Whole Hog Pricing and Yield

[thirdeye]

I've been asked to help out with a couple of spit-roasted pigs in the 40# range, for a Labor Day pot luck, but the story has an interesting twist.... a local butcher shop ordered them for a customer, who then backed out of the deal, so we're thinking some creative negotiation is in order. Even to the point of allowing the store some free advertising if they really come down on the price.

What is the going rate for smaller pigs in this weight class? These have been dressed, scraped, bagged & boxed. And is the yield still about 40%-45% like larger hogs?

 

[IamMadMan]

Here's a tool from a local slaughter house / butcher...

Raw or cooked

http://www.bringhurstmeats.com/pig-price-calculator.html

 

[BillN]

Wow plugged the 40# weight $206.00.

 

[thirdeye]

Here's a tool from a local slaughter house / butcher...

Raw or cooked

http://www.bringhurstmeats.com/pig-price-calculator.html

It's raw with a packer prep and in the box ready to go. I think the deal will go through, but I was trying to get a feel for an actual hand-to-hand price.

Wow plugged the 40# weight $206.00.

We're hoping for way less than that... the good news is, the deal is still on the table.

 

[Big Frank]

I'm cooking one in 2 weeks. Both places I called were $5.00 lb

 

[mikemci]

Our Costco has them. I think they are $85. You might check your local Costco.

 

[Cook]

$5.00 per pound?!? Dear sweet baby heysoos! You have got to be kidding!

 

[gcs]

Yeah thats kinda ridiculous, considering you can buy pork parted out for as little as a buck a pound ready to go.
Unless your counting in the wow factor of the whole pig on a rack.

 

[Cook]

Sorry...I'm in North Carolina, and I'm sure pork prices are different here than in Wyoming. In doing some preliminary searching I see prices in my area that are higher than I expected them to be. This is two-fold...1) I haven't bought whole hogs in a few years, and 2) I don't think I've ever bought any as small as the ones you're looking for.

A whole 40# heritage breed I see can be bought around $4/# here. So the guy in New Hampshire's price of $5/# isn't too far out of reason...given a small hog & another non-pork rich area. Larger hogs, even heritage breeds, tend to be in the $2-$2.50 range.

For spit roasting I fully understand the desire/need to keep them small...BUT I really don't like anything under 80#...and I prefer 120# & up. They just taste better for barbecue. For roasting (and hopefully enjoying that crispy skin) I have no problems with the 40#ers.

Best of luck to you.

 

[DWheat]

Whole hog pricing

I have been pricing 120 lb whole hogs this week for our family reunion at the end of August. Had a meat facility in Blairsville Ga quote $3.50 per lb plus $40 scalding fee for cleaning, local IGA priced $2.89 and meat market in Augusta priced at $2.59. Had a friend tell me about the Meat Sciences program at the University of Georgia that has a USDA approved processing facility and they process and sell pork and beef and they sell to the public on Fridays. They offer whole hogs 120-150 lbs at $1.20 per lb, price and weight varies. I plan to contact them and hopefully get one reserved for our reunion in August.

 

[Cook]

I have been pricing 120 lb whole hogs this week for our family reunion at the end of August. Had a meat facility in Blairsville Ga quote $3.50 per lb plus $40 scalding fee for cleaning, local IGA priced $2.89 and meat market in Augusta priced at $2.59. Had a friend tell me about the Meat Sciences program at the University of Georgia that has a USDA approved processing facility and they process and sell pork and beef and they sell to the public on Fridays. They offer whole hogs 120-150 lbs at $1.20 per lb, price and weight varies. I plan to contact them and hopefully get one reserved for our reunion in August.

That's what I was used to seeing...which is why the $5/# blew my mind.

 

[thirdeye]

Sorry...I'm in North Carolina, and I'm sure pork prices are different here than in Wyoming. In doing some preliminary searching I see prices in my area that are higher than I expected them to be. This is two-fold...1) I haven't bought whole hogs in a few years, and 2) I don't think I've ever bought any as small as the ones you're looking for.

A whole 40# heritage breed I see can be bought around $4/# here. So the guy in New Hampshire's price of $5/# isn't too far out of reason...given a small hog & another non-pork rich area. Larger hogs, even heritage breeds, tend to be in the $2-$2.50 range.

For spit roasting I fully understand the desire/need to keep them small...BUT I really don't like anything under 80#...and I prefer 120# & up. They just taste better for barbecue. For roasting (and hopefully enjoying that crispy skin) I have no problems with the 40#ers.

Best of luck to you.

The deal worked out pretty good... the regular price for pigs in this weight range would have been $4.00/lb, but we're going to get two 40# pigs for $175, so $2.19 per pound which is below his cost since he was stuck with them. The store owner and his wife get an invite to the pot luck, and he can have some flyers or price sheets available to hand out.

I agree that an 80# hog would have a better choice, and less hassle when cooking, but the opportunity to get these sort of fell in our laps. The eye appeal should be good, I'll be scoring the skin, and hoping about 4 hours of roasting time? Also planning on 40-45% yield (so about 55 servings), does this sound reasonable?

 

[Cook]

I'm gonna say you're good on yield. Have a great cook!

 

[CSchieck]

I was quoted $2.69/lb. two weeks ago for a whole hog (head on/feet on/cracked back; approximately 80#), and thought that price was steep.

 

[gtr]

The deal worked out pretty good... the regular price for pigs in this weight range would have been $4.00/lb, but we're going to get two 40# pigs for $175, so $2.19 per pound which is below his cost since he was stuck with them. The store owner and his wife get an invite to the pot luck, and he can have some flyers or price sheets available to hand out.

I agree that an 80# hog would have a better choice, and less hassle when cooking, but the opportunity to get these sort of fell in our laps. The eye appeal should be good, I'll be scoring the skin, and hoping about 4 hours of roasting time? Also planning on 40-45% yield (so about 55 servings), does this sound reasonable?

What's up with scoring the skin? Is that to keep the skin from splittling, like with chix?

 

[thirdeye]

What's up with scoring the skin? Is that to keep the skin from splittling, like with chix?

Scoring lets some seasoning get in, and it sort of promotes the cracklin' effect. And it looks kind of neat during the cook.