Comments on: Slaughter (Zabíjačka) http://www.slovakcooking.com/2010/blog/zabijacka/ Recipes from Slovakia, food, traditions, and language lessons - Slovak Cooking Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:44:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: lubos http://www.slovakcooking.com/2010/blog/zabijacka/#comment-10162 lubos Sat, 26 Nov 2011 02:12:25 +0000 http://www.slovakcooking.com/?p=2279#comment-10162 The pain-free and stress-free way also produces tastier meat. For instance, this <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/08/how-animal-welfare-leads-to-better-meat-a-lesson-from-spain/244127/">article from the Atlantic.</a> The pain-free and stress-free way also produces tastier meat. For instance, this article from the Atlantic.

]]> By: miro http://www.slovakcooking.com/2010/blog/zabijacka/#comment-10161 miro Sat, 26 Nov 2011 01:25:29 +0000 http://www.slovakcooking.com/?p=2279#comment-10161 BTW, I am not saying there is no gross aspect to it, or pain in killing. There always is, you kill the animal and it take a minute or so to die. The point is to eliminate the pain, and let it not suffer foe a long. That what makes a difference. look at the difference in these two videos, not much different, except the pig being treated right, stroked, talked to, and waiting to make a right "shot" of course there is twitching after that, but that's just a natural reaction after dying, not much pain, not squealing because still being aware and in pain, that should not be happening. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd2qgX1y7gk&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8cCwjxfG-o&feature=related Sorry to bring this up. There is a good way and bad way, unfortunatelly no matter which way, you end up with good pork meat on your plate. I prefer a better and less painful way to slaughter the pig. BTW, I am not saying there is no gross aspect to it, or pain in killing. There always is, you kill the animal and it take a minute or so to die. The point is to eliminate the pain, and let it not suffer foe a long. That what makes a difference.

look at the difference in these two videos, not much different, except the pig being treated right, stroked, talked to, and waiting to make a right “shot” of course there is twitching after that, but that’s just a natural reaction after dying, not much pain, not squealing because still being aware and in pain, that should not be happening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd2qgX1y7gk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8cCwjxfG-o&feature=related

Sorry to bring this up. There is a good way and bad way, unfortunatelly no matter which way, you end up with good pork meat on your plate.

I prefer a better and less painful way to slaughter the pig.

]]> By: miro http://www.slovakcooking.com/2010/blog/zabijacka/#comment-10155 miro Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:24:36 +0000 http://www.slovakcooking.com/?p=2279#comment-10155 to tell you the truth, some of these videos ARE gross, as it's nothing like I experienced. Most hog killings were pretty clean, shot through the head, not extended suffering, no hog squealing in pain for too long before it died. I guess it takes a good professional and butcher to do things the right way. I think the people are getting "cheep" and not sensitive. When its done right it's good for a hog and people, the way it should be done. But some folks think, "I can do it myself, no problem" it's not really true! I have a suspicion that some of these videos were done (or edited) by folks who are in anti meat or anti anything camp. They are achieving their goal, to tell you the truth, I would not put hog or any other animal through it. As I said, nothing like what I remember, and I participated, and I hunted, and I raised other animals (rabbits and chickens) for food, always done clean, no prolong suffering. that's all I can say about it. to tell you the truth, some of these videos ARE gross, as it’s nothing like I experienced. Most hog killings were pretty clean, shot through the head, not extended suffering, no hog squealing in pain for too long before it died. I guess it takes a good professional and butcher to do things the right way. I think the people are getting “cheep” and not sensitive. When its done right it’s good for a hog and people, the way it should be done. But some folks think, “I can do it myself, no problem” it’s not really true!

I have a suspicion that some of these videos were done (or edited) by folks who are in anti meat or anti anything camp. They are achieving their goal, to tell you the truth, I would not put hog or any other animal through it. As I said, nothing like what I remember, and I participated, and I hunted, and I raised other animals (rabbits and chickens) for food, always done clean, no prolong suffering.

that’s all I can say about it.

]]> By: Russ Bauwens http://www.slovakcooking.com/2010/blog/zabijacka/#comment-10141 Russ Bauwens Fri, 25 Nov 2011 02:56:39 +0000 http://www.slovakcooking.com/?p=2279#comment-10141 I loved seeing the comments and reading the article, I was taken back to my childhood days and many happy memories! My father's family was a large one and originally from Belgium, all farmers. We always got together to butcher cattle and hogs. The hogs were my favorites because of all the fresh sausage we kids got to sample as the adults searched for the perfect blend of seasonings, cooking small samples as they went. Preparing the intestines for casings always amazed me as a child, a good example of complete use of the animal. I don't think they wasted a thing. We always enjoyed sausage, headcheese, the hams and bacons, of course.. blood sausage and lard..you name it. After shooting the hog, a rope was wrapped around it and then the whole thing was dunked in a vat of boiling water, hauled out, the hide scraped free of hairs, then the hog was hauled up in the air with a pulley and the process begun. There was always a lot of drinking involved, too, I guess it's a tradition no matter where you're from. :^) We also raised rabbits and chickens, along with pigeons, for food, and it was just a part of life back then. I'm glad to see traditions from "the old country" still being carried on today and not lost to history. Thank you for the nice memories! I loved seeing the comments and reading the article, I was taken back to my childhood days and many happy memories!
My father’s family was a large one and originally from Belgium, all farmers. We always got together to butcher cattle and hogs. The hogs were my favorites because of all the fresh sausage we kids got to sample as the adults searched for the perfect blend of seasonings, cooking small samples as they went. Preparing the intestines for casings always amazed me as a child, a good example of complete use of the animal. I don’t think they wasted a thing. We always enjoyed sausage, headcheese, the hams and bacons, of course.. blood sausage and lard..you name it.
After shooting the hog, a rope was wrapped around it and then the whole thing was dunked in a vat of boiling water, hauled out, the hide scraped free of hairs, then the hog was hauled up in the air with a pulley and the process begun. There was always a lot of drinking involved, too, I guess it’s a tradition no matter where you’re from. :^)
We also raised rabbits and chickens, along with pigeons, for food, and it was just a part of life back then. I’m glad to see traditions from “the old country” still being carried on today and not lost to history. Thank you for the nice memories!

]]> By: lubos http://www.slovakcooking.com/2010/blog/zabijacka/#comment-10126 lubos Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:03:28 +0000 http://www.slovakcooking.com/?p=2279#comment-10126 Hi Michael, There is no set date for zabijacka, but there are two main "seasons". One is before Christmas and the other is before Easter. The idea is to have freshly smoked sausages ready for the feast following the fast that is held on both of these occasions. Hi Michael,

There is no set date for zabijacka, but there are two main “seasons”. One is before Christmas and the other is before Easter. The idea is to have freshly smoked sausages ready for the feast following the fast that is held on both of these occasions.

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