PORKSlaughtering, Cutting,Preserving, and Cookingon the Farm

UNITED STATES FARMERS PREPARED BYDEPARTMENT OF BULLETIN SCIENCE ANDAGRICULTURE NUMBER 2265 EDUCATION

ADMINISTRATION

CONTENTS

PageSelection and Care of Animal before Slaughter ........... 3Preparing for Slaughter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Slaughter.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chilling the Carcass .............................. 35.....Cutting ..............................................36Freezing and Frozen Storage ........................... 53Further Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Meat Cookery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Other Publications ....................................64

On January 24, 1978, four USDA agencies-Agri-cultural Research Service (ARS), Cooperative StateResearch Service (CSRS), Extension Service (ES),and the National Agricultural Library (NAL)-merged to become a new organization, the Scienceand Education Administration (SEA), U.S.Department of Agriculture.

This publication was prepared by the Science andEducation Administration’s Federal Research staff,which was formerly the Agricultural ResearchService.

This bulletin supersedes Farmers’ Bulletin No. 2138, Slaughtering,Cutting, and Processing Pork on the Farm, October 1959.

Washington, D.C. Issued June 1978

For Sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing OfficeWashington, D.C. 20402

Stock No. 001-000-03791-9

Pork Slaughtering, Cutting,

Preserving, and Cooking on the Farm

By H. Russell Cross, Research Food Technologist,’ E. Curtis Green, Meat Marketing Specialist,’William R. Jones, Extension Meal Specialist.3 Roger L. West, Associate Professor, Meat Sci-ence,4 and Anthony W. Kotula, Chief Meat Science Research Laboratory,’ (Photographs byDonald K. Rough’ and Terry K. O’Driscoll5)

SELECTION AND CAREOF ANIMAL BEFORE

SLAUGHTER

Several factors should be consid-ered before slaughtering a hog forhome consumption. The mostimportant considerations are health,kind of animal ‘(barrow, gilt, sow, orboar), expected meat yield, and careof the animal prior to slaughter.

H e a l t h

You should take care that anunhealthy animal is not selected forslaughter. At the time of selection,look for signs of sickness such as

‘Meat Science Research Laboratory, North-eastern Region, SEA-FR, Beltsville, Md.20705.

2Standardization Branch, Meat QualityDivision, Food Safety and Quality Service,Washington, D.C. 20250.

3Cooperative Extension Service, AuburnUniversity, Auburn, Ala. 36830.

4Department of Animal Science, Universityof Florida, Gainesville, Fla. 32611.

4Beltsville Agricultural Research Center,Northeastern Region, SEA-FR, Beltsville, Md.20705

fever, increased breathing rate, anddiarrhea. Animals suspected of beingunhealthy should be treated by a vet-erinarian until the animal is returnedto a healthy state.

Anlmal Care

It is important to exercise propercare of the animal prior to slaughter,if you expect to obtain high qualitymeat. Pen the animal in a clean, dryplace the day before slaughtering.Restrict the animal from feed 24hours prior to slaughter, but provideaccess to water at all times. Theslaughter of hot, excited animalsincreases the risk of sickness, injury,and darker meat; therefore, do notrun the animal or wrestle with it.Bruises and whip marks cause bloodyspots which must be trimmed out.

Animal Type and Meat Yield

Highest quality pork is producedfrom young, healthy, well-fed, meatyhogs that weigh from 175 to 240pounds. The meat-type hog shouldhave full, plump, meaty hams and

3

straight, smooth sides. Fat should befirm, evenly distributed, and notmore than 1.6 to 1.7 inches averagethickness over the back. The averagemeat-type hog produces as muchpork as a family of two consumes in10 to 12 months. Heavier, fatter hogsproduce less lean and more excessfat.

A meat-type hog, when cut andtrimmed according to the methodsdescribed later, will yield approxi-mately 65 to 70 percent of its carcassweight in ham, picnic shoulder, loin,bacon, and Boston butt. Expectedyields of major and minor cuts froma U.S. No. 2 hog are presented intable 1.

The slaughter of boars is not rec-ommended. Meat from boars has astrong odor during cooking, and anoff-flavor. This “sex” odor and flavoris often identified as being “soapy,”and the odor increases as boarsapproach sexual maturity. If old

boars are to be slaughtered, theyshould be castrated and allowed toheal prior to being slaughtered.

