In the remote villages of the mountains, there is a vivid tradition. “Killing the pig” In fact, some young families still practise, for the quality of the meat and the sausages which are prepared exactly to your taste!

To catch a pig in a trailer, we need a rope to put around his neck and pull it out. To pull it you must be 4 or 5 men. When he has been caught, he is killed with a knife in the throat and we must get the most blood to the black pudding.

When the pig is dead, it must be cleaned with boiling water. It allows to take the hairs off. Then we must remove the nails with a hook, but it is not easy: you’ve got to be very strong! After that, you have to open the belly of the pig and empty it of the guts. It recovers casings for sausages: they must be washed thoroughly but it’s not funny because it generally stinks a lot!. So people prefer to buy everything cleaned casing at the butcher.

Once cleaned and opened in two, the pig is set to “dry” in the open air: the meat has to cool before being cut. Then, everybody takes part in the transformation: black pudding, liver pâté, sausages, ham…

Often people invite neighbours or family to kill the pig. So in the evening, there is a meal to thank the neighbours for having helped to kill and prepare the pig’meat. And all the year long, people will be able to eat ham, dry sausages, “pâté” and all kind of delicious preparations!