Picking Up Two Live 90lb Pig/Boar Breed Mix

rcbaughn · 02-15-2013, 06:01 AM

Well guys, I was cruising Craigslist and came across a guy giving away two pigs that were crossed with a wild boar and each weighs around 90 pounds and is ready to slaughter! I am probably going to dispatch them there and go ahead and stick them that way they will bleed out and not get it all in the back of my Jeep. Gonna get them home then and dress them out whole and figure out what to do with meat and carcass at that point. Gotta see how much fat is on the animals before I go past that point. I planned on doing one of them whole and the other separating into smaller cuts, i.e. ribs, butts, etc and freezing those for later.

My question is, has anyone ever had any experience cooking a smaller pig whole on any of the their equipment? I am almost at a loss on how to cook these things since all I have is a Weber Performer, a Weber Gasser, a Mini WSM, and a Brinkmann electric, but when I saw that two whole pigs and all their meat was being given away for absolutely free I had to jump. It's just too exciting cooking a whole animal to pass up. That said though, need be I can process them both and freeze the one whole and figure out how to physically get the things to smoke later. I think I might try to build a block fire pit since we have those already and try to rent a spit from somewhere in Alabama. Anyone know of a company in northern Alabama that rents those? I've read online about people renting them but haven't really been able to find ANYTHING close to me.

Any help would be great! Gonna be some damn good eating I have a feeling, but being the one to end an animals life really brings the food scene full circle and makes you appreciate the life the animal gives to sustain us.

Here's a picture of one of the guys -

Garyclaw · 02-15-2013, 06:20 AM

You really don't need a spit. Get on cowgirls blog (she's a member here) and see how she does it. Simple and effective.

Good Luck!

rcbaughn · 02-15-2013, 06:26 AM

That looks great from what I saw on her website. I am 90% sure that we already have everything for a simple cinder block pit like that. I see she skinned her pig, which I might do to save the hassle of scalding and scraping/shaving a whole hog.

Birdie · 02-15-2013, 06:40 AM

Skinning is way easier than scalding and scrapping.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2

rcbaughn · 02-15-2013, 01:38 PM

Yeah, it just makes me sick to think that I am losing all that skin that could crisp up and be oh so good. I know that I am going to skin the one that I break down, but the whole one I am still debating. I guess it depends on when I get the thing home and see what the whole situation is playing out like.

rondini · 02-15-2013, 10:34 PM

Nice score.

rcbaughn · 02-16-2013, 06:45 AM

Thanks Ron, hopefully I can get this all done without too much hassle. I may just end up taking the damn things to a processor to be broke down.

chicagokp · 02-16-2013, 08:27 AM

Wow. Take lots of pics!!

rcbaughn · 02-16-2013, 08:56 AM

Will do! Gonna be my first time handling a carcass alone without the help of my father, but I am 90% sure I can handle it. Done a dozen deer alone before, so this shouldn't be any harder. Cooking it is what I'm most nervous about!

cowgirl · 02-16-2013, 12:54 PM

Skinning is the easiest way. Sometimes the hide won't come off as easy as a deer but if you get into a bind, you can use a sharp knife or box cutter and cut 2" or 3" "strips"...then pull the strips off with a pair of pliers.

A few people have picked up pigs here and butchered them before leaving. Some like to lay the pig on a bed of straw... light the straw on fire. When the straw has finished burning, they scrape the hair and the outer layer of skin from the pig, then open and "gut" the animal.

I've used a blow torch to remove the hair and outer layer of skin. Works ok too.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=73481

When I can't find help or want to scald a small one.. I heat a pot of water to 165F, lay cheesecloth over a section of the pig, ladle hot water onto the cloth and let it sit for a few minutes, then remove the cloth and scrape the hair.
Then move the cloth to another section and repeat until the whole pig is clean.

I use the front end loader on my little tractor to move the pig around. Really helps!!

