I continue to shoot hogs in North Florida. Because we only have 100 acres, we typically take the hogs back to camp to clean them rather then field dress them, so it maybe an hour or so after the kill before it is cleaned. Is that a problem?

My question really is I would love to find a way to keep the skin and fat on the hams, it seems that they would be much better flavor. Scalding is not an option, for I undersand that scalding must be done immediately after the kill. I thought about singeing but I was told that this wouldn't work because the roots of the hairs would come out during the cooking of the hams and that it could be dangerous meat handling.

Are there any methods in the field or at camp to get the hams dehaired???

Richard

Scalding is nice but dragging those hogs to the pot is a hassle. I would make sure you bleed the hog before dragging it back. The biggest issue is cooling the meat down which is much faster when gutted.

I would think singeing the hair would work. I have never done it but from what I have seen and heard about the practice I wouldn't hesitate to do it. I have access to a scalding tank when I butcher hogs. You might try to use a propane weed burner to singe the hair off followed by a quick shaving with a nice sharp butcher knife. After cooking you can always cut the skin off if you need to.

Scalding is really the only way I've ever seen it done. Hopefully though you can find a way and let us know. Because if you do I'd try it myself.

yep scalding . as a kid this lil country boy was playin to close to our scalding barrel and my leg went in up to my -- well all the way..lesson learned by one silly young grasshopper ..dont play on muddy ground next to hog vat..

So, could a deer ham be done this way? I would love to try a skin on salt cured deer ham.

When I was a kid during the war my dad was butchering one and my older brother did the same thing you did. Luckily he come out of it without scars. But he was one hurting little boy for a long time. Scalding water and kids don't mix well at all. We were never allowed around the shed when dad butchered one after that.

if you killing BIG hogs you want the skin OFF. by big I mean 175+. its alot of work to get a 55 gallon drum of water to 200+ degrees to scald a big piggie. If you have predators in the area that will east up the remains do a poachers strip. cut the back and front leggs off and remove the tenderloins, bag em and leave the rest.

Sounds like a "hog scalding station" is in order for your camp....While hunting a "fire keeper" could be left behind to start the fire and keep the fire...Just my opinion...Perfect job for a teenager or anyone that's not interested in shooting the hogs...Maybe someone that's just looking to get out and do a little something in nature.....Just a thought...WhiteWolf4

I too grew up on a farm and believe me, scalding is the ticket if you want something edible, after skinning.

Try to find an old fuel tank, 300 gallon and cut about a 4th out of it. You can find them that have rusted out on one side and these work fine. Be sure to wash it out. We had one on skids but a trailer is even better. Rig a burner underneath, a length of pipe with holes drilled in it, a regulator and tank of propane. Fill about 1/3 full and heat water to about 200, useing a fryer thermometer.

We had a large frame built that would hold a 400 pd hog, or more. Lifted the hog with a winch, pulled the tank underneath, dipped, lifted and scraped. You'll need water on site for rinsing. You can buy large, heavy-duty bladders that will fit into a p/u bed and a dc pump. We have a rig like that for firefighting that will put out between 40 and 50PSI, carry over 100 gallons of water but a real thrill to drive!

+1 on the this. Way easier than dragging them out. Do you really need everything else?

We put the hog on a sheet of plywood and used burlap sacks to cover sections of the hog and poured the scalding water on the sack. Lift it up to check for hair loosening and scrape a section at a time. It was easier to heat up a couple of smaller buckets of water than a huge drum. I don't see why it wouldn't work on a ham.

Now that is an idea. It is hard for us folks who know nothing about how to do things and most times not knowing even why they would be done. This curing of a ham is a perfect example. Top that off with me trying to figure out if a deer ham could be handles the same way as a pig and you have one confused old guizzer.

Let me see if I can get one basic cleared up at a time.

Just for the pig. A ham is cured with the skin on, so the hair must be removed. A pig has a layer of fat under the skin. The curing of the ham is to presearve the meat from spoiling, ,just like we freeze stuff now, so it can be prepared to eat at a later date. This [researving could be salt, sugar, or smoke and all would impart different flavor later when the meat is prepared. Does this sound correct?

Could a deer be done the same way? The leg will not have a layer of fat but you could leave the skin on if you scalded the hair off. If this curing process is possible, I think it could impart some interesting flavor to the deer meat when prepared later. I would love some country deer ham fried for breakfast.

I've cured a deer ham. By the way you can do it with the skin off, you just don't hang them outside for months aging (keep in fridge in ziplock bag).

It tastes surprisingly like ham, but they're dry.

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MikeG

Do you remember how you cured it Mike?

Just regular curing salts. I have a Morton booklet somewhere, picked it up at Bass Pro I think.

Seems like it's 3/4 oz. of Tender Quick or Sugar Cure per pound of meat. Put it all in a gallon bag in the fridge for 3 weeks or so. With little ones you don't have to worry about injecting more salt in them.

Check those numbers, but I think the key is that you get the salt content over 4%. At that point bacteria can't live in it.

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MikeG

That sounds like exactly what I am wanting . Thanks

As a younger man we would put a 55 gallon drum in a hole at a low angle, build a hot fire under it and put water in it up to the edge. Whenever it was near to beginning to boil we would toss some green pinestraw in it to make grabbing the hair easier to grip whenever we pulled it out by the handfulls after the hog had been scalded on both sides. The turpentine in the water greatly helped to be able to hold onto the wet hog hair. Be very carefull! Putting a hog in the barrel is a two man job! Scalding water is dangerous! Pull out what you can, scrape off the rest with sharp knives. Then wash the hog with soap and water. We normally would kill eight hogs at a time and de-hair them in this way and of course I have never had to skin a hog yet. After you have cut her up, ( sows taste ten times better than boars) then cut the outter fat laden skin into 3/4 to one inch squares and cook over a medium fire to extract the valuable lard which makes everything taste better fried.