How to Buy a Whole Hog
Buying a whole hog, or even a half hog, is such an easy thing to do that you'll wonder why you waited so long. Much like you, coming from Dallas we always purchased our meat from the grocery store. While we liked to think that we were getting the best and most humanely raised pork possible by shopping at stores like Whole Foods, it's still a far cry from going to your local farmer. And while we sometimes bought pasture raised chicken from the Dallas Farmers Market, finding pasture raised pork was impossible.
Buying in bulk from LVBA opens the door to several advantages:
- Bulk discount - save over 30% versus buying by the cut
- Selection - choose exactly how you want your meat cut by a USDA butcher
- Security - having a freezer full of meat is a deeply satisfying thing
With so many benefits to reserving a whole-share of pasture pork, let's talk about the process.
- Reserve a Whole-Hog or a Half-Hog share by placing a $200 Deposit
- Select your desired cuts for each part of the animal
- Pick-up your pork!
1. Reserve a Hog
At LVBA we operate a farrow-to-finish operation. We birth our own piglets and raise them on our farm until butcher day. Why does this matter? We control every step of our operation and ensure all animals are treated humanely and fed clean, soy-free, corn-free, non-GMO feed.
Piglets are born year-round. Reservation availability will be posted here, along with future availability. Also be sure to check our Facebook or Instagram for updates and subscribe to our monthly email newsletter.
Reserve your whole/half order by paying a non-refundable $200 deposit. Your deposit will be applied toward the final cost of the animal. When we receive your order online we'll confirm your reservation via email along with the estimated processing date.
With the reservation done, start dreaming about your pasture raised bacon...and all the other cuts you want.
2. Select Your Pork Cuts
This is where many of us get lost in the process of buying pork in bulk, and that's okay. We're here to help!
Learn more about the various cuts of a pig - we can walk you through all the basic cuts, and the fancy options you might consider. Regardless of what you choose - ground pork is a must-have. While some may consider this as “leftovers” after all the good stuff is gone, that couldn't be further from the truth. We live by our ground pork!
Use our online cut sheet form to send us your thoughts. You can also download a paper form and email it to us. We'll review your instructions, clarify any questions, and ensure they are conveyed to the USDA processor. If you'd rather talk through your choices, give us a call.
We will email you in advance to request the cut sheet. Your cut sheet is due one week before the scheduled processing date. Note: If we don't receive the cut sheet by the day of processing, we will use our Classic cut sheet.
3. Pork Pick-up/Drop-off
The pastured pork is ready!
When we receive notification from our processor that your order is ready, your final invoice will be sent and we will coordinate the exchange with you. You can either: 1) pick up directly from the processor, 2) pick up from the farm, or 3) we can deliver to you (*an additional delivery fee will apply).
We do not have the capacity to hold your order once it has been completed by the processor. We will coordinate directly with you to ensure an easy pick-up or drop-off.
Your pork will come frozen, labeled and vacuum packed, and in cartons. A whole-hog will easily fit in the back of SUV, or the back and trunk of a car.
The final detailed invoice you receive will reflect the final Hanging Weight of the hog, provided directly by the butcher. The total will also reflect your paid reservation deposit. Invoices must be paid in full before or at pickup. We accept ACH, credit card, Venmo, Zelle, or Cash App.
Enjoy Every Cut of Pastured Pork
While we don't consider it a part of buying a whole pig, the ultimate step in this process is cooking it at home! Unlike grass-fed lamb and beef, there is no difference in how you cook pasture raised pork versus the commercial pork you buy at the grocer. That said, how you requested some cuts will influence a bit of how you cook them. The best example - thick-cut, bone-in pasture raised pork chops! While our hogs exhibit the high quality fat so many chefs covet, you can still pan fry a chop to death. We cover how to sous vide our pork chops to ensure a perfect chop every time!