PREPARING FORSLAUGHTER

Prior to the day of slaughter, selectthe slaughter site, accumulate allequipment, prepare for waste dis-posal, and, if necessary, arrange witha local processor or meat market forchilling and cutting the carcass. Ifyou plan to have the carcass chilledand cut up, make arrangements con-cerning the time and day on whichthe carcass can be accepted, thecharges, and specific instructions forchilling, cutting, and wrapping.

Site Selection

Slaughter site selection is extremelyimportant. The amount of space andequipment needed will depend on the

Table l.-Percentages of major and minor cuts from a U.S. No. 2 hog,trimmed according to USDA procedures

cuts Percentage of USDAcarcass weight

Ham (trimmed)Belly (untrimmed)Collar. fat back, and clear platePicnic shoulder and Boston butt (trimmed)Loin (trimmed)Feet, tall. and neckbonesSpareribsJowl (untrimmed)

19I8I8I7I7

533

100

Four lean cuts’

Adapted from Smith, King & Carpenter, 1975.‘Ham. loin. picnic shoulder, and Boston butt.

53

4

method (scalding or skinning) used. Ifthe carcass is to be scalded, be sure thata site is selected where a fire can bebuilt, and clean, running water isavailable. If a tree is to be used tosuspend the carcass, select a healthylimb, 6 to 8 inches in diameter and 8 to10 feet from the ground. This willensure that the limb will not breakfrom the weight of the carcass, and thecarcass can be fully extended abovethe ground for viscera removal andsplitting. If the animal is to beslaughtered in a building, be sure that astrong beam 8 to 10 feet from the flooris available. The floor should be cleanand, preferably, concrete.

After selection of the slaughter site,clean up the area to ensure thatleaves and dirt are not blown on thecarcass during slaughter. If the sitehas a wooden or concrete floor, washthe floor and all equipment withplenty of soap and water. Be sure torinse thoroughly because sanitizersdiscolor the meat and may cause off-flavors. If animals are to be slaugh-tered outdoors, use straw to cover thearea where the carcass will be sus-pended and eviscerated.

The weather on the day ofslaughter should also be considered.During hot weather, the animalshould be slaughtered during thecooler early morning or late eveninghours. Since an inexperienced personwill take 2 to 3 hours to complete theslaughter operation, care should betaken to avoid long exposure of thecarcass to high temperatures. Duringcold weather of less than 30” F, theanimal can be slaughtered at anytime, because spoilage bacteria donot grow rapidly at cold tem-peratures. During periods ofextremely cold weather, avoid letting

the carcass freeze immediately afterslaughter because the meat will beless tender than if it is permitted tochill without freezing. Slaughterduring high winds may result in dirtand other contaminants being blownonto the carcass.

Waste Disposal

All waste products should be dis-posed of in a sanitary manner. If theanimal is to be slaughtered in theopen, select a site with good drainageso that blood and water can drainaway from the carcass. Do not allowblood and water to pollute nearbystreams or other water supplies.

Disposal of viscera and hair isoften a problem. Arrange to have alocal processor or rendering plantpick up these wastes. If this is notpossible, bury them so that dogs andother animals cannot dig them up.Hair can be burned.

Slaughter Equipment

Elaborate and expensive equip-ment is not necessary but certainitems are essential (fig. 1). Theamount of equipment will depend onthe slaughter procedure used. If thecarcass is to be scalded rather thanskinned, additional equipment will beneeded (items 16 to 23). The fol-lowing slaughter equipment is recom-mended:

1. .22 caliber rifle with long orlong rifle cartridges

2. Sharp skinning knife and steel3. Boning knife4. Block and tackle or chain

hoist - should be strong enough tohold weight of pig to be slaughtered

Figure l.-Equipment for slaughter.

