# A Third Way to De-Hair of Hog



## Ken Scharabok

Went to help a neighbor slaughter and process four hogs this AM. On the first apparently the scalding water was so hot it set the hair to where it just wouldn't scrape off. Decision was made to hang it and cut off the hide in strips. However, when we did so we found the hair and skin would just pull off in large pieces. (I suspect this is were pig skin - as in footballs - comes from.)

Since CL wanted the hide on, we did the other three by scalding and scraping. On the last one, the water temperature had dropped below 150 degress and it was the easiest of the three to do. However, everyone commented the first one sure was the easiest of all.

Anyone else ever have this happen?

Ken S. in WC TN

(Not only was it cold up on top of that hill, but CL forgot to bring the traditional pint of Four Roses.)


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## Guest

The last time I remember watching my uncles scrape a pig they had a big pot of boiling water close by and they would scrape a little at a time. They each had a dipper and a knife and would pour a small amount of water on the pig and then scrape, pour then scrape, pour...scrape. They would do the whole pig this way until they had it all scraped.


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## Tango

Two years ago we ordered a hog for Christmas Eve and went to pick it up. The man shot it and his sons dragged it into a huge shallow pot of water which had been boiling for a while (fueled by a large propane flame beneath). They turned the pig in the scalding water -one part of one side stuck to the bottom- took him out and just rubbed their hands over the carcass. the hair just came off. They only used a knife for the feet. We don't have the huge shallow pot, so we do it little by little. Pouring water over and scraping. The temperature of the water makes all the difference between a quick job and a couple of hours scraping. This year we are getting the largest turkey fryer on the market (on sale of course) and using it to get the water to scalding point and then pour it over the carcass for our Christmas pig.


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## cowgirlone

We like to skin ours, just because it's faster. But when I'm going to make hams, I like to scald.

For one of our cookouts this summer we used a small blow torch to dehair a hog, It worked great, it removed the hair and a layer of skin. We just heated....then rubbed the skin and hair off, then washed the whole thing off with cold water. 
In some spots the hair "roots" were still in the skin though. We were burying the hog in the ground to cook, so the skin was only left on to keep the meat moist, not to eat. It went fast and tasted great!


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## Guest

Put an old towel over the pig before pouring on the water. Leave it a few minutes. Move the towel and then scrape.
This seems to avoid getting too hot and holds the heat long enought to loosen the hairs


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