Rind

[Dogfish]

It's just about that time again and I've got another pig to kill. It's a big beast that'll be skinned out but I'm thinking of saving the skin off the flank, prepping and cutting it into strips, and brining/smoking it heavily in the style of trotters etc for cooking beans and flavouring soups. Thoughts/comments? Figured it would lend good depth and nutrition when cooked.

[BriCan]

If making bacon (flank) then leave rind on until after (cold) smoking then take off It dose two things 1. help keep shape as well as less shrinkage while smoking 2. its easier to smoke the rind this way

Just my 2 cents

[Dogfish]

That would make sense...but the killer-splitter doesn't want to scrape the hide; the pig's 400 lbs. Beauty skin though -- nice white clean pig.

[BriCan]

Bummer

Well I guess thats what comes of Island living

Mine for custom kill is 'all' inclusive

[yotmon]

I've never had to do it myself, but it doesn't look too difficult to either singe the hair off or scald the skin. But I suppose if its a 'mature' pig then those bristles will take a bit of work to loosen and clean off. He probably realises that most of the work/time is involved in this stage of the the slaughter so is cutting it out. Similar to hunters that prefer to just 'breast' Canada geese and throw the rest away rather than sit and pluck the whole bird. Suppose time is money to most folk....

[Dogfish]

Yeah really. I can't stand breasting birds -- just seems lowbrow. I can see the point on a big mothering pig so I think I'll just take some slabs and scald them with boiling water. Did a little Russian boar with a blowtorch once and it took forever, but truth be I've never actually seen anyone scrape a pig, in person at least; we've killed quite a few for one reason or another over the years.

[yotmon]

Hi Dogfish, there are a few videos on you-tube showing home slaughter and scalding to give you an idea of whats required. This one from the BBC series 'Kill it, cook it, eat it' shows the use of a scalding tank in an approved slaughter house. The pig only looks about 4 months old so yours would require a bit more work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iS3LUE9P8g

Look forward to hearing how you get on and your ways of utilising such a beast. Don't forget the pics !

Ste.

[Thewitt]

That's a big pig to scrape... Have fun!