5. Chocks - concrete blocks workwell

6. Meat saw7. Oil or water stone8. Ample cold water for washing

hands, equipment, carcass andbyproducts

9. Tree with strong limb, beam ortripod 8 to 10 feet high, or tractorwith hydraulic lift

10. Spreader (gambrel or metalpipe)

11. Buckets (2 or 3)12. Ice or cold water13. Straw for placing under animal

during evisceration and splitting14. Clean cloths or plastic for pro-

tection of meat during transport15. Clean string16. Scalding barrel

17. Pot or barrel for heating water18. Bell scrapers (1 or 2) - these

are not necessary but helpful19. Plywood or other solid mate-

rial for scalding platform20. Thermometer which registers

up to 200o F21. Dry wood for fire22. Hog or hay hook23. Propane torch or blow torchBe sure that all equipment that will

come in contact with meat is thor-oughly cleaned. Blood and othermaterials that get on the outer gar-ments of workers during slaughtershould not be transferred to the car-cass after it is washed.

Additional equipment needed forcutting the carcass is listed in the sec-tion, “Cutting.”

6

SLAUGHTER

Stunning

The animal should be killed asquickly and humanely as possible. Inmost slaughter plants, hogs areimmobilized either by electrical stun-ning or carbon dioxide gas suf-focation. On the farm a hog can bestunned by striking it one sharp blowwith a mechanical stunner or byshooting it in the forehead midwaybetween and slightly above the eyes.The first attempt should be successful(fig. 2). Improperly placed bulletscould cause the animal much painand injure helpers or other livestock.Animals that become excited during

stunning will not bleed as well asthose less excited. As always the casewhenever using firearms, exercise allappropriate safety precautions.

Bleeding

Bleeding is a very important partof the slaughtering operation. Theanimal should be bled within 2minutes after it is down because theblood pressure may increase and thusbreak the capillaries and cause anunattractive condition in the meatcalled “blood splash.” Although meatwith this condition is safe for con-sumption, it is quite unpleasant inappearance.

After stunning the animal, place it

Figure 2.-Stunning.

on its back, perfectly straight with thehead close to the ground. A helpercan stand over the animal and holdits front legs. Locate the tip of thebreastbone, along the midline (fig. 3).A 6-inch sticking knife sharpened onboth sides of the tip is best. However,a regular boning or skinning knifecan be used. Hold the knife at a 35-to 40-degree angle, thrust it under thebreastbone with the point aimedtoward the tail and then give anupward thrust (dip the point) to severthe carotid artery (figs. 4 & 5). Notwisting or cross-cutting of the knifeis necessary. If the hog does notbleed. insert the knife a little deeper asecond time and there should be littledifficulty getting a good stick. Toavoid a “shoulder stick.” do notinsert the knife too far to either side.

The bloody tissue resulting from ashoulder stick will subsequentlyrequire trimming. Care should alsobe taken to make certain that the hogdoes not kick you or the knife.

Hair or Skin Removal

Once the animal is bled, the haircan be removed by scalding theanimal in hot water and scraping; orthe skin and hair can be removed byskinning. Traditionally, hogs havebeen scalded and scraped, and theskin is left intact. Both procedureswill be discussed because manypeople now find the skinning methodto be easier, to require less equip-ment, and to result in an equallyacceptable final product.

Figure 3.-Locating breastbone.

Figure 4.-Sticking (bleeding).

Figure S.-Positions for sticking.

9

Scalding and Scraping Method:

For scalding, the most importantconsideration is maintaining an ade-quate supply of properly heatedwater. Approximately 50 gallons ofnear boiling water will be needed foreach pig. This water should be ready(boiling) before the animal is stunnedand bled. After the hot water isplaced in the scalding barrel, it can beadjusted to the proper temperaturefor scalding by adding cold water.

The animal can be scalded byseveral methods. The easiest methodis to have two barrels, one for heatingthe water and one for use as ascalding vat. Fifty-five gallon barrelswill be large enough for most hogs.The scalding barrel can be buried inthe ground at a slight angle; thusmovement of the hog in and out ofthe barrel is easier (fig. 6). Be sure the

angle of the barrel is not too flat orthe barrel will not hold enough waterto cover the carcass. Another methodfor scalding is to have a scalding vator a barrel under which a fire can bebuilt. This method requires moreconstruction, and the temperature ofthe water is difficult to control.

Slow scald is usually best. Scaldingwater temperatures between 140o and14 0o F are optimal. At these optimaltemperatures, 3 to 6 minutes ofscalding are required to loosen thehair and scurf (layer of accumulatedoil, dirt, and the outer layer of cellson the skin). In the fall when thewinter hair is beginning to grow, thehair of most hogs is difficult toremove. Higher water temperatures(146o to 150o F) or longer sub-mersion times are usually requiredfor scalding during this “hard-hair”season. About l/4 cup of rosin, lime,

Figure B.--Scalding equipment.

