Hog Heaven - REALLY

NOTE: The following may contain graphic content, especially if you are sensitive to the killing and eating of animals.

I was fortunate enough to be asked by Red, to attend a family Pig Roast (fortunate meaning, she thought that I was appropriate enough to bring around her family). Our adventure started Friday on our drive to KEEENNNTUUCCCKKYYYY!! Once we arrived (10 hours later), I was able to witness the process of a pig roast. Red's mom was the director of the activities:


1st was the killing of the pig - ONE shot to the head (well, it was suppose to be one. . it took four)

2nd was the beheading of the pig (I bet you are thankful that there are no pictures at this point). This was done with nothing but a pocket knife (The small knife allows for minimal error. You want to be sure not to cut any of the inside system.)

3rd was the draining of the blood

4th was the scrapping of the hair - This was done with boiling water and knives










5th was the gutting (at least at GeeGee's lamb roast, we didn't have to do ANY of this)
This was done by hanging the pig from the Kuboto, and letting farmer Fred take care of business (he gave us a VERY descriptive summary of how he "kept all the system parts together" in order to not "pollute" the meat - I actually did NOT witness this part)

6th Next, they rinsed out the pig, and stuffed it with fresh herbs, pears, and onions
This is when the girls opted for a photo!!














AWAY from the PIG

7th Now, it was time for the pig to be sewed back up. . . .

and time for me to get another adult beverage!

8th The pig was now ready to be wrapped in chicken wire, and put on the handmade smoker (Thanks Dave, for the perfected design!!)

9th After TWELVE sleepless hours of keeping the smoker at 250 degrees (of course, this sleepless was NOT referring to me. . .), the pig was ready to be removed from the smoker and prepared for EATING

10th THIS is pulling pork

11th This is EATING pork (yes, I did. . . )
And yes, THEY did. . . .

The pig roast was held in a large field (ONE of the many fields on this farm). The hosts had also acquired a bluegrass band (and later, a Karaoke machine). Red and I helped conduct the games:

HIGHLIGHTS -

balloon toss: the winners carried around their balloon the rest of the evening (I am not sure which one of the cousins got to actually take the balloon home)

three legged race: I got to witness children dragging their partners across the grass

wheel barrel race: Red laughing her butt off while trying to keep up with the kids!

Although I am in the dog house for being a party pooper (I did not hang as long as I usually do. . . ), I feel like I have experienced something that not everyone gets to experience authenically.

Special Notes: bring LOTS of cold medicine for road trips in which you are not driving,
experience is knowledge, don't take TOO much cold medicine when you arrive to
where you are visiting, seeing what you are eating isn't really that bad, understanding
someone else's family dynamics is always complicated, cute guys with cowboy

hats don't always end up being cool