Pork Info
Q: What do I get if I buy a half pig?
A: One half-pig will yield about 20 pork chops, 2 roasts, 1 ham, belly (for bacon), spare ribs, and ground pork. For an extra charge, the butcher can use the ground pork to make sausage of your choice (hot, mild, Italian, smoked, etc.). Also, you can have the butcher cure/smoke and slice the belly into strips of bacon. You can have the ham cured/smoked also. The curing/smoking and sausage-making cost you extra. In addition to the prime cuts, you can get the hocks, which are best if smoked. You can ask for the lard fat, bones, feet, etc. You can request anything from the pig, including the feet and head. However, the butcher we use (Johnston’s Meat Market) skins the hog, rather than scalds/scrapes it, so there won’t be much meat left on the feet or head. Organ meat such as liver, heart, kidney and lungs are also good. However, if you are ordering a half-pig the organs may not all be available (since you are splitting a pig with someone else). We can usually make sure you get organs if you want them.
Q: How much meat will I get?
A: Of course, this depends on the size of the pig. From a 200 lb. pig, if you take home only the prime commercial cuts, you get around 100 lbs for a whole pig or 50 lbs. for a half-pig. If you take it all, you’ll obviously get more, including great stuff like the hocks, lard fat, soup bones, and organs. The whole pig is good to eat! For any organs or bones that you don’t want to eat, your pets will love them!
Q: How much freezer space do I need?
A: For half a pig, you’ll need about two shelves of a side-by-side freezer or one whole shelf of a top/bottom freezer. However, we recommend that you get a chest freezer or upright freezer so you’ll have room for chickens and beef, too.