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Old 07-04-2009, 02:41 PM
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der Teufel
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 170
Default RE: Hog Recipes

I do all my own processing, and since I don't have any real butcher's tools other than knives, I cut all of the meat from the bones and package it for freezing. I don't get the usual supermarket cuts because I don't saw the bones to get things like pork chops. I just get 'chunks of meat' that I wrap and freeze. I wrap in white butcher paper and mark where it came from (rump, shoulder, back strap, stew pieces, etc.) and the date. Generally I skin and gut it immediately after shooting, then put the carcass into my ice chest with a bag or two of ice. I cut it up and wrap it the next day. Actually, my wife helps out by doing the wrapping while I cut. That way I have more time to trim off fat and connecting tissue/tendons.

I posted a recipe recently at http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=3422979 (Roast Pork with Mustard Sauce) that turned out really well.


The one I shot a month ago (see: http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=3435896 ) is pretty tough, so I got out the grinder a couple of weeks ago and ran 7-8 pounds through it. My wife took a couple of pounds and made meatballs. She combined the meat with bread crumbs, an egg, a chopped onion, salt and pepper, and some Worcestershire sauce and then baked them. We served them with spaghetti a few days ago to her family and they didn't know they weren't eating beef. She has already said she wants to do that again. I also cooked some 'hogburgers' on the grill, and they were fine, although a little dry because the meat was so lean. What doesn't go through the grinder will get to the table by way of the pressure cooker.

BTW, when grinding meat I have read that it's best to have the meat almost frozen. That way it is firm enough so that it pushes on through the grinder without getting too mushy. I took mine out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator overnight and ground it the following morning. It was still firm but I could cut through it with a knife with some effort. That worked well for me.
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