Content
Scorching the pig after slaughter is very important. This is the same necessary procedure as cutting a carcass, but it is singed immediately after slaughter, while the carcass is still warm.
Why do you need to scorch?
It is necessary to singe a pig correctly, first of all, to rid the skin of bristles. In addition, cleaning often precedes smoking and affects the quality of the lard. If the pig is slaughtered for sale, it is necessary to singe it to give it a marketable appearance.
The choice of bristle removal partially affects the quality of the lard. If you tar a pig, the lard acquires a specific taste. It is usually advised to smoke and salt the carcass immediately after it has been seared.
Theoretically, a young piglet can be left with bristles, and during cooking you can simply remove the skin. However, this will prevent you from using the pigskin. The bristly material is not suitable for dressing and processing, and it is almost impossible to get rid of hair on a skin that has already cooled down.
Stubble removal methods
If you decide to use leather, you need to choose how to remove the stubble. The most convenient and accessible method is chosen.It is recommended to get rid of stubble using one of 4 methods:
- straw, wood chips;
- gas burner;
- blowtorch;
- scalding.
Each method has its own disadvantages and advantages. However, in each case it is necessary to be careful and pay attention to the process. This plays a decisive role. It is important not to dry out the skin using fire and not to cook the carcass by removing the bristles with water.
There are alternative methods - cleaning the hide with chemicals. However, it is not recommended to do this at home. In addition, it is worth remembering the harmfulness of such methods.
Scorching a piglet is not enough. It is necessary to scrape off soot and burnt bristles. Usually a scraper, a knife, or a blade are used. Alternative methods - a hard brush and sandpaper are not effective enough; after the process, most of the bristles and soot remain.
How to properly singe a pig with a gas torch
It is convenient to singe a pig with a gas burner because you can efficiently clean hard-to-reach places. An additional advantage is that you can make a gas burner for scorching pig carcasses yourself. Tarring should be done according to this scheme:
- The carcass is placed on a raised platform, preferably on its back, legs spread apart.
- Turn on the gas burner and gradually singe the skin.
- It is recommended to repeat the procedure 2 times - scorch, scrape, repeat again.
- During the process, make sure that the skin does not dry out. Bubbles of fat indicate the degree of readiness.
A gas torch for singeing pigs is safer than a blowtorch. The burner does not have the property of heating up. The disadvantage of this method is that it simply dries out the skin and singes the skin in addition to the bristles.You can ruin the top layer of lard.
How to make a gas burner for processing pigs
Not having a tool at home is a reason to make the device yourself. You can make a burner for singeing pigs with your own hands. The design includes the following elements:
- body (metal);
- nozzle;
- gearbox;
- a unit for attaching a gas cylinder;
- regulator to control fuel supply;
- gas hose;
- lever;
- flame blow-out safety device;
- head.
Detailed manufacturing instructions are demonstrated in numerous videos. Create a gas burner for pigs with your own hands according to the following scheme.
- First, the handle is made. It is acceptable to use an old soldering iron handle or unnecessary pipes. The handle should remain cold.
- Create a steel body. It is permissible to use a brass rod with a diameter of 2 cm.
- The divider is made from the same rod, with 4 holes for oxygen circulation. The lack of oxygen will make combustion impossible.
- The divider is pressed forcefully into the body. It is necessary to install an internal flange with clearance.
- They make a nozzle. A metal rod is used for this. A drill with a diameter of 2 mm makes a blind hole. A 4 mm hole is made in the jumper. They are hammered and sharpened with sandpaper.
- A gear hose (rubber or fabric) is attached to the end of the tube and secured with a clamp or screwdriver. The hose is taken from specialized materials; using improvised materials is risky.
- Then the optimal pressure in the connected gas cylinder is set.
How to singe a pig or pig with straw
Singing a pig with straw is considered a crude but simple method to treat the carcass. Some recommend using this method only when preparing a carcass for yourself, and tarring piglets for sale using other methods.
- The carcass is placed on the ground. A heat-resistant table is suitable, but the ground is more convenient; removing ashes and scraping stubble will be more convenient in an unlimited space.
- Cover the side with straw and set it on fire. You should watch the combustion. Strong flames should be put out with burlap.
- The ashes from the burnt straw are removed along with the burnt bristles. It is advisable to use additional tools.
- Turn the carcass over and repeat the steps. It is important to place the straw evenly on both sides of the pig.
Properly singeing a pig with straw is quite simple. If necessary, straw is replaced with thin aspen chips. Scorching a pig with wood chips is faster than scorching with straw due to the high temperature of the fire. Soot and bristles should be scraped off carefully using a scraper. Some people recommend scrubbing with a stiff brush, but this method is ineffective.
How to tar a pig or pig with a blowtorch
The blowtorch method is similar to the gas torch method. The difference is that the pig will be processed using propane.
- The pig carcass is placed on the table for convenience. It is more convenient to leave a large pig on the ground.
- Turn on the blowtorch. It is advisable to adjust the temperature before scorching the pig.
- Carefully singe the bristles, including in hard-to-reach places. Scorching will take time, you should take into account the necessary breaks, it will take longer than cleaning a pig with a gas torch.
- The carcass is turned over as needed.The ears, head, and tail are treated especially carefully.
- Some people advise doing tarring twice, cleansing the skin as thoroughly as possible.
It must be remembered that the blowtorch gets hot. You will need to take breaks from working; some blowtorches explode due to overheating. The process will take longer than if you scorch with straw or a gas burner. The advantage of a blowtorch is the ability to process the pig more thoroughly than with other methods.
It is advisable to scrape the skin with a blade, scraper, or knife. But it is important to remember that the skin should not be damaged. You should not overdry the skin; you should also not singe it to the point of charring the skin.
How to singe a pig to add flavor
After removing the bristles, it is recommended to do an additional roasting, which gives the lard and meat a specific aroma.
- The carcass, devoid of bristles, is burned until it turns black. The back and legs are treated longer than the skin of the abdomen.
- Pour water over the skin, making it softer and more elastic. Firing makes the skin fragile, hard, brittle.
- Turn the carcass over and repeat the procedure. The pig should be evenly burned, otherwise the aroma and taste will be different in different pieces.
- The hooves are removed by heating with a burner flame. Remove using gloves to prevent burns.
The result is aromatic lard, meat ready for smoking and salting. It is permissible to freeze raw materials, make minced meat, and use them at your own discretion.
Removing stubble using scalding method
Removing piglet bristles by scalding is only possible on freshly killed animals.If singeing can be carried out at any time while the pig is still warm, then scalding must be started immediately.
- Prepare a vat of hot, not boiling water. The volume depends on the size of the pig.
- The carcass is lowered using ropes.
- The piglet is constantly turned with a rope attached. The entire skin should be soaked evenly.
- After waiting for the skin to soften (the bristles should come off easily), the carcass is removed.
- Scrape off the bristles with a scraper or blade. Tools should be kept sharp, free of rust and damage.
- Places where separation is poor are watered with hot water several times as needed. It is prohibited to use boiling water.
The scalding method is often used when the carcass is not planned to be salted or smoked in the future.
Conclusion
Choosing a method for singeing a pig is up to the farmer. Often the choice is related to personal preferences; objective factors are not taken into account by everyone. However, there are those who butcher untarred carcasses. Selling a bristly piglet is not prohibited, although the buyer may think otherwise.