The block pit is easy to use and works well. Good luck with what ever you do!

rcbaughn · 02-17-2013, 08:41 AM

cowgirl thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you notice any ill effects from torching the skin instead of scraping? I heard from somewhere that it leaves the follicles in the skin and they would end up being almost as bad as full sized hair in the skin at the end of a roast. I really don't know if that is true and if isn't and hasn't turned out that way in your roasts, I am totally going to do it that way. I planned on buying one of the long propane torches anyways for lighting my smokers, so I hope that it will work and I can keep all that skin. So much good food there no doubt!

rondini · 02-17-2013, 06:18 PM

rcbaughn in case you did not know, you can use a sawzall to rip the hogs down the back quickly. Just pop in a course blade.

rcbaughn · 02-18-2013, 06:02 AM

Never ever though about that. Probably be a great way to get the front split too and seperate the spares from the baby backs and such. I have a bandsaw but it's in the woodshop and is pretty damn dirty.

Birdie · 02-18-2013, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rondini

rcbaughn in case you did not know, you can use a sawzall to rip the hogs down the back quickly. st pop in a course blade.

This works fantastic, we just processed 10 hogs a couple of weeks ago and all of the sawing was done with a sawzall. Even after getting them into the garage we used the sawzall to cut off the ham and ribs, much easier and quicker than a hand meat saw.

cowgirl · 02-18-2013, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcbaughn

cowgirl thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you notice any ill effects from torching the skin instead of scraping? I heard from somewhere that it leaves the follicles in the skin and they would end up being almost as bad as full sized hair in the skin at the end of a roast. I really don't know if that is true and if isn't and hasn't turned out that way in your roasts, I am totally going to do it that way. I planned on buying one of the long propane torches anyways for lighting my smokers, so I hope that it will work and I can keep all that skin. So much good food there no doubt!

Scalding is the best way to remove the hair. When burning, I try to take off skin too to get rid of as much hair as possible.
You might give it a try and if it's not working out for you, go ahead and skin the pig. They aren't as pretty "presentation" wise but are so much easier to mess with, especially when working alone!

Good luck to you with what ever you do!

02-15-2013, 06:01 AM	#1
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	Picking Up Two Live 90lb Pig/Boar Breed Mix Well guys, I was cruising Craigslist and came across a guy giving away two pigs that were crossed with a wild boar and each weighs around 90 pounds and is ready to slaughter! I am probably going to dispatch them there and go ahead and stick them that way they will bleed out and not get it all in the back of my Jeep. Gonna get them home then and dress them out whole and figure out what to do with meat and carcass at that point. Gotta see how much fat is on the animals before I go past that point. I planned on doing one of them whole and the other separating into smaller cuts, i.e. ribs, butts, etc and freezing those for later. My question is, has anyone ever had any experience cooking a smaller pig whole on any of the their equipment? I am almost at a loss on how to cook these things since all I have is a Weber Performer, a Weber Gasser, a Mini WSM, and a Brinkmann electric, but when I saw that two whole pigs and all their meat was being given away for absolutely free I had to jump. It's just too exciting cooking a whole animal to pass up. That said though, need be I can process them both and freeze the one whole and figure out how to physically get the things to smoke later. I think I might try to build a block fire pit since we have those already and try to rent a spit from somewhere in Alabama. Anyone know of a company in northern Alabama that rents those? I've read online about people renting them but haven't really been able to find ANYTHING close to me. Any help would be great! Gonna be some damn good eating I have a feeling, but being the one to end an animals life really brings the food scene full circle and makes you appreciate the life the animal gives to sustain us. Here's a picture of one of the guys - __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.

02-15-2013, 06:20 AM	#2
Garyclaw Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-05-09 Location: NE OH-IO	You really don't need a spit. Get on cowgirls blog (she's a member here) and see how she does it. Simple and effective. Good Luck! __________________ Gary ____________________________________ Big BarBChef built in to the Outdoor Kitchen, 2 Weber kettles, 1 UDS, Little Chief Electric, 2 Propane Fish Cookers/Turkey Fryers, a swinging grate over my [COLOR=red]Fire pit,[/COLOR][COLOR=black] Big Pig Cooker, SJS, Big Easy Oil Less. Blackstone Pizza Oven[/COLOR] "Nice talkin' to ya" :yo:

02-15-2013, 06:26 AM	#3
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	That looks great from what I saw on her website. I am 90% sure that we already have everything for a simple cinder block pit like that. I see she skinned her pig, which I might do to save the hassle of scalding and scraping/shaving a whole hog. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.

