Ordering Half or Whole Hogs
How it works
You’re buying the hog from us and paying the butcher for processing. The cost of the hog is priced per pound from the hanging weight (i.e., hog’s live weight minus innards, head, and feet). A whole hog generally costs about $600-$750. Your deposit will be applied to the final amount due. Each butcher has different processing cost, but averages around $350-$400 for a whole hog. Cut these numbers roughly in half if you’re interested in a half hog.
In total, a whole hog plus butcher fees will cost approximately $950-1150. A half will total approximately $500-550.
1.
Place a deposit to reserve a half or whole hog.
2.
Tell the butcher what cuts you want.
3.
Pay final amounts due for hog and processing.
To give you an idea of what cuts you get out of a half or whole hog, these are the selections you have out of each primal cut of a hog.
LOIN - Tenderloin (aka Fish), Loin Roasts OR Pork chops (bone-in or boneless)
SIDE - Fresh (pork belly), Sliced Cured Bacon, Spare Ribs, Baby Back Ribs
HAM - Cured Roast/Steaks, Uncured Roasts/Steaks
SHOULDER - Boston Butt Roast and Picnic Roast
Any part can be put into sausage if you tend to go through more sausage than roasts. For instance, we love sausage so with a whole hog we usually get one shoulder cut into a couple roasts and the other shoulder put into sausage. If you want all the roasts, ribs, and belly then expect only about 20# of sausage from the trimmings.
And to answer a frequent question we get, bacon is only available from the belly. Unfortunately not any part can be turned into bacon.
Processing costs are determined by the cuts, cures, and packaging you select. Butchers charge for the slaughter, cutting, vacuum packaging, curing, and each sausage flavor.
Picking Your Cuts
FAQs
How much meat will I take home?
Retail cuts total about half of a hogs live weight. We shoot to process around 275-325lb., so you can expect roughly 135-160lb. of retail cuts for your freezer with a whole hog. This fits in about 4-5 large boxes. See the picture above.
What are the ordering logistics?
Once we receive your deposit, we will send you a follow up email with all the details on the processing date and which butcher shop we’ll be using. One week prior to your processing date, we will send you a reminder email with the cut sheet. You will need to provide your cut selections to the butcher by the date specified in the email.
We will send you an invoice for the remaining amount due once the hanging weight is determined. The butcher will notify you once your meat is ready for pick up, usually when your cured meat is done which takes about 3-4 weeks. You will pay the butcher for processing when you pick up your meat.
What is the hanging weight?
Hanging weight is the weight of an animal after its been dropped and cleaned. This is about 72-80% of a hogs live weight. The hanging weight is the closest measurement we can use to determine the amount of meat you get to take home, which is why it is used to determine the cost of your hog.
How long will the meat last?
It will be vacuum sealed. So as long as the vacuuming holds and you don’t get air in the packaging it will last at least a year. Once the vacuuming goes and you get frost in the packaging it’ll only last a couple months. To clarify, it’ll still be okay to eat, but the flavor will diminish the more freezer burnt it gets. So don’t give up on the meat if you find some this way over time! Just plan to use those packages first.
Why can’t I get more bacon?
Bacon is only made from the belly. The meat and fat distribution, which makes bacon so amazing, only comes from that part.
How long will this feed me?
This is a tough question! It depends on how often you eat pork and how many people are in your household. Our brother has a family of 5 with 3 growing boys and a whole hog almost lasts a year for him. That’s with having beef stocked in his freezer too. And they eat a lot of meat!
Do you have payment plans?
Yes! We know it can be a large lump sum once the final weight and processing fee comes in. We’re happy to work out pre-payment installments for you. We can arrange individualized plans to work with what you need.