A pig

[Chillimad]

Strange question, but I have the chance of a half pig, for very little money, I can probably get it cut into joints for very little cost.

BUT I would love to have a go at making parma ham,,,,,,,,see told you I was weird,, would there be a way that I could do that or am I living in cloud cuckoo land ?

TBH I am probably going to enjoy the trotters more than anything else have not had them for years.

[BrideXIII]

OOOHHH ask PW, he is doing it as we speak, i think he has just hung his.

[bobleponge]

Chillimad its very very simple.
PW has put a thread on this fairly recently, and I did it 2 years ago.
I followed the HFW recipe, and having read PW's thread its pretty similar.
The only advice I would give would be a few days less in the salt that it advises, mine was just a touch too salty, and I was very precise with measurements and timings.

[Chillimad]

OOOHHH ask PW, he is doing it as we speak, i think he has just hung his.

Bride, I don't need to hang it as it is only half a pig and already dead ?.

[Chillimad]

Ok, Just read the previous thread from Pigletwillie,, never noticed it b4, (sorry)

sounds so easy, I have to try it. ok, getting half pig in morning, butcher going to do cuts for me in afternoon, (he is charging me £40 to cut it into joints) does that sound about right ?, even so it is more than I am paying for the meat to start with but still something new to try, and I love my pork

[BrideXIII]

Ok, Just read the previous thread from Pigletwillie,, never noticed it b4, (sorry)

sounds so easy, I have to try it. ok, getting half pig in morning, butcher going to do cuts for me in afternoon, (he is charging me £40 to cut it into joints) does that sound about right ?, even so it is more than I am paying for the meat to start with but still something new to try, and I love my pork

i am certainly going to give it a go when i can afford a large enough cut to warrant it

[Chillimad]

My ONLY concern is food poisoning,,, when I cook pork I do it wel done, was always told that it needed cooking well, but eating it when its not been cooked,,,,,,,,,but that said I do treat myself to it now and then, it is only after I have eaten and enjoyed it that I think about it being uncooked..

But that all said I love making jerky,, and that is just air dried,, what am I going on about,,,oh I dont know..

[bobleponge]

The salt sorts any problems out, so you have nothing to worry about.
Mine was great if just a tiny bit too salty, but lasted best part of a year. Last little bit was cut up into lardons and used in a butternut soup.
Will definately do it again, either this or next year.

[Pootle]

Lucky thing!

We've been enjoying 1/2 an organic lamb, all jointed and packed for £65. It has been fab (and got the girls over the 'you can't eat ickle fluffy lambkin' thing they were going through!).

Go for it

[Nicos]

Oh yes...go for it- most definitely!

[Chillimad]

I pick it up at 10:00 this morning, guess I will have to leave it with the butcher for best part of the day.

Turned old freezer in garage on last night so everything is ready, just need to get salt, tons and tons by the sound of it

[Hilary B]

For a while we kept pigs, home bred, reared to 'large porker' size, sold as 'halves' to customers. The abattoir cut them to order and packed in 'half pig' boxes all included in the slaughter fee.
Turned some of the 'home use' ones into bacon/ham. NOT particularly difficult. Recipes said add saltpetre, but we didn't bother (couldn't buy it) and it always turned out OK. We did obey the instruction to add some sugar (too long ago to remember the proportions). Bacon was hung up, and when we wanted some, cut a chunk off, and SOAK before cooking, to remove excess salt. Ham was mostly used the same way, because cutting the thin slices for use as 'parma-style' is an expertise neither of us ever achieved.

[Chillimad]

Well finally got the BITS from the butcher at 5:30 tonight,, lots more than I thought there would be,, chops spare ribs, belly, 2 legs ,, legs,,,,,, have never seen leg of pork so big :-), anyhow, its all in the freezer as was called away today and not had chance to get the salt, so big leg in fridge ready for tommorow. going to follow PW's way of doing it, hopefully it will turn out ok

[BrideXIII]

Well finally got the BITS from the butcher at 5:30 tonight,, lots more than I thought there would be,, chops spare ribs, belly, 2 legs ,, legs have never seen leg of pork so big :-), anhow, its all in the freezer as was called away today and not had chance to get the salt, so big leg in fridge ready for tommorow. going to follow PW's way of doing it, hopefully it will turn out ok

good luck, let me know how it comes along, oh.......... and i WILL be scrounging a lump when its done

[Chillimad]

good luck, let me know how it comes along, oh.......... and i WILL be scrounging a lump when its done

You will be more than welcome,, am always down your way so will defo give you some of it!!!