# Pork As A Staple?



## Pompey (Apr 14, 2011)

Soooo... I did my raw shopping this morning and there were many changes with the meats I've previously bought in that market. I was horrified to see chicken backs were $1.19 lb :shocked: Used to get them from that outlet for an average of .69, and they were very meaty too. What they never had before though, was whole rabbit for approx $6 per bunny - tho the cost kept me from buying (this time) I am curious if that is reasonable? The temptation to buy rabbit is very high. 

Another prize I found was whole pork shoulder, and it is the MEATIEST meat that ever meated and all for .99 lb!!! I am thinking that if I can use pork as a staple, with the chicken maybe twice weekly, we may just be able to manage the cost of raw this time around. With two staple meats under a dollar, and only a once a week feeding of red meats and offal, I figure the diet will be reasonably well balanced and varied, but, in all the years I've fed raw on/off, have never done pork. They've had pork necks as recreational or teeth cleaning bones a few times, but believe it or not I have never fed pork much at all and never as an all meat meal. I am curious if anyone else feeds lots of pork and is it fine to use as a staple of the diet?

BTW, this is basically what I bought today and spent a grand total of $37 on since it was just an experimental shopping trip. Not sure it will last more than a few days, but for all the meat in my freezer I think it was a decent price. 

Beef liver 
Chicken gizzards
(1) Beef kidney
Chicken leg quarters 
Whole Pork Shoulder
Lamb Ribs


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

Sounds like a plan to me. I just bought pork, lamb, beef boneless or nearly boneless when it was as cheap as it was going to get. Usually that was pork so for the first year he mostly had chicken for bone, pork for meat and beef organs with beef and lamb from the clearance bin when I found it. The pork shoulders I bought had huge amounts of fat on the outside I mostly cut away as he was on a diet at that point. Feed the fat if you like but add in a little more every few days.

I found lamb ribs for $1 a pound ONCE and danced a jig all the way home - then regretted that chicken free month as Max didn't want chicken the following month! I got such a look and he only ate it when Sassy wandered too close to it.


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## Lisa_j (Apr 7, 2011)

I think that the price you paid for pork shoulder is great!! I am shocked at the way prices vary thoughtout the U.S. Never would have guessed!!! Personally, I would not pay more that $.69 /lb backs!!! I rarely feed back because I the leg/thighs (quarters for that price). I now pay $3.00/lb rabbit, skinned with head and organs included!!! UGH! No way, for the prices offered, of course again, perhaps it depends on where you live!!!


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## Lisa_j (Apr 7, 2011)

I forgot to say, I think that pork is considered a red meat!


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

1. LOLOL "meatiest meat that ever meated"
2. I have been wondering this too since a local butcher recently told me they have an abundance of pork and lamb neck and gave me a really great price if I were to place a standing order. 
3. Your plan sounds good to me.
4. Try buying whole chickens [should be $.60-$.90/lb] and breaking them up yourself. I just did one for the first time and it was fairly simple. There is a video floating around here on how to break down a turkey. Same concept.


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## AdrianVall (Aug 26, 2010)

Pork is considered a red meat. But I just bought 50 lbs. of pork shoulder meat.  Cost was $0.98/lb. on sale. I don't give pork meat very often, since its usually over a $1/lb and I always try to stay under a dollar.

But I don't see why you can't use it as a staple! Just know that variety is key!


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## Angelwing (Feb 20, 2011)

SilverBeat said:


> 4. Try buying whole chickens [should be $.60-$.90/lb] and breaking them up yourself. I just did one for the first time and it was fairly simple. There is a video floating around here on how to break down a turkey. Same concept.


I've been wondering, I bought a frozen turkey because the price was really good but I'd have to let it thaw out, cut it up...then what? I can't refreeze it, can I?


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

My dogs have been getting pork a lot. I normally feed it every other day or so, sometimes more. It has replaced chicken as their staple I would say. But I assume that "staples" will change as I order every month or so because of the way prices vary. Just remember to mix it up. :]

And Angelwing, I've bought whole Turkeys and lots of Chickens and cut them into meals then froze them. With the frozen solid ones we let them sit in water overnight and in the morning I slice. :] It isn't hard if you have a good knife and some shears....A hammer might help if there are parts that are still frozen.  You can of course refreeze!