02-15-2013, 06:40 AM	#4
Birdie On the road to being a farker Join Date: 09-04-12 Location: Watertown Tennessee	Skinning is way easier than scalding and scrapping. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2 __________________ Char-Griller Akorn, Jumbo Joe

02-15-2013, 01:38 PM	#5
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	Yeah, it just makes me sick to think that I am losing all that skin that could crisp up and be oh so good. I know that I am going to skin the one that I break down, but the whole one I am still debating. I guess it depends on when I get the thing home and see what the whole situation is playing out like. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.

02-15-2013, 10:34 PM	#6
rondini Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-25-10 Location: Reed City, MI	Nice score. __________________ Ron, 1 little Chief top loader, 1 UDS (90% built) 1 mini UDS (in plans)

02-16-2013, 06:45 AM	#7
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	Thanks Ron, hopefully I can get this all done without too much hassle. I may just end up taking the damn things to a processor to be broke down. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.

02-16-2013, 08:27 AM	#8
chicagokp Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-17-11 Location: Chicago north 'burbs IL	Wow. Take lots of pics!! __________________ Shirley Fabrication 24x60 staightback cabinet + warmer Battle Box Midi UDS Weber Performer 22.5 Weber OTG WGA Charcoal Weber Genesis

02-16-2013, 08:56 AM	#9
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	Will do! Gonna be my first time handling a carcass alone without the help of my father, but I am 90% sure I can handle it. Done a dozen deer alone before, so this shouldn't be any harder. Cooking it is what I'm most nervous about! __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.

02-16-2013, 12:54 PM	#10
cowgirl somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-18-07 Location: Oklahoma Name/Nickname : jeanie	Skinning is the easiest way. Sometimes the hide won't come off as easy as a deer but if you get into a bind, you can use a sharp knife or box cutter and cut 2" or 3" "strips"...then pull the strips off with a pair of pliers. A few people have picked up pigs here and butchered them before leaving. Some like to lay the pig on a bed of straw... light the straw on fire. When the straw has finished burning, they scrape the hair and the outer layer of skin from the pig, then open and "gut" the animal. I've used a blow torch to remove the hair and outer layer of skin. Works ok too. http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=73481 When I can't find help or want to scald a small one.. I heat a pot of water to 165F, lay cheesecloth over a section of the pig, ladle hot water onto the cloth and let it sit for a few minutes, then remove the cloth and scrape the hair. Then move the cloth to another section and repeat until the whole pig is clean. I use the front end loader on my little tractor to move the pig around. Really helps!! The block pit is easy to use and works well. Good luck with what ever you do! __________________ jeanie Lifetime member of the Society for the Preservation of Authentic Royal Magical Rare Kaskaskian Peppers (Thanks Ash :)) RIP Ash, you are missed http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/

02-17-2013, 08:41 AM	#11
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	cowgirl thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you notice any ill effects from torching the skin instead of scraping? I heard from somewhere that it leaves the follicles in the skin and they would end up being almost as bad as full sized hair in the skin at the end of a roast. I really don't know if that is true and if isn't and hasn't turned out that way in your roasts, I am totally going to do it that way. I planned on buying one of the long propane torches anyways for lighting my smokers, so I hope that it will work and I can keep all that skin. So much good food there no doubt! __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.

02-17-2013, 06:18 PM	#12
rondini Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-25-10 Location: Reed City, MI	rcbaughn in case you did not know, you can use a sawzall to rip the hogs down the back quickly. Just pop in a course blade. __________________ Ron, 1 little Chief top loader, 1 UDS (90% built) 1 mini UDS (in plans)

02-18-2013, 06:02 AM	#13
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	Never ever though about that. Probably be a great way to get the front split too and seperate the spares from the baby backs and such. I have a bandsaw but it's in the woodshop and is pretty damn dirty. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.