by jimbo » Sat May 14, 2005 8:28 am
Hi all,
I read the account of your butchering activities with great interest as on Tuesday I picked up a 105 Kg Old Spot and at least went through the butchering activity. I didn't realise what a big job it was going to be but it was all cut into fridge size pieces in 2 hours and butchered for the freezer over the next 24. I had one half and a mate had the other. After this I just started a belly joint as bacon and cooked one of the loin joints. It was delicious. I now have many weeks of bacon and sausage making to get through.
One thing about the Old Spot is that the leg and shoulder were very nicely proportioned with respect to lean/fat but the belly and loin were fat to the extent that the ratio was 2/3 fat 1/3 lean which is going to make very fat bacon. There was also a massive amount of leaf fat which I have rendered down to maje several tubs of Lard. Which brings me to a question. Can you freeze Lard? It has been suggested to me that even frozen it goes rancid very quickly.
One thing for certain I won't be short of back fat for a while which has been a real problem to me recently when buying modern shoulder meat for my sausages.
Thanks for bearing with me on my first butchering adventure. If any body knows about freezing lard I would appreciate am answer.