
Learning how to butcher a pig has been one of the most satisfying and fulfilling things we’ve done on our homestead. There are many reasons one should learn to butcher a pig not the least of which is knowing that the animals will become the meat that feeds our family for the next year lived their lives in such a way that respects how they were created, died without stress, and that every scrap of flesh possible is being utilized is part of our stewardship of the earth. We enjoy the break from the mundane busyness of life and the time spent working together as a family.
Over the years, we were able to gather some resources together that helped us to get through the process of butchering a pig with a fair measure of success. I’m sharing those with you here and I hope they will be helpful to you as you seek to learn this new and valuable skill of hog butchering.
The following videos we produced will help you get the job done. However we have since learned there is definitely a better way!
Our workshops have been a huge success! Read all about one in our recap of the event.
Homestead Hog Butchering Resources
Videos from our Hog Butchering
How to Butcher a Pig
{Slaughtering}
{Skinning}
{Evisceration}
{Carcass Breakdown}
{Shoulder Quarter}
{Belly Quarter}
{Loin Quarter}
{Leg Quarter}
{Prepare Casings for Sausage}
โขHow to Cure and Smoke Bacon
โขHow to Make Homemade Kielbasa
โขHow to Make Pork Butter
{Basic Equipment}
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โข Series of beautiful, high-quality videos from the Farmstead Meatsmith
Blood Sausage
This video shows the stunning and sticking of a hog (among other things).
On The Anatomy Of Thrift: Side Butchery
On The Anatomy Of Thrift: Harvest Day
On The Anatomy Of Thrift: Fat & Salt
โข And a third series of videos that were quite helpful.
Introduction
Primal Cuts
The Shoulder: Part 1
The Shoulder: Part 2
The Shoulder & Butt
Loin Overview
Loin, Chops, Ribs
Loin Roast & Side Ribs
Loin Steaks or Chops
The Ham: Part 1 & 2 (these are for boneless hams)
{Links}
โข Pork: Slaughtering, Cutting, Preserving, and Cooking on the Farm – An incomplete 1978 publication from the USDA with black and white photos. EXCELLENT RESOURCE!

Last update on 2026-05-06 at 02:05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