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

Found the video: YouTube - Turkey Deconstruction 101 - PreyModelRaw.com of course from Jon and Natalie 

And Angelwing, yes you can refreeze, I do that all the time!


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## Pompey (Apr 14, 2011)

Lisa_j said:


> I forgot to say, I think that pork is considered a red meat!



I did not know this! Always assumed it was white meat but just checked and wow, the USDA does classify it as red. Very good to know and makes the deal I got on it seem even better!!!




SilverBeat said:


> 1. LOLOL "meatiest meat that ever meated"
> 2. I have been wondering this too since a local butcher recently told me they have an abundance of pork and lamb neck and gave me a really great price if I were to place a standing order.
> 3. Your plan sounds good to me.
> 4. Try buying whole chickens [should be $.60-$.90/lb] and breaking them up yourself. I just did one for the first time and it was fairly simple. There is a video floating around here on how to break down a turkey. Same concept.



 

I was specifically looking for whole chickens, I used to get them for $1lb and always felt the diet would be more balanced when they got different parts instead of backs and quarters all the time... the whole chickens were $1.69 lb this time around, and I refuse to buy them at that price... *sulks*


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I'd say if you got a good price for the lamb ribs I'd keep those in stock too! Good Luck!


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

While we're on the subject of pork... I've heard about feeding beef hearts but what about pork hearts? I just picked some up at the market today. The ONLY thing I could find that was under $1 a pound. Even my cheapie store has gone way up in prices


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Pork hearts are good to feed, they will not be as nutrient dense and rich as beef heart but good just the same.


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## grissom_mom (Sep 27, 2010)

Man I want to be on you guy's side of the country (or wherever you are!) Pork has been going up up up where we are, as has chicken. Can't find any part of the pig for less than $1.40, most of it is $2 except for a select few places with pork picnics for $1.37. Chicken has gone up almost $0.20 too. Lame!!


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Dang, what cuts of chicken do you get for .20/lb?! The cheapest I can get leg quarters is .39/lb in bulk ]:<


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

I just look for meats under my price point that aren't super fatty. Beef brisket is the lowest priced beef around here but I got one in a bag of Walmart meat that turned out to be half fat so wouldn't buy it retail, cheap or not. I won't buy bony meats that are cut small or have a lot of inedible bone like beef shank. Except for special occasions, beef shank is really yummy stuff! I do buy cheap chops and cut out the bone as usually there isn't all that much bone in chops.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

If any of you have a "Cash and Carry" which sells to restaurants and is open to the public, you can find pork on sale for .99lb at certain times of the year. It is a huge amount vaccuum pack but it is worth it.


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## Angelwing (Feb 20, 2011)

grissom_mom said:


> Man I want to be on you guy's side of the country (or wherever you are!) Pork has been going up up up where we are, as has chicken. Can't find any part of the pig for less than $1.40, most of it is $2 except for a select few places with pork picnics for $1.37. Chicken has gone up almost $0.20 too. Lame!!


Haha I would kill for any of those prices.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

Pork and Chicken prices have gone up here, too. Pork roasts at my grocery store used to be $.89/lb and now they're about $2.10. It's a bummer. 
My source of pork is generally whole pig legs I get in bulk. They're about20lbs a leg, and I leave them whole, and use them as a ripping/tearing meal for all my dogs, trading each one a turkey neck for the leg when I feel they're done with it. One leg will last about two "rounds" of meals for my pack. 
Then the bone gets put in the freezer for a rainy day.

I would say Pork is probably a BETTER staple than chicken or turkey, being a red meat


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## pandaparade (Dec 29, 2010)

CavePaws said:


> Dang, what cuts of chicken do you get for .20/lb?! The cheapest I can get leg quarters is .39/lb in bulk ]:<


Kelly I think she is just saying the price on chicken has gone up by 20 cents.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

When gas prices go up, so the does the cost of food.

