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Pigs going to be processed on Tuesday


Ian willetts
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If my memory is correct going back to the early fifties  My father use to wash the Ham with salt and water. He then shaved the ham with a cut throat razer. It was then dried ant the main artery was dried out and packed with salt peter . It was then wrapped in muslin cloth and buried under grains of barley for about six weeks. It was then hung in the kitchen from a hook and cured by most of the family who were pipe smokers . It was then carved and cooked when required. It would not be accepted  today I think. I was told that at a local bacon factory out this way a pig can be procesed  in a few hours of being killed. That could account for the poor taste and a pan full of water when you fry prepacked bacon these days.

 

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This takes me back over 70 years when my grandfather killed two very large bacon pigs every year. The local pig killer would come on his bike and there was a large strong wooden bench which the pig was pulled on to. It's artery was cut and the blood collected in a clean bucket. Then galolons of boiling water poured over and special scrapers used to get the hair off.  Eventually it was jointed and the large flitches and hams transferred to our pine top kitchen tabel and then the processstarted with salt peter and I think pepper but not sure on that.  It was worked and rubbed in.  The flitvhs and hams then hung in our pantry for a few days and the processwas rpeated.  Don't ask me how many times but I do remember grandpa asking me to go up the back stairs into the upstairs pantry and check to see if there where any 'crawly things'  If there was he would bring the flitches and hams down and rub in further quantities of saltpeter and salt and then sprinkle peper over the enter meat side.   I remember him going up and cutting thick slices of some of the best bacon I have ever eaten from those flitches and at least one ham would be cooked at Christmas to feed the 25-30 people coming for dinner.

Happy days and I hope your efforts also go similarly rewarded.

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57 minutes ago, Ian willetts said:

Well Walker 570 I am planning to use as much as I can and what you have described is just what my grandparents did in there pit community of east howel and I believe every one got a share of the pig good times I believe thanks for the reply 

Yep, back then almost everyone had a pig in the back yard.  I think the pig killer charged 2/6p  or a half crown.

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Hi jonty that would be great I get them back Friday I have enjoyed rearing them from 8 weeks watching them feed and there different habbits .Knowing  that every thing I put in I am going to get out they were finished mainly on rolled oats and Bramerley apples and various othervegetable treats Iam going to enjoy the end product just as much as I have rearing them I plan on cureing may be a leg defanately joules and some shoulder for bacon .I have curing salt some seasonings for different sausage but any recapies for cure will be much appreciated it’s going to be a busy Friday night and into Saturday I rekon thanks for the reply’s 

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1 hour ago, Ian willetts said:

Hi jonty that would be great I get them back Friday I have enjoyed rearing them from 8 weeks watching them feed and there different habbits .Knowing  that every thing I put in I am going to get out they were finished mainly on rolled oats and Bramerley apples and various othervegetable treats Iam going to enjoy the end product just as much as I have rearing them I plan on cureing may be a leg defanately joules and some shoulder for bacon .I have curing salt some seasonings for different sausage but any recapies for cure will be much appreciated it’s going to be a busy Friday night and into Saturday I rekon thanks for the reply’s 

what curing salt do you have for the bacon Ian ? is it a pre-mixed cure or does it need combining with salt etc to make your own bacon cure up?

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2 hours ago, Ian willetts said:

I got it from weschenfelder so I assume it it all ready mixed I was going to salt the joint then vacuum pack and turn every day whilst in the fridge I have muslin to wrap the ham will it be ok in my garage thanks 

Without knowing what type of cure you have and what type of hams you want to make it's difficult to comment.  If you want to make a gammon type ham that you cook then there's no need to hang it anywhere, and you can use a cure similar to a bacon cure as the chemicals are compatible.  However if you want to air dry a ham like a parma/proscuitto where you will hang it somewhere to dry, you need to use a different cure because the chemical composition of the cure needs to be different in order to keep the meat safe from botulism.  If you can let us know what you want to achieve, and what cure/salts you have we can maybe get you started.

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3 minutes ago, Ian willetts said:

Hi jonty the cure will have supacure dry bacon /ham curing salts there is no description of the ingredients 

OK mate, thanks.  That will be fine for your bacon and hams that you would cook.  If you wanted to air dry a ham then you'd need some different ingredients.  For your bacon etc, just follow the instructions on the pack - have fun!!

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17 hours ago, Ian willetts said:

Hi jonty what would I need for the air dried ham thanks 

Hi Ian

you would need some Cure#2 (also often called Prague Powder#2), some fine sea salt and a set of scales big enough to weigh the leg.  And also somewhere at a relatively cool constant temperature to hang it.

When you look for the cure, dont confuse it with Cure#1.  #1 is shorter acting and used for bacon/gammon/things you cook and #2 is longer acting and used on air dried meats such as proscuitto/salami/etc.

If you'd like to have a go, maybe send me a PM and we could put a cure mix/recipe together for you once you've got the leg and the cures

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