10

or some other alkaline materialadded to the scald water to aid inscurf removal results in a whiter skin.

On the farm, regulation of watertemperature is difficult. Add boilingwater to the scalding barrel, then addcool water to adjust to the propertemperature. Begin with the scaldingwater at 155” to 160” F because itcools rapidly. At these high tem-peratures, the carcass must be kept inmotion and pulled from the barrelseveral times. This movement pre-vents overscalding. Overscaldingcauses the skin to contract aroundthe base of the hair (“setting thehair”) and cooks the skin. If the car-cass is overscalded, the hair isextremely difficult to remove.

After the proper water temperature

has been attained, place the pig in thebarrel, head first (fig. 7). Rotate thecarcass in the barrel, pulling it in andout of the water occasionally. Checkthe hair often for ease of removal.The hair slips first over the back andsides, then in the flank regions. Whenthe hair can be pulled easily in theflank regions behind the shoulders,remove the hog from the barrel andplace the rear of the hog in the water.

While the rear of the hog isscalding, pull the toe nails and dewclaws from the front feet by insertinga hook into the top of the nail andpulling (fig. 8). Scrape as much of theha i r on the head as poss ib le ,especially around the ears and snout(fig. 9). When the hair slips in therear flanks, remove the hog from the

Figure 7.-Scalding head first.

PN-5308Figure &--Removing toe nails.

barrel. Remove the toe nails and dewclaws from the rear legs and pull thehair from the tail.

Grip the legs with both hands andtwist to pull off the hair. Remove thehair in the difficult areas (head, feet,jowl) first, then proceed to the easierareas (back, sides). If you use the bellscraper, tilt the scraper upward onthe forward edge and pull the scraperforward, applying as much pressureas possible (fig. 10).

Scrape the hot carcass as quicklyas possible because the skin tends to“set” as it cools. If patches of hairand scurf are difficult to scrape, coverthem with a burlap bag and pour hotwater over them. Scraping is madeeasier by moving the legs or the headi n o r d e r t o s t r e t c h t h e s k i n ,smoothing the wrinkles along thesides.

After most of the hair has beenremoved, pour water over the carcassand continue scraping. Place thescraper flat against the skin and moveit in a rotary manner (fig. 11). Thisprocedure aids in removal of scurfand dirt as well as removal of the restof the hair. If patches of hair cannotbe removed with the scraper, use aknife. Some people prefer to use aknife for the entire operation.

The carcass is now ready to be sus-pended. Clean the feet by cuttingaway the soles of the feet and cuttingbetween and around the toes (fig. 12).Expose the gambrel tendons by cut-ting through the skin on the backs ofthe rear legs from dew claws to hock(fig. 13). Cut down each side of thetendons, being careful not to cut thetendons (fig. 14). Insert the spreaderor gambrel under both tendons on

PN-5312Figure 12.-Cleaning feet.

14

Figure 13.-Exposing gambrel tendons.PN-5313

Figure 14.-Exposing gambrel tendons.PN-5314

15

each leg. Secure the legs to thespreader bar and suspend the carcass(fig. 15).

If available, a propane torch orblowtorch can be used to singe theremaining hair and scurf (fig. 16).Singeing removes most of the hairand allows small, light hairs to beseen. Use caution during singeing toprevent burning the skin. Shave theremaining hair and wash the carcassthoroughly. Continue with evis-ceration and splitting (pages 24-35).

Skinning Method:

The skinning procedure used forpork carcass is similar to that usedfor beef carcasses. Skinning requiresless equipment and can be done fasterthan scalding and scraping. We havecommonly believed that the skin wasneeded on hams and bacon to assureproper curing; however, this belief isnot necessarily correct. A poor skin-ning job can lower the quality of thebelly for bacon.

After stunning and bleeding theanimal, move the carcass to thelocation of the hoisting equipment.Place the carcass on a sheet of ply-wood, a concrete slab, or straw.Wash the blood and dirt from thecarcass. Turn the carcass on its backand hold it in place with blocksplaced on each side (fig. 17).