Pork here is relatively inexpensive because all the latins like to eat it so I can get good deals on that...well, good as I can get from Publix..."Where Shopping Is A Rip Off".

My pets mostly get pork and chicken because that's about all I can afford with the prices the stores charge. Beef? HA! Fuggetaboutit! Beef for about 2lbs is over $5. Sorry, zoo, you ain't gettin' it.

Today I went to the store to get food for ME and naturally, as always, without fail, when I was in the meat dept of course I found a few things for the pets. Got the bag of chicken quarters...three of 'em because that is just about the best dang deal you can find anywhere. There must be about 10 of those things in there and the bag is $7. If I were to feed the hoodlums chicken for a month, I could do it with three of those bags....$21 for raw feeding...not so bad. Course, they have to have more than chicken.

With pork I usually get the picnic shoulder roast thingie and it is HUGE! Ginormous, even. Ranges in price from $20-30 but it feeds everyone for at least 3-4 days, minus skin and bone. (Never again with the bone in that thing.)

I also can find pork ribs at surprisingly low prices here...so they get those, too. And then I can find pig feet, pig hocks...I think they are called...all for cheap. 

So yah, the pets get mostly pork and chicken with a turkey thrown in once in awhile, some liver, gizzards, heart (chicken and beef), and whatever other gross stuff I can find.

Rabbit, meh. I saw some rabbit in the meat dept for the first time today. I picked up two, just in case, (no prices), and when I got to check out, had them scan it. It was about enough for one meal each for each hoodlum. The price was $16 EACH package. HAHAHAHAHAHAA NO.

Once we get that co-op going for the South Florida area, they will get much better variety but for now, they've been surviving off of pork, (#1), chicken and a little bit of other things here and there. If I tried to buy other stuff, I'd never be able to afford raw.


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

If pork is that cheap, go for it. The more red meat, the better!!! 

Our main supplier just got rid of most of their pork OR it skyrocketed in price. I'm having to go elsewhere to get any pork for the dogs and it stinks.


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## G_slave01 (Dec 24, 2010)

Serenity - i have about 4 pork picnic shoulder roasts in the freezer which i haven't fed yet that i got for .77 lb. what do i need to be concerned about with the bone? i thought this was edible bone? trying to find another source of bone besides chicken/turkey is a challenge. i did not much like the pork neck i tried a couple of weeks ago. i can get lamb neck & goat leg although a bit pricey at 2.50 & 4.00 lb but would they be worth it? rabbit is out of reach at 6.00 lb. i have not been able to find ribs of any sort that is affordable.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

G_slave01 said:


> Serenity - i have about 4 pork picnic shoulder roasts in the freezer which i haven't fed yet that i got for .77 lb. what do i need to be concerned about with the bone? i thought this was edible bone? trying to find another source of bone besides chicken/turkey is a challenge. i did not much like the pork neck i tried a couple of weeks ago. i can get lamb neck & goat leg although a bit pricey at 2.50 & 4.00 lb but would they be worth it? rabbit is out of reach at 6.00 lb. i have not been able to find ribs of any sort that is affordable.


G slave: That bone in the shoulder is huge, as you know. I thought, one day, that since the hoodlums were being very good, I'd give them that bone. I cut it at the ball socket and gave each one a piece. And it was gone in about 15 minutes. And it was WAY too much bone. See, I forgot that being on raw makes everything stronger, jaws included. So, what I was thinking was not reality. I was thinking it would give them something to gnaw on for the evening, keep them busy. They don't gnaw on bones anymore, they eat them. And that was entirely too much bone. The girl did ok with it but the boy had some painful business transactions the next day. In front of everyone. Who think I'm going to kill my dogs by feeding them raw. So of course they had their comments to make. It was great fun all around. So I throw that thing away now.


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## G_slave01 (Dec 24, 2010)

thanks Serenity - will keep that in mind and be ready for a trade off when i think she's had enough or else I'll just skip the bone.


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