Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Splitting and head removal
Once the pig's organs are removed, wash the inside of the carcass before splitting it. With
your handsaw, start splitting the carcass from the interior between the hams. Try to keep the
split as close to the center of the backbone as possible. Saw through the tail area to a point
halfway through the loin. Move around to the back of the pig, and keep sawing through the
shoulder and neck to the base of the head. If the split goes off center, continue to saw through
to the next vertebra, and then get back to the center.
You will need to remove the pig's head at the
atlas joint
. This is the joint closest to the head.
If you have properly split the carcass, this joint should be exposed. After you have cut through
this joint, continue to cut downward along the jawbone. Leave the jowls attached to the car-
cass. You can remove the tongue if you like, wash it completely, and place it with the liver
and heart to be used later.
Next, remove the kidneys and the leaf fat. You can remove the leaf fat by loosening it from
the diaphragm muscle and lifting up on it. You may have to scoop some of the leaf fat out
with your hands. Leaf fat is used to make lard and is highly prized by many people.
Once you have finished splitting the carcass and removing the parts, examine the carcass and
the organs to make sure everything looks satisfactory. This is normally a meat inspector's job,
but as you are slaughtering your pig at home, you will have to perform this duty yourself.
Look for bruises, injuries, parasites, abscesses, and tumors. Is there any congestion or inflam-
mation in the lungs? Do the intestines, kidneys, and other organs look all right? Does the in-
terior of the carcass look normal? Check the carcass thoroughly for any signs of problems. If
you do find something, it could affect the meat you intend to eat, or it could indicate a pos-
sible sickness that could affect your other pigs. If you find something that concerns you, con-
tact a meat inspector or a qualified veterinarian to look at the carcass.
The carcass will need to be thoroughly washed and chilled for 24 to 48 hours before meat can
be cut.
Chilling the carcass
Bacteria already have contaminated slaughtered hog carcasses during the slaughter process.
These bacteria can spoil the meat unless their growth is stopped as soon as the slaughter pro-
cess is finished. Immediately chilling the carcass and keeping it at low temperatures can
drastically slow this bacterial growth. If you are slaughtering your pig during cold weather
