Divide Hog into Major Cuts
At 11:08 in
DAY 2: Appalachian Heritage Old Timey Hog Killing...Quartering and Salting Down day 2 of 3
What happens here
The hog halves are further divided into major cuts: hams, bacon (sow belly or middling), fatback, and jowls. The process involves precise cuts to separate these sections. For the hams, the last bone in the leg is located, and a straight cut is made beside it. The belly is split into bacon and middling, with the middling being a leaner cut often used for cooking with beans. Fatback (the fatty layer) and jowls (meat from the cheeks) are also prepared. All trimmings and smaller meat pieces are saved for making sausage. The importance of clean, long cuts is stressed to ensure even curing.
Goal: Separate the main cuts of ham, bacon, fatback, and jowls.
Tools and materials
- Gloves — For hygiene and protection during meat handling
- Metal Trays — Holding trimmed meat for sausage
- Sharp Knife — Making precise cuts to separate various meat parts