I had quite the BBQ weekend! My brother-in-law is getting married in September and we had a BBQ cookout/shower for him and his bride-to-be. They chose Picnic in Durham, NC so I was excited to try it, yet skeptical because most BBQ catering isn't that good.
I was pleasantly surprised. Wyatt was the owner and was working the event at my in-laws. I got to talk to him for quite a while! He specializes in whole hog BBQ (it's the only thing he does). He raises the pigs at a farm 8 minutes from his restaurant. We talked about the benefits of raising the pigs naturally, and not the Smithfield approach of getting those pigs fat and processed as soon as possible. Most of the Smithfield pigs never see dirt. He said the meat, on the cellular level, is different. The fat is much more intra-muscular, and tastes way better. Of course, I was eating his whole hog BBQ, and it was mighty tasty.
I'm sorry I don't have pictures of the BBQ itself, but it looked like pulled pork. He didn't have the hog at the event. He just pulls it himself and puts it in serving trays before he comes to the event. He said you'd be amazed at the people who would never pull the meat themselves from the the hog and eat it, but if he pulls it for them and puts it on a silver platter, the same people love his BBQ.
I did snap a picture of his BBQ sauce. That's his face drawn on the bottle. Pretty cool!
His cooker? BQ Grills located in Elm City, NC. (It looks like their webpage is under construction).
WARNING: WE'RE ABOUT TO GET GRAPHIC
I was talking to him with my wife and 2 other girls nearby. I just had to ask the question, "So, when was this hog killed?" The girls were immediately off-put, but it was a test because it was the precursor to my next way more graphic question. Two of the girls (including my wife) walked away immediately, one stayed. He told me Monday, or as late as Wednesday (that day was Saturday).
My next question was, "So, how do you ethically kill and process a hog?" That made the last girl squeamish, and she walked away immediately. Sorry! Wyatt said he appreciated the question, and he wants people to ask, and to know. He said they process his pigs at night. Most are processed during the day, and it's quite chaotic for the pigs. His pigs are relaxed and going for a car ride to some place. Once they get there, they still don't know because all the other pigs are sleeping. They bring the pig into a room where it's finally "accomplished".
He said it was a "double tap to the head and heart". The mechanism is a 8 to 10 inch steel bolt that is attached to an air pressurized machine. Then, you stick that bolt to the pig's head (in between the eyes) and fire. (Think of a staple gun where you have to apply pressure to release the staples into the object for it to work). It delivers an extremely fast bolt to the brain (then retracts immediately) which then sends an electrical signal to the heart immediately (through the central nervous system). That kills the pig instantly and ethically.
The cost? $30. They perform the maneuver and gut the pig, and give it back.
It was extremely informative, and really appreciated the time he took to talk with me. If you're ever in the Durham area, check his place out!
I was pleasantly surprised. Wyatt was the owner and was working the event at my in-laws. I got to talk to him for quite a while! He specializes in whole hog BBQ (it's the only thing he does). He raises the pigs at a farm 8 minutes from his restaurant. We talked about the benefits of raising the pigs naturally, and not the Smithfield approach of getting those pigs fat and processed as soon as possible. Most of the Smithfield pigs never see dirt. He said the meat, on the cellular level, is different. The fat is much more intra-muscular, and tastes way better. Of course, I was eating his whole hog BBQ, and it was mighty tasty.
I'm sorry I don't have pictures of the BBQ itself, but it looked like pulled pork. He didn't have the hog at the event. He just pulls it himself and puts it in serving trays before he comes to the event. He said you'd be amazed at the people who would never pull the meat themselves from the the hog and eat it, but if he pulls it for them and puts it on a silver platter, the same people love his BBQ.
I did snap a picture of his BBQ sauce. That's his face drawn on the bottle. Pretty cool!
His cooker? BQ Grills located in Elm City, NC. (It looks like their webpage is under construction).
WARNING: WE'RE ABOUT TO GET GRAPHIC
I was talking to him with my wife and 2 other girls nearby. I just had to ask the question, "So, when was this hog killed?" The girls were immediately off-put, but it was a test because it was the precursor to my next way more graphic question. Two of the girls (including my wife) walked away immediately, one stayed. He told me Monday, or as late as Wednesday (that day was Saturday).
My next question was, "So, how do you ethically kill and process a hog?" That made the last girl squeamish, and she walked away immediately. Sorry! Wyatt said he appreciated the question, and he wants people to ask, and to know. He said they process his pigs at night. Most are processed during the day, and it's quite chaotic for the pigs. His pigs are relaxed and going for a car ride to some place. Once they get there, they still don't know because all the other pigs are sleeping. They bring the pig into a room where it's finally "accomplished".
He said it was a "double tap to the head and heart". The mechanism is a 8 to 10 inch steel bolt that is attached to an air pressurized machine. Then, you stick that bolt to the pig's head (in between the eyes) and fire. (Think of a staple gun where you have to apply pressure to release the staples into the object for it to work). It delivers an extremely fast bolt to the brain (then retracts immediately) which then sends an electrical signal to the heart immediately (through the central nervous system). That kills the pig instantly and ethically.
The cost? $30. They perform the maneuver and gut the pig, and give it back.
It was extremely informative, and really appreciated the time he took to talk with me. If you're ever in the Durham area, check his place out!
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