My won a raffle for 1/2 hog tonight. I need to contact the locker tomorrow. The win includes "basic" processing. We'll pay the extra for bacon and ham likely. I've never bought a 1/2 hog before. Any suggestions on cuts? I know we want thick cut pork chops and pork steak. Does sausage cost extra typically? I want the jowl sliced too. We're not much for pork roasts other than the very occasional pulled pork. How about ribs? We much prefer baby backs to St.Louis or spare ribs.

Jamie, I'm not a butcher but I believe if you want the bone in your pork chops, baby backs are out.

I've bought a lot of hogs for the family, from my experience on a 1/2 hog you won't get back as many ribs as you expect. I'd have the shanks smoked if possible and slow cook those in a Dutch oven lots a good recipes for those. If you don't eat much roast I'd suggest asking if the can bulk grind for 1lb packs of Italian sausage, when cooking spaghetti or any other Italian type meat dish I mix that 50/50 with either venison or beef turns out good. Just my 2 cents.

someplace won't give you your head or half head , the just cut and toss them.

I would tell them all the chops , steaks and bacon you can make , cut ham steaks off the hams , easier for us to cook than a big ham

I never did sausage from the locker there was only maybe 10 pounds trim so it would have meant giving up other meat

I would grind my trim and make venison brats at home.

Yes, smoked shanks. They make great "ham" and beans.

Steven boneless chops are good too, if I need to go that route.

Thanks guys.

GCP- ham steaks are great idea. One of my wife's favorites.

Leave one of those hams "unhammed"..... In other words FRESH HAM.... Not processed or smoked!

It's delicious, slow cooked in cider and homemade apple or pear sauce!

Lots of choices, some lockers offer shaved ham, half dozen flavors of brats or brat patties, breakfast links, you can tell them thick cut for chops, bone in or out, loin, you can have canning meat cut some places call it stew meat, can get fresh or smoked choices on many cuts also, just placed cutting order for half hog and half beef this week

Don’t know if you have tried it but I got some ground pork from Amish butcher here . It is really good. You might pick up some from whomever is doing it . You might try their sausage to see if you like it

Depending on the pig bacon will take a far amount of your baby back rib meat.

Talk to the butcher. Tell him what you want. He can tell you suggestions. May have pay a few bucks over basic. Ever had menudo?

Get the lion in 2 pieces, great for smoking.
Get the bacon
Get their sausage (never know till you try)
+shoulder is your pork butt
+if you really want outta the box have a lot of it ground, might change your thinking of pig!
+if you want ribs, go to the store
personally I'm a sausage guy, so I'd have a lot of sausage, bacon, shoulder roasts, and loins cut in 2...you do you though!

First question what's the hang weight on the half?

Front shoulder/ Picnic/butt roast or grind for sausage
lower rib plate/bacon and ribs
Chops from the spine cut.
Tenderloin from the underside
top of rear quarter/ham steak, rump roast or more grind
lower quarter more steak or whole ham.
front and rear shank for shank and beans

Just as I figured lots of options. Thanks everyone.

taste the sausage from the processor before you have yours done to make sure you like the flavor. He can adjust it to your taste. Anyway have them cut it to what you like. Hopefully they have a smoker. Some do not.

Your looking at 90 to 110 lbs per half hanging weight.

Normally this is what standard cut would be

Jowl and neck ground
Front shoulder either roast, steaks or country ribs
1 Front shank
1 side pork ( cure for bacon)
1 slab spare ribs
Pork chops from the loin ( can do boneless and baby back rips generally extra cost and get 1 tenderloin )
Can ask for back fat
1 hind leg ( can smoke for ham then have a couple steks cut from center)
1 ham hock.

Your looking at 45 to 60 lbs cut wrapped.