Cut the hide around the rear legs,just below the dew claws (fig. 18).Make a cut through only the hide,down the back of the leg, over thehocks, and to the midline at thecenter of the hams (fig. 19). Skinaround each side of the leg, removingthe hide to a point below the hock(fig. 20).

Open the hide down the midlinefrom the point where the animal was

PN-5315

Figure 15.-Suspending the carcass.

stuck, around each side of the pubisarea and continue to the anus (fig.21). Make this cut by inserting thepoint of the knife under the skin withthe blade turned up. This procedureis referred to as cutting from insideout and protects against meat con-tamination from materials on thehide. Avoid cutting too deeplybecause you may puncture the intes-tine and contaminate the carcass.

Remove the hide from the insidesof the hams (fig. 22). Be careful, it isvery easy to cut through the fat intothe lean. Continue skinning along thesides toward the breast. Grasp theloosened hide in the opposite handand pull it up and out. This placestension on the hide, removes wrin-kles, and allows the knife to glide

16

Figure 16.-Singeing.

Figure 17.-Position for skinning.PN-5317

17

Figure 18.-Cutting skin around legs. PN-5318

Figure lg.-Cutting to midline. PN-5319

18

Figure 20.-Skinning legs.PN-5320

Figure 21.-Cutting down midline.PN-5321

19

Figure 22.-Skinning hams.

smoothly. Holding the knife firmly,place it against the hide with theblade turned slightly outward (fig.23). Skin as far down the sides aspossible, but not around the frontlegs (fig. 24).

Return to the rear of the carcassand remove the hide left on the rearof the hams (fig. 25). Do not skin theoutside of the hams at this time.Remove the rear feet by sawingthrough the bone about 2 inchesabove the hock (fig. 26). Insert thespreader under the large tendons onthe rear legs (fig. 27) and secure thelegs to the spreader.

Hoist the carcass to a convenientworking height (waist high) for skinremoval from the outside of thehams. Skin around the outsides ofthe hams, leaving as much fat as pos-

sible on the carcass. Remove the hidearound the anus and cut through thetail at the joint closest to the body(fig. 28). Pull the hide down over thehips (fig. 29). The hide along the hipsand back can be pulled off, leavingthe fat on the carcass. Occasionally,you may need to use a knife to cutbetween the skin and the fat if largepieces of fat are being pulled off.

Hois t the carcass to a fu l lyextended position. Open the hidedown the rear of the forelegs.Remove the hide on each side of theforelegs (fig. 30). Skin along theinside of the forelegs and neck. Skinalong the outside of the shouldersand jowls to a point approximatelyhalf way to the back of the carcass(fig. 31).

Slowly pull down and out on the

20

Figure 23.--Siding.PN-5323

Figure 24.-Siding. I’\ 5324

21

Figure 25.-Skinning rear of hams.

Figure 26.--Removing feet.

22

Figure ST.-Exposing tendon.Ph.5327

Figure 28.-Skinning rear of hams.I’N-572X

23

PN-5329 PN-5330

Figure 29.-Removing hide from back. Figure 30.-Skinning forelegs.

hide (fig. 32) removing it along theback. If the fat begins to tear, use aknife to correct the torn area andthen continue pulling the hide.Remove the hide as far down theback as possible (fig. 33). When itbecomes difficult to pull along thetop of the neck, complete removalwith a knife.

If the head is to be saved, skin overthe poll and down the face (fig. 34).Remove the hide at the snout.Remove the front feet by sawing justbelow the knee joint (fig. 35). Con-tinue with evisceration and splitting.

Evisceration

Lossen the anus by cutting aroundit, deep into the pelvic canal. Pulloutward and cut any remainingattachments (fig. 36); be careful not tocut into the large intestine. When theanus is loosened, tie it with a piece ofstring to avoid contaminating thecarcass (fig. 37).

Remove the penis from a slaugh-tered barrow. Cut through the skinand fatty tissue along each side of thepenis and around the penis opening.Lift upward and cut underneath it

24

PN.5331

Figure 31.-Skinning sides and back.

along the midline (fig. 38). Cut alongthe penis between the hams, pull thepenis upward and remove it at itsattachment at the base of the ham (fig.39). Continue the cut made betweenthe hams, at their natural separation,exposing the white connective tissue.Cut through the tissue to the pelvic(aitch) bone. Continue cutting throughthe cartilage between the aitch boneand separate the hams (fig. 40). Thisprocedure is satisfactory in youngpigs; however, a saw may be needed tosplit the aitch bone in older hogs.

