Wednesday 27 May 2009

Bargain pig and a freak accident

Posted by Rosie

The pig that Simon collected on Saturday is now lots of bits of meat in the freezer. In fact for 3o€ we have got:
  • 3 large roasting joints
  • 2 pieces of belly to make bacon
  • 2 joints to make boiling bacon
  • 3 bags of diced pork
  • 3 more large pieces of belly pork
  • 2 bags bags of chops
  • 3 bags of "leg steaks"
  • 3 bags of spare ribs
  • A rack of ribs
  • Half a liver
  • A heart
  • A kidney
  • The 4 trotters
  • A bucket full of meat to make into mince/burgers etc
  • Some suet

I think that is what you call a bargain.

The pig was a Large White and the resulting meat is much less fatty that the Saddleback x Tamworth weaners we slaughtered last year. This may be healthier but does mean, as we found out tonight, that the meat is drier when grilled and the flavour isn't quite as good. But at that price we are not complaining and with a little extra seasoning and flavouring we are in for some lovely piggy treats over the next few months. Faggots are definitely on the list as well as chorizo, boiling hams and bacon. I've not made bacon before but at 30€ it won't be a major financial disaster if it doesn't work. I'd like to have a go at an air-dried ham as well but I'm not sure the boys would like the parma ham-like result. We'll see if I have the time.

Not only are we a pig less now but also another chicken - not to M. Renard but to a freak accident with a gate. I am not 100% sure which hen it was - the black ones are so similar but I think between the fox and the gate we have lost Mrs Badger and Molly (aka Fat Bird). Tomorrow is market day so I'll go and get some replacements. "You'd better get three," piped up Tom at dinner time "just in case we lose a third one very soon!"

4 comments :

  1. Did you get the pig head too? I made sausages yesterday, but from butcher meat. Will be getting half a pig in the near future, looking forward to dealing with it. Quite like a go at butchering it myself this time, we'll see.
    Bacon is easy to do - do you have HFW's books? I usually do a loin in brine, but this time I'm doing a dry cure for a change.
    Shame about the hen, but these things happen. Look forward to hearing about your new ones.

    MrsL

    xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wowm that's excellent! All that for 30 Euros is amazing. Pity about the flavour but you live and learn and sure most of the stuff you buy here in supermarkets has no real flavour either anyway! It's wonderful to hear of someone making their own meat products, I agree with MrsL HFW's books are great, though I've only read them out of interest not because I so adventrous as you.

    Sorry about another hen going to the chicken coop in the sky. Diffenately get 3 at the market!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Definitely a bargain! And you will no doubt be coming up with some interesting recipes too. Sorry to hear about the loss of another hen. We're fortunate in ORkney with no foxes so our hens can range free and easy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. HFW's books are my bibles and always turn to them first for meat recipes. We didn't get the head this time - I just knew I would not have the time to process it (we didn't know we were geting the pig until a few days ago) but we will have another one later in the year. I'm making the faggots tomorrow. The HFW recipe is fantastic - they look like Brains frozen ones but taste so much nicer.

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.