When your getting a big boy, it pays to plan.

This particular project is going to cost three times the amount of a regular hog and will be about 30% more meat. I am told our particular hog is about 220 on the hook. We want to ensure we treat this with the most care and thought on how we ought to proceed. The Pit Boss and I took the good part of Saturday discussing it (over a few sodas).

Should we use every scrap, everything but the OINK as some of my colleagues would say. No friggen way came the comment from the original noiracochon herself. No organ meat, no haggis, no head cheese, no pickled pig's feet and no blood sausage. We argued that lard was an exception, only because it was necessary for pork confit. Lard was merely the fat in sausage which we do not have to remind her of the failed attempt at Low Fat Sausage. (score one for the big dog). So with impending threat of neglect, I... we will not be going down that road.

So plans for the Berkshire are as follows.

For the rear legs, you just can't go wrong with maple smoked hams, we will smoke it in apple or cherry wood after a week in the brine. The plan is for brown sugar here with a dash of maple and some other mild spices. A day to rest and then 12 hours in the smoke to see what they will take. The Pit Boss will have the ultimate say on how long as he is our smoking guru.

The sirloins are heading to Pork Confit, Pit Boss and I are having opposing views on this and a Quebecois traditional favorite Cretons. While both are very similar they are approached from different angles. Cretons is often supplemented with veal, I do a pure pork based version... Hmmm taste test wars.

The loins are going to Smoked Canadian Bacon, can you go any where else?

The back and side ribs are going to competition style slow smoked ribs. This is what the Pit Boss is internationally known for, his multi-award winning rubs, sauce and smoke.

The bellies are going into a dry cure for a week and heading for the smoker. One will be a maple smoked glaze, the other, a cracked red pepper crust, maybe a hint of fresh coarse black pepper to kick it up a bit. Another focus group taste test.... (sorry, there is already a long waiting list)

The Pork Shoulder or "Butt", one is going to hillbilly bacon, it was such a success from last weeks project, pictures to come soon. The other is going to competition pulled pork or "Bar-b-Que" YUM.

The picnics will go to English breakfast bangers along with the trimmings, but we will have to rescue some of the choice ground pork for the Cretons.

Last but not least we will brine the jowls and hit them with a deep hickory or mesquite smoke. Somebody (no names) is opposing such a strong smoke but I am putting the trotter down and insisting on this...

It will take place over the entire weekend starting Friday afternoon, we have the whole crew coming in at different times, so we will be busy

Wish us luck... and we will keep you posted...

Cheers from the BIG DOG..