Primal Meetup – Butchering a Pig
Went to my first Paleo/Primal Chicagoans event a few weeks ago. The occasion was a meet-up for a pig butchering demonstration at Artisanal in Wilmette.
Why go? Like many people these days, I’m trying to get more in touch with where my food comes from. No sense getting squeamish, this is what happens before it ends up under the butcher counter or wrapped in plastic on a styrofoam tray.
Following a Primal/Paleo lifestyle, I’m also trying to purchase meat that is raised more naturally; animals eating the things they were meant to eat (i.e. grass-fed beef) and not pumped up with hormones and antibiotics like what comes from a factory farm. Since that meat is more expensive (though I would argue only in the short run) and usually comes in larger unprocessed cuts, this was great way to learn how to cut everything down into useable cuts, what is best for making sausage, etc.
A shot of the butchers knife holster – a new one on me.
As the butcher was slicing, sawing and pulling his way into dividing the animal, he was also giving us what the equivalent cuts would be on a cow or lamb. He also explained what cuts were best for certain types of cooking and what parts were his personal favorites.
Though I’ve never seen a pigs head for sale, there’s some good meat there. Personally, I’m going to put off the pig head until I have the roasted pig face at Girl & The Goat.
Best of all, we all got a party favor to take home. Cooked it the next day and it was terrific. May have been the freshest pork I ever had.
2 Comments on “Primal Meetup – Butchering a Pig”
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J.F. Bruzan
Geek, weekend zombie hunter, music lover, reader, primal / paleo zealot and trader.
Bob has been talking about this ever since you showed him these pictures. He wants to attend one of these now!
I’ll give you a heads up the next time something similar comes up.