Highest quality pork is produced from young, healthy, well-fed, meaty
hogs that weigh from 175 to 240 pounds. The meat-type hog should have
full, plump, meaty hams and straight, smooth sides. Fat should be
firm, evenly distributed, and not more than 1.6 to 1.7 inches average
thickness over the back. The average meat-type hog produces as much
pork as a family of two consumes in 10 to 12 months. Heavier, fatter
hogs produce less lean and more excess fat.
A meat-type hog, when cut and trimmed according to the methods
described later, will yield approximately 65 to 70 percent of its
carcass weight in ham, picnic shoulder, loin, bacon, and Boston butt.
Expected yields of major and minor cuts from a U.S. No. 2 hog are
presented in table 1.
Table 1._—Percentages of major and minor cuts from a U.S. No. 2 hog,
trimmed according to USDA procedures_
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Cuts Percentage of USDA
carcass weight
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Ham (trimmed) 19
Belly (untrimmed) 18
Collar, fat back, and clear plate 18
Picnic shoulder and Boston butt (trimmed) 17
Loin (trimmed) 17
Feet, tail, and neckbones 5
Spareribs 3
Jowl (untrimmed) 3
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100
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Four lean cuts[1] 53
Adapted from Smith, King & Carpenter, 1975.
[1] Ham, loin, picnic shoulder, and Boston butt.
The slaughter of boars is not recommended. Meat from boars has a
strong odor during cooking, and an off-flavor. This “sex” odor and
flavor is often identified as being “soapy,” and the odor increases as
boars approach sexual maturity. If old boars are to be slaughtered,
they should be castrated and allowed to heal prior to being slaughtered.