What nobody tells you about buying a side of pork!

The short version - there are hidden costs!

Buying pork in bulk directly from a farmer often means you have to buy “a side of pork”

A very different experience from buying pork in the store. The farmer and processor often assume you know all about buying pork sides and how it works.

You almost need a crash butchery course.

I’m Joanna, the one on the right and have 20 years experience in the pork industry, I’m here to help you understand how most sides of pork are sold and what questions you need to ask.

Finding a farmer that sells pork is usually the easy part, but the process means you deal with the farmer and the processor or a butcher.

The farmer will usually give you a price per lb for the side,

• Once the pig is at the processor, they can then tell you the weight.

• You pay them for the pig and that often the farmers part done!

• You talk to the processor and tell them how you want your pork cut up.

• You pay the processor and pick up your pork.

What does all the lingo mean and how much is this pork actually costing you?

1. What is a side of pork and how big is it?

This is half a pig. (Not to be confused with side pork which is pork belly). Sometimes it is called a half hog. The weight will vary from farmer to farmer, depending on what weight they prefer to sell their pigs at - some will call this market weight.

We like a 200lb pig carcass which is 100lb per side but some could be 200lb/side depending on your farmer - so you need to ask.

2. What is hanging weight?

When you buy meat from the store you pay for actual weight. When you buy a pork side, both the farmer and the processor usually charge by hanging weight.

This is different from the actual product weight. When a carcass is cut up there is loss of weight in trim, bones, skin and shrinkage.

This can make a huge difference to the price you pay for the product you get back.

Hanging weight, sometimes called rail weight or hot hanging weight is the weight after the animal has been dispatched and gutted.

Some processors will weigh the animal with the skin and head on. Some hanging weights are skinless. Another question that you need to ask - you have a lot of weight loss in the skin alone.

3. How is a side of pork sold?

This varies from farmer to farmer.

Most will sell you based on hanging weight but some will sell you a side for $XXX.This might be a great deal but ask the expected weight, then you can figure out if you are getting the best value for money.

Hopefully, your farmer will have arranged a processor for you.

Some you have to collect from the farm and either cut it up yourself or find your own processor. (Some are booked up a year ahead so find one before you buy)

There will be huge price differences in prices from farmer to farmer, all our input costs differ, depending on how we raise and keep our animals and what we feed them.

(We differ from most farms in that we sell our sides at an all-inclusive price, which includes the side of pork, the processing cost and home delivery and we deal with the processor for you. I like to talk to my customers and help them get the cuts they love, then I talk to the processor so there is nothing lost in translation.)

4. What does cut and wrap mean

Cut and wrap means cutting up your pork and wrapping it. It is usually done by a processor/butcher, not the farmer.

The processor will - or should cut and wrap your pork how you want - some will do a standard cut and you get what you get - they may even automatically de-bone everything and even throw the fat away - which is a crime for us as that is a ton of flavour they are throwing out.

The processing is where the cost of your pork starts to increase. Not only do you pay for the cut and wrap you may find many additional charges that you don’t know you need to ask about. Expect to pay extra for:-

• curing and smoking

• grinding

• sausage

Here are some more you won’t know to ask about- and yes they are real charges that people have told me about!

• enviro/disposal charges

• outdoor raised pig charges

• long nose charges- yes this may be a charge for pigs with long noses

• cleaning machinery charges

Your processor should label the packaging for you with what is in the package - they don’t all do this.

5. How much meat do I get? Is a side too much?

If you choose everything boneless you will get a lot less weight back than the original hanging weight. (Plus you are losing flavour.)

When you buy a side you are buying nose to tail so you may get some cuts you aren’t used to - this also varies between different farmers and processors.

The way we have our pigs cut and wrap we usually get back 70+lb based on 100lb hanging weight, but even this can vary between different processors. Some may throw away the fat and neckbones - if you make bone broth or lard you need these!

Offal isn’t usually part of the hanging weight so you may not get this as part of your side.

I would love to hear from you if you have any questions about sides of pork or if you have had some weird experiences when you have bought a pork side.