(click on a picture to see larger image)
Started with a rather small hog, so not really to a major break down.

Regardless, the first step still holds fairly true:
Split That Pig!

For this portion of the breakdown, you can use a hand held bone saw. However, I do not have the patience for such shenanigans and use a reciprocating saw. (A Sawzall)
I will share a link to this great little tool at the bottom of the post!

Right down the center of the backbone, from end to end…

After this part, Claudia took over.

Since we were dealing with a smaller hog we chose to keep everything in larger portions to be used in the smoker. So, she cut each side into 3 sections – beginning between the 5th and 6th rib from the front and ending off at the top of the pelvis. This gave us 2 full hams with the hocks still attached, 2 picnic hams with the butt and clear plate still attached and 2 full rib slabs with the loins still attached. She also trimmed off a lot of the extra belly fat to be used in our rabbit sausage grind.

She did remove quite a bit of the silverskin as well, then packaged up everything that isn’t going into the smoker this weekend!

A quick cleanup and a DONE Stamp!

These are great little knives. Quite inexpensive also!