Food Free Pork

[nomifyle]

For the first time since late last fall we've finally seen wild pigs. DH killed two yesterday and one somewhat larger female today. We are in the process of grinding most of it up. DH forgot and was using his electric grinder that doesn't work well thinking it was a new one. He had me order another one from walmart today, but he found at least two more new ones in his workshop. He's learning that he needs back ups.

If we'd only had the one that stopped working we would have had to resort the the manual grinder. And I'm pretty sure I have two of those. One is none and two is one.

God is good all the time.

 

[WiWatcher]

Pork grinds better (in not so top of the line grinders) if partially frozen. For years would clog up my small "kitchen" grinder until I learned that trick. No more having to get the "good one" from a different location (kept there along with the rest of the butchering gear).

 

[Samuel Adams]

Saw the thread title and assumed someone had a dinner date on Capitol Hill.

My bad......do carry on.

 

[hummer]

Good for you and hubby. I've been hungry for fresh venison the last couple years. I think I am going to talk to my friends that still hunt and see about fixing my hunger. Glad you have the pork.

 

[nomifyle]

Pork grinds better (in not so top of the line grinders) if partially frozen. For years would clog up my small "kitchen" grinder until I learned that trick. No more having to get the "good one" from a different location (kept there along with the rest of the butchering gear).

I thought about that, but if we froze it first and then ground it then we would have to cook it before refreezing it. Having to cook 34 pounds of ground pork is not my idea of something I'm willing to do. Of course if we were canning it that would be a different thing, I think. But we are not canning it.

The new grinder is a better one and did a great job. We don't keep a meat grinder in the kitchen.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[WiWatcher]

No you do not have to cook it before refreezing, Just pack it up the way you want. I pack it in 1# blocks using a cheap storage container, refreeze it, pop it out as a "brick", slide it still frozen into a food saver sleeve and seal it up. Why do you think it has to be cooked before refreezing?

 

[nomifyle]

No you do not have to cook it before refreezing, Just pack it up the way you want. I pack it in 1# blocks using a cheap storage container, refreeze it, pop it out as a "brick", slide it still frozen into a food saver sleeve and seal it up. Why do you think it has to be cooked before refreezing?

Because that is the way I learned, I’ll research it

judy

 

[Millwright]

Grind in smaller batches, keep the rest cold.

Work about as much as will cover a full sheet pan about an inch deep, loosely spread out.

That way you can grind a bit and then stick it in the fridge.

More important when doing sausage that needs to be run through twice.

 

[summerthyme]

Because that is the way I learned, I’ll research it

judy

I know what you are remembering... that ironclad rule to "NEVER" refreeze meat that has partially thawed. But that rule actually is "don't refreeze any meat that has totally thawed... if there are no ice crystals left, it has potentially warmed enough for bacteria to have started growing, and another freeze/thaw cycle before cooking could lead to food poisoning, especially if you don't cook it thoroughly.

In this case, he's saying to freeze it enough for it to be 'stiff. Grind it I that state, and get it to the freezer quickly, and you'll be fine.

Summerthyme

 

[nomifyle]

I know what you are remembering... that ironclad rule to "NEVER" refreeze meat that has partially thawed. But that rule actually is "don't refreeze any meat that has totally thawed... if there are no ice crystals left, it has potentially warmed enough for bacteria to have started growing, and another freeze/thaw cycle before cooking could lead to food poisoning, especially if you don't cook it thoroughly.

In this case, he's saying to freeze it enough for it to be 'stiff. Grind it I that state, and get it to the freezer quickly, and you'll be fine.

Summerthyme

Thanks, yes I do know about if there are still ice crystals in the food that it is safe to refreeze.

There is too much meat (34#s) to freeze and then grind. We did it all in a couple of hours and kept the room cold, plus right now our freezer space is limited.

He just killed another pig and got two small ones in a pen. Frankly I miss have pigs here, I use to go and talk to them all the time. Of course, they were not wild and we had some of them too long and the were kinda like pets. I did thank them for their sacrifice when we had them butchered, but I missed them when they were gone.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[Millwright]

I don't collect wild pigs as much during the summer.

Druther clean them when it's cool out.

Besides, it's easier to store them on the hoof.

 

[nomifyle]

I don't collect wild pigs as much during the summer.

Druther clean them when it's cool out.

Besides, it's easier to store them on the hoof.

He caught 4 little ones and they are in the pig pin. He caught another female this morning but shot her and carried the carcus off to another place for the buzzards.

So far he's processed 4. The reason he started processing in the summer is because we did not see any all winter, so he figured he should make hay while the sun shines.

I hope he's stopped for awhile though.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[Griz3752]

For the first time since late last fall we've finally seen wild pigs. DH killed two yesterday and one somewhat larger female today. We are in the process of grinding most of it up. DH forgot and was using his electric grinder that doesn't work well thinking it was a new one. He had me order another one from walmart today, but he found at least two more new ones in his workshop. He's learning that he needs back ups.

If we'd only had the one that stopped working we would have had to resort the the manual grinder. And I'm pretty sure I have two of those. One is none and two is one.

God is good all the time.

The good news is you have pork, the means to process it and you've lowered the destructive buggers numbers somewhat; win, win, win