Well, we picked up the Berkshire Wednesday afternoon, a node to the original noiracochon for doing the two hour round trip. It is exactly 219.5 pounds and a lot more clams compared to commercial pork. I have a problem justifying the cost as there does not seem to be more meat, just a lot more fat, I have been told countless times, I know that is where the flavor is, but it’s hard to get in my head, I want a big thick meaty slice of bacon. I’ll get over it, it's all the media hype, and this is why the commercial style of pork is so popular, it’s a leaner meat with excellent growth rate and assist the grower in a more marketable product.



They did a great job wrapping the carcass; it was plastic wrapped with a dust barrier. This is not your local pig run to grab a commercial hunk of pork. This was a class act from the start. I was a little set back with no head, what was I going to do without my jowls, there will be words about that. Sizzler asked if we paid for them I said we did not, "Good they are not worth the cost of the entire head". (will have to think about that, it sure would have been nice to smoke those cheeks, I had plans, dam it)

Pit Boss is very pleased and has no hesitation in this choice. He is thrilled to have an old world breed with creamy white fat. He was rubbing the fat so much I thought he might need some alone time.

The first thing I noticed was that there is a good two to three inches of fatback and the meat was nicely marbled. I am please we decided to do the confit, there is going to be a lot of lard.

We broke down the hog and it all went well as can be expected all about 2 hours or so. The hand saw is not as nice as the band saw and I do not do enough whole hogs to become a perfectionist. I shaved one ham about a inch shy and one butt a inch too much. Bacons came out perfect as well as the ribs and tenderloins. I cut into one loin premature and scalped a inch into the middle. With my rusty knife skills I was still pleased with the results




Well that's it all cut up and reassembled, take a close look at the pork belly, it is huge, that will make an impressive side of bacon...