Make a cut through the lean and

PN-5332

Figure 32.-Pulling hide from back.

fat from the point where the pig wasstuck to the upper end of the sternumor breastbone (fig. 41). Insert theknife at the top edge of the sternum,cut downward and slightly off-centerto open the chest cavity (fig. 42).

Open the midline, beginning at theopening made when the aitch bonewas split. With the handle of theknife inserted in the opening and withthe blade pointed outward to avoidcutting the intestines (fig. 43), openthe midline to the opening made atthe breast (fig. 44). Allow the intes-tines and stomach to roll outward

25

PN.5333

Figure 33.-Pulling hide from back.

PN-5334

Figure 34.--Skinning head.

Figure 35.--Removing front legs.PN-5335

26

Figure 36.-Loosening anus.

Figure 37.-Tying anus.

27

PN-5338

Figure 38.-Removing penis.

and hang (fig. 45). Do not allow themto fall because the esophagus will tearand spill its contents onto the carcass.

Pull the loosened large intestinedown past the kidneys (fig. 46). Severthe attachments to the liver andremove it by pulling outward andcutting the connective tissue (fig. 47).Remove the gall bladder from theliver by cutting beneath it and pulling(fig. 48). Be careful not to allow itscontents to spill onto the liver.

Pull the stomach and intestineso u t w a r d a n d c u t t h r o u g h t h ediaphragm (fig. 49). This is the thinsheet of muscle and white connectivetissue that separates the stomach andintestines from the lungs and heart.Pull outward on the lungs and heartand cut down each side of the wind-pipe, severing its attachment at thehead (fig. 50). To separate the heartfrom the lungs, cut across its top (fig.

/I).a...._

*./. -I

.,

Figure 39.--Removing penis.

28

PN-5340

Figure 40.~-Splitting pelvic bone.Ph.5141

Figure 41 .-Tip of sternum.

Figure 42.-Opening the sternum.PN-5343

29

Figure 43.-Opening the midline.

PN-5345

Figure 45.~Intestines and stomach.

30

PN 5742

Figure 44.-Opening the midline.

I’\ 574(,

Figure 46.-Pulling large intestine.

Figure 47.--Removing liver.

Figure 48.~-Removing gall bladder.

31

Figure 49.-Cutting diaphragm. Figure SO.-Removing windpipe.

Figure 51.--Removing heart.

32

51). The heart should be split open toallow thorough washing. Wash theheart and liver thoroughly and putthem in ice or ice water.

Splitting and HeadRemoval

Wash the inside of the carcassbefore splitting. With the saw, beginsplitting from the inside between thehams (fig. 52). Keep the split as nearthe center of the backbone as pos-sible, and saw through the tail regionto a point midway through the loin(fig. 53). Move around to the backand continue sawing through theshoulder and neck to the base of thehead (fig. 54). If the split gets off

center. continue sawing through tothe next vertebra and then realine thesaw.

Remove the head at the atlas joint(the joint closest to the head). 1 hisjoint should be exposed if the carcassis properly split (fig. 55). After cut-ting through the joint cut downwardalong the jaw bone, leaving the jowlsattached to the carcass. If desired,remove the tongue, wash it thor-oughly, and place it with the liver andheart.

Remove the kidneys and leaf fat(figs. 56 and 57). The leaf fat isremoved by loosening it from thediaphragm muscle and lifting itupward. Wash the carcass throughlybefore chilling.

Figure 53.--Splitting.

Ph.5154

Figure 54.-Splitting.

p\-iiS

Figure 56.~-Removing kidney.

PN-5355Figure 55.~-Removing head at atlas joint.

I’\-5157

Figure 57.--Removing leaf fat.

34

Examining the Carcass

All the internal organs and thedressed carcass (fig. 58) should beexamined carefully for any abnormal-ities or conditions that might affect thefitness of the meat for food. Usually ameat inspector or graduate vet-erinarian is the only person qualifiedto do this, and one should be present toinspect the carcass; however, underfarm conditions, you may need tolook for the obvious signs of disease ordamage yourself. If any part of theviscera or carcass is questionable, youshould obtain expert advice.

