Pork

Pigs can range in size from 20 pounds/9 kilos, for a suckling, to 250-plus pounds/113-plus kilos, which is considered market size. But at home it’s much easier to work with an 80-pound/36-kilo animal, as we do here. The pig is smaller than the steer, so we begin by separating it into manageable sections, then breaking those sections into two halves. Let your fingers be your cutting guide: feel the natural seams in the muscles before making your marks with a knife. Then, the road map is ready for you.