# How to Thaw pig.......first time ham



## bluebombersfan (Feb 12, 2013)

My brother asked me to split a full pig with him as he was getting a really good price.  After he picked it up (it was slaughtered that morning)  it froze solid in the box of his truck overnight. It is now frozen in my garage so my question is what is the safest way to thaw this so I can process it?  I have processed several deer over the years but this will be my first pig.  Generally for deer when they freeze solid I will hang them over night in the basement then process them in the morning.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Brian


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## diggingdogfarm (Feb 12, 2013)

For safety's sake it should be thawed at refrigerator temperatures.


~Martin


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## linguica (Feb 12, 2013)

The slower the thaw the better. Seeing that you live in Canada, I'm wondering if hanging it in an unheated garage might do the trick. Just not above 40 deg F.


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## bluebombersfan (Feb 12, 2013)

DiggingDogFarm said:


> For safety's sake it should be thawed at refrigerator temperatures.
> 
> 
> ~Martin


That's what I thought would be best as well.  Only problem is finding room


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## bluebombersfan (Feb 12, 2013)

Linguica said:


> The slower the thaw the better. Seeing that you live in Canada, I'm wondering if hanging it in an unheated garage might do the trick. Just not above 40 deg F.


The temps here have been -30C (-22F) for the last month.  That's why it froze so quick.  Today it has come up to -1C (30F) but it won't last long enough to thaw it.  Back to -17C (1.4F) tomorrow.  Maybe saw into 1/4's and slowly thaw in my spare fridge?

Brian


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## jarjarchef (Feb 12, 2013)

You may have a challenge on your hands. As Martin pointed out it should be thawed in refrigeration for food safety. As you pointed out space is not easy to find for a whole or half pig to thaw. You can hang in a space that will maintain a constant temp of 33-40 degrees. You do not want to get the ambient temperature over 40 degrees. If it does you run the risk of food born nasties to grow.......

Good luck and let us know how you come out.....

If I can help let me know.


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## diggingdogfarm (Feb 12, 2013)

I have thawed whole deer by taking all the racks out of the fridge and setting the deer up inside.

~Martin


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## woodcutter (Feb 12, 2013)

Would you be able to 1/4 or 1/2 it with a Sawzall? Might make it more manageable doing a 1/4 at a time. Milwaukee sells a 16' blade I think.


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## linguica (Feb 12, 2013)

Woodcutter said:


> Would you be able to 1/4 or 1/2 it with a Sawzall? Might make it more manageable doing a 1/4 at a time. Milwaukee sells a 16' blade I think.


Brings back my nightmares after seeing Sweeney Todd.....


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 12, 2013)

Woodcutter said:


> Would you be able to 1/4 or 1/2 it with a Sawzall? Might make it more manageable doing a 1/4 at a time. Milwaukee sells a 16' blade I think.


That brings back memories!! One year I brought home 4 Albacore tuna (I commercial fished) they were blast frozen. Well we needed them for a bbq that night. I took the sawzall to them. Let me tell you that saw smelled like tuna for years!!! Had a heard of bees too, they love tuna!

If you ask nicely maybe a local butcher will let you hang it in their locker to thaw. Never hurts to ask!


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## bluebombersfan (Feb 13, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies!  The pig was already cut into 1/4's and I managed to fit it into my beer fridge without all the racks.  Hopefully by the weekend I can cut it up or I will be drinking warm beer 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Brian


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## woodcutter (Feb 13, 2013)

BlueBombersfan said:


> Hopefully by the weekend I can cut it up or I will be drinking warm beer
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have my fridge full of Canadian bacon and my second batch. I have a good thick cooler out on my deck and tell the wife that it is the "annex fridge".


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## bluebombersfan (Feb 22, 2013)

What a big Job!  I ended up thawing this in my fridge for about 4 days and then got to work on it last weekend.  I watched a bunch of youtube videos and then jumped around between a few of those while I worked.  A few times I had a tough time finding the joints to make the right cuts but I managed my way through my first time!  I decided to try and cure my first ham and here is what I started with!













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__ bluebombersfan
__ Feb 22, 2013






I injected this and it is now sitting in the fridge in a 5 gallon pail of pops brine!  I hope I injected enough little worried about it not being evenly cured for my first one!


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