When considering the America Guinea Hog (AGH) for the homestead and/or table, people frequently ask the following questions:
1. What does American Guinea Hog pork taste like?
2. How much pork can I get from one American Guinea Hog?
What Does AGH Pork Taste Like?
American Guinea Hog meat is delectable with a hearty flavor profile.
The fat is a creamy, melts-in-your-mouth delight!
Bite into a freshly-cooked AGH pork chop and you will encounter morsels of crisp, yet succulent fat and layers of luscious, tender meat. AGH pork is often described as sweet and buttery. It is moist and tender—even when reheated. The American Guinea Hog is a lard hog that produces extraordinarily-flavored pork suitable for traditional cuts and enough fat to create excellent charcuterie!
How Much Pork Can I Get From One American Guinea Hog?
AGH vary in size and build — even among littermates.
This size variation impacts the amount of pork produced by each individual hog.
On average, one can expect to harvest 50-65% of the live hog weight when choosing traditional cuts. The percentages increase when more of the hog is used (i.e., bone broth, scrapple, head cheese, jowl bacon, etc.)
Here is a tally of what was harvested from one, large, 230-pound AGH:
Bacon 15 lbs., 4 oz.
Jowl Bacon 4 lbs., 8 oz.
Soup Bones 7 lbs., 9 oz.
Chops 14 lbs., 6 oz.
Hams, Whole 19 lbs.
Ham, Pieces 4 lbs.
Ham, Steaks 14 lbs., 15 oz.
Liver 2 lbs.
Loin Roast 8 lbs.
Picnic Roast 8 lbs.
Sausage 25 lbs.
Shoulder Steaks 8 lbs.
Hocks, Smoked 3 lbs. 4 oz.Spare Ribs 4 lbs.
Fat for Rendering 22 lbs. 12 oz.
Head for Broth 9 lbs.
Total: 174 lbs., 12 oz.
(= approx. 75% of live weight)
NOTE: Many choose to butcher younger, smaller hogs. The yield ratio is proportionate.