3 hours and sort of foget about them I Will probably do sone this week so I will concentrate and let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 Do you know, I don't really know what temperature actually. I start them off in the top oven of the Aga and once really hot I then transfer to the lower oven for 2- 3 hours and sort of foget about them I Will probably do sone this week so I will concentrate and let you know. Tee hee, hope the concentration doesn't ruin the result. (Sometimes I find if I try and think about how I do something, it all goes horribly wrong) I probably won't be cooking chops for another week or so, so no rush - but I definitely am interested, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I'm so glad you've managed to do all that Hazel - a real achievment .....but I'm so sorry I put you off the ears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 .....but I'm so sorry I put you off the ears Don't be sorry. I'm quite happy about it, and Shirley's dogs - will be the beneficiaries - are very happy with it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