Bruises, minor injuries, parasites inthe organs, enclosed abscesses, andsingle tumors are frequently localc o n d i t i o n s t h a t c a n b e e a s i l y

(_

I’\-535x

Figure 58.-Completed carcass.

removed. However, congestion orinflamation of the lungs, intestines,kidneys, inner surface of chest, orabdominal cavity and numerous yel-lowish or pearl-like growths scatteredthroughout the organs should beviewed seriously. Carcasses and vis-cera having such abnormalit iesshould be examined by a graduateveterinarian and his opinion obtainedas to the wholesomeness of the meat.You should check w i t h a cooperatingveterinarian before you slaughter theanimal to he certain he will be avail-able if you should seek his advice.

CHILLING THE CARCASS

The surfaces of freshly slaughteredhog carcasses are contaminated withbacteria that can spoil the meatunless their growth is promptlychecked. Bacterial growth can beslowed by prompt chill ing andkeeping the carcass at low tem-peratures. If the weather is suitable(28” to 35” F), the carcass can bewrapped in a sheet, hung, and chilledin a well-ventilated shed. Wrappingwith clean cloth will partially protectthe carcass from contamination.

Do not allow the carcass to freezebecause freezing within 1 day afterdeath may toughen the meat. If thecarcass cannot be chilled to below40” F on the farm, it should be trans-ported to a local locker plant ormarket for chilling. The need forprompt and thorough chilling ofwarm carcasses cannot be over-emphasized for the inhibition of bac-terial growth. The carcass can be cutinto retail cuts after it has beenchilled for 24 to 48 hours.

35

CUTTING

Use the following guidelines indetermining cutting and packaginginstructions for the processor if thecarcass is not cut and wrapped on thefarm.

Chops.-Can be broiled, braised,or pan fried. Chops should be at leastone-half to three-fourths of an inchthick for frying or braising, and 1inch thick for broiling. Figure one ortwo chops per serving. Allow three-fourths of a pound of uncooked meat(bone-in) per person as a guide.

Roasts.- Allow three-fourths of apound per serving for bone-in roasts(ham. picnic, shoulder) and one-halfpound per serving for boneless roast(boned and rolled Boston butt orshoulder).

Sausage.-Allow one-third poundper serving.

Carcass CuttingEquipment

Elaborate and expensive equip-ment is not necessary but certainitems are essential. The followingequipment is recommended (fig. 59):

I. Steel2. Boning knife3. Large steak knife4. Meat saw5. Freezer paper (see section on

“wrapping”)6. Freezer tape7. Meat grinder (electric or hand

powered)8. Clean water

Cutting the Carcass

Remove the hind foot by sawingthrough the hock joint at the right

angle to the length of the foot (fig.60).

The ham may be removed twoways. The long-cut ham is cut off atthe pelvic arch (bend in the back-bone) perpendicular to the length ofthe side (fig. 61). This style ham lendsitself to dry salt curing and aging.The popular short-cut ham is sepa-rated from the side by a cut approxi-mately halfway between the pelvicarch and the end of the pelvic bone ata right angle to the shank (fig. 62).

The front foot is removed bysawing through the hock (knee) jointat a right angle to the length of thefoot (fig. 63). A shoulder hock maybe cut off about halfway up the leg(fig. 64). To separate the shoulderfrom the loin and belly, locate thesecond rib from the front and sawthrough the center of this rib (fig. 65).

The remaining part (middle) isdivided into the loin and the belly bya straight cut from the edge of thetenderloin muscle on the ham endthrough a point on the first rib about2 inches from the protruding edge ofthe split backbone (figs. 66 and 67).

The tail, backbone, and flank areremoved from the ham; and the fatover the inside (top), in the pelvicarea, and along each side is trimmedclose to the lean (fig. 68). Most of theskin and fat are left on the long-cutham with only a short bevel at thebutt (loin) end. Five or six inches ofskin may be removed from the short-cut ham by cutting under the skinapproximately half the distancebetween the butt edge and the hock(fig. 69). The exposed fat is thensmoothly tapered to a thickness ofabout one-half inch at the butt end(fig. 70).

The fat back is removed from the

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