People ask how do I know what to get from a Pork when I order the whole thing. I have broken it down this way to help you out. If you see anything that needs added please let me know.
There are five main sections to Pork, remember there are two of each section (one
for each side of the animal), they are as follows: you can have one side one way
and the other side different.
The Loin
– We can cut this one of two ways, Pork Chops or Loin Roasts (bone IN or
Boneless The boneless is your tenderloin), For Chops the thickness would need specified (average is7/8”) and then you have the "IOWA chop" at 1 1/2") and/or
the Roast size in pounds (average 2-3lbs) or larger. There is roughly 9# depending on size of pig.
We are working with our locker to make loin bacon. But for right now just the above
cuts.
The Side meat
-(or also known as the Bellie) This is the section for bacon (reg or
thick). Nitrate free (just salt and sugar) or nitrate. Whole
pork belly or They could just fresh slice it, which would be no brine or smoke
at all. Or grind it to add to the ground which is a shame.
The Ham
- These can be either left fresh, cured with NITRATES some lockers will do it nitrate free (we are working on ours or ground up to add to the
ground/ sausage. Once the above has been decided then you may choose to leave it whole,
cut in half, cut into specified sized roasts or cut steaks. Also, it is popular
to cut center cut ham steaks and leave the ends as roasts. Just specify how
thick to cut the steaks and a weight for the end roasts.
The Shoulders
– This section is made up of the top portion or known as the Boston Butt (This
is the better of the two roasts) and the lower portion known as the Picnic Still
good for roast. We can leave them as whole shoulders, cut them in half as a whole
boston butt and a whole picnic. They can be cut as specified boston butt roasts
(2-5#) , shoulder roasts Skin on or off. They can be cut as
steaks specifying the same things or ground up to add with the
ground.
The Ribs
– This can be left Whole Ribs or otherwise known as Spare Ribs or cut into
smaller portioned sized pieces which is Short Ribs. Or they can be ground
up to add to the ground. If you get a tenderloin then the ribs that are left are
called baby back ribs.
Ground
Pork / Sausage
– With the Sausage we have a special blend we have them use and it only has
Salt, Pepper and Sage NO Sugar. The other one they can do
that is nitrate free is salt, pepper, sage, sugar and red pepper.
They do have other flavors but are not preservative free. They need a 15#
min for other flavors.
Jowls
can be made into bacon sliced or left whole or put into ground. If you do this you will not have the other parts of the head.
Organs, Liver, heart, tongue, you can have these packaged as they are or have them make
it into pork pudding ( like Scrapple without the flour and corn meal). They will cook down the head for pork pudding.
There is the stomach and chitterlings (the locker we work with now can save the stomach) I haven't had this before but would like to try if anyone is willing to cook some up?
Hocks and feet/toes These are great for making broth or the hocks putting it into beans. If you really don't want to mess with them you can have the hocks put into ground.
Fat back fat and leaf fat
We take in 10 Pigs at a time so we can have the lard made with just our pigs fat
and the pork pudding also. So you will get your portion with your
order. It can be about 10 Quarts. SO IF you are getting lard from another supplier and they are grass fed or are on a specific diet you want, see if they are getting their fat mixed in with all the other pigs they process or are they doing it separate.
If you want something else we can see what they can do.
Then there is the Head.
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