While most neighbours pop round for a cuppa or invite you for an aperitif, today was destined to be a bit different .....we were invited round to witness the slaughter of a pig. The event is clearly the highlight of the yearly calender for Didier and Aline and we felt privileged and a little nervous to be part of it even on a purely observational level. This was not any old pig - 140kg of grunting squealing bacon....vegetarians and those of a delicate disposition need not read on.......
The preparations were impressive - a drum of water was boiling on a stove, butchery utensils, Bosch electric saw, hosepipe and various tethers, chains and ropes were lined up. The tractor crane was in position and the neighbours and friends on hand to assist were kitted out in wellies and overalls. One of the assistants who concerned himself with our welfare reminded us it wasn't a fun job and then proceeded to recollect an evidently-favourite story of a journalist who once came to film the killing who keeled over within the first few minutes.........great!
It was a cold day - imperative for the quick slaughter and processing of the carcass safe from attacks of blow flies. Our neighbour who normally sports work clothing and slippers appeared in impeccably-white overalls, white wellies and butchers apron.
The pig was trussed whilst in the trailer then hoisted by its hind legs by the tractor crane. It's jaws were anchored by a cord to a buried chain bolt. A swift blow with a sledge hammer to the forehead and its throat was slit letting forth a literal jet of bright red blood which was caught in a bucket . Bizarrely this was not the part that fazed us - more the fact the pig squealed and writhed for 3-4 minutes afterwards. We wondered if a .22 shot to the head would be a more humane stunning method before the all important throat cutting?
The carcass was then hosed down and lowered into a trough of water at 81 degrees - after a few minutes, hand scrapers appeared and with apparent ease the coat was epilated. A hook was used to rip the toenails clean off - that was probably the most grim moment for us - a real nail-scraping-the-blackboard moment.
The carcass was hung again to be gutted. All the innards were pulled out - surprisingly clean-looking, then the liver, heart and lungs. It was a very practical biology lesson. The intestines were cleaned out and preserved for sausage skin. Thanks again to Lisa and Jason for the recent gift of a sausage maker (they must by mind readers!) The electric saw divided the carcass in half, the head was severed and the 2 halves were carried off into the scullery. Not before the hanging carcass had been admired by everyone and the layer of fat along the backbone measured and approved (no more than 2cm).
Everything got hosed down, the various buckets of intestine emptied, a strong coffee was served then off to get the kids from school. "So what did you do today Mummy?" might have been answered with teeny white lie.....at least neither of us barfed or passed out!!!!
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