Price of a Christmas Pig.....on the hoof??

[william webster]

as verification, I put out a few feelers on this buying early/door basher special price idea....
I have seen lots of people with pigs already...on the hoof

today, my second searcher reported back saying he thought the price was too high -- 190/kg

you betcha... too high

I'm on it for 100 pesos........30kg or less and a not too fatty one
some farmers give them constant food to fatten them... others feed them 2x a day - therefore a thinner pig

the trick is where to keep them for 2-3 weeks so you don't feel like you're eating the family pet

 

[william webster]

I suppose you know the story by now - New Years Day pig roast

Y'day, I went up the hill to select the pig.... +/- 30kgs.... 70/80 lbs... like a big dog

No problem , $1 /lb..... I had trouble visualizing what that looked like and how many people it would feed... so I needed to see them
I chose my pig.... reserved it.

My main man, Saudio, is also my guardian angel here... watches over me ... insists we go this morning to fetch the pig 'ante lunes' , he insists

Fetch = stuff in a bag and put in the Jeep for the ride down the hill to the Pig Man, Fabio ( not the cheap heart throb novel Fabio, another - less heart throbbing)

Getting the pig in that bag was a trick !!

recuerdas, y'day I chose the pig..... by today some hombre has showed up wanting 10 of the 24 pigs .... including mine !!
luckily Saudio was one step ahead... we ran off with our pig.

and this little piggy went to market

Then off to buy food for it - in addition to our kitchen scraps
It's like buying a turtle.... now you need to feed it


All in , I'll be at about $1,50 / lb cooked and delivered

it was a sight - me driving the pig in the bag down my hill.... squealing all the way
a bit smelly too, I might add

Life in the fast lane , HUH???

we had that pig upside down / hind legs up and into the bag

if it had escaped on the hill.... who knows what might have happened

send me an apple... I'll stuff it in its mouth

so, New Years Day fiesta is in the bag...... hahaha

ready to roll

still, it ain't a cheap meal..... 5,000 pesos
now the pig will grow a few pounds in 3 weeks... to my benefit ... but

pig sty spa , we call it now..... 5 star hotel..... best food/drink

 

[AlterEgo]

What time should we be there on New Year's Day WW????

 

[william webster]

hahaha/.... bit of a drive you....

on the price again..

I searched higher up the hills -- waaay up

last week it was 70 pesos/kg..... this week, 100

last week a big truck showed up and bought almost all of them.... as many as the truck could carry

big business at Christmas
250'kg when sold cooked...... they tell me

 

[whirleybird]

We used to breed, raise, slaughter and cook pig roasts here. If sold as live animals they are usually priced by peso/kg here and when slaughtered they are priced peso/lb (no idea why but that is the norm). I would say that you are about right with the peso/ kg at 100 - 120 increasing as you get closer to Christmas.

You can expect your piggy to lose in the region of 25 - 28% in the killing and cleaning and then the marinade would be in the region of RD$600 to do it properly which is a whole more than just oregano and is done both inside and out before the 'pork' is suspended and stitched onto the pole by which it is suspended and cooked plus wired to save bits falling off, over a large open fire bbq.

The time taken to cook said pork varies according to size but it is a slow, long and arduous task for the person sitting turning it.

Largest one we ever did was for a wedding reception and weighed in at 120 lbs when bbq ready but, as no-one even for an unnamed price would kill it on Good Friday, it had to be put into my jacuzzi bath covered with ice from Thursday up until the time of starting to cook on Easter Saturday!!!

At times we are still asked to supply piggies for fiestas but, if we do, we buy them locally and prepare and cook them here if required.

 

[william webster]

That is a great story..... the jacuzzi one..... I'll remember it & use it (crediting you, of course)

Its really hard work, I have watched this guy for years... he straps on the pole and turns it for hours

Thanks for the 'shrinkage' formula.... my shrinkage and my 3 week weight gain may balance out

Life at the Pig Sty Spa may increase the weight somewhat...

These are 100/kg all year , it seems

Imagine... those 24 are half gone already..... 2 weeks before Christmas.....

 

[whirleybird]

Am sure it will gain weight whilst being fed 'goodies' from you but doubt it will actually compensate for the minimum of at least 25% loss. If you like them, don't forget that the liver, kidneys and other bits are good for you too!!

 

[william webster]

Lamb kidneys are my favourite..... hard to get any more in US&Canada

tough on the cholesterol, but worth the the trade-off , in my book....