[Illustration: Hog in supine position on plywood sheet] Figure 17.—Position for skinning.
Cut the hide around the rear legs, just below the dew claws (fig. 18). Make a cut through only the hide, down the back of the leg, over the hocks, and to the midline at the center of the hams (fig. 19). Skin around each side of the leg, removing the hide to a point below the hock (fig. 20).
[Illustration: Man holding knife cutting around hog’s ankles] Figure 18.—Cutting skin around legs.
[Illustration: Man holding knife cutting hide between rear legs] Figure 19.—Cutting to midline.
[Illustration: Hog with hide pulled back at rear legs] Figure 20.—Skinning legs.
Open the hide down the midline from the point where the animal was stuck, around each side of the pubis area and continue to the anus (fig. 21). Make this cut by inserting the point of the knife under the skin with the blade turned up. This procedure is referred to as cutting from inside out and protects against meat contamination from materials on the hide. Avoid cutting too deeply because you may puncture the intestine and contaminate the carcass.
[Illustration: Man running knife down midline of hog] Figure 21.—Cutting down midline.
Remove the hide from the insides of the hams (fig. 22). Be careful, it is very easy to cut through the fat into the lean. Continue skinning along the sides toward the breast. Grasp the loosened hide in the opposite hand and pull it up and out. This places tension on the hide, removes wrinkles, and allows the knife to glide smoothly. Holding the knife firmly, place it against the hide with the blade turned slightly outward (fig. 23). Skin as far down the sides as possible, but not around the front legs (fig. 24).
[Illustration: Knife removing hide at upper rear legs of hog] Figure 22.—Skinning hams.
[Illustration: Knife cutting away hide from abdomen of hog] Figure 23.—Siding.
[Illustration: Picture of hog with hide pulled back from sides. Figure 24.—Siding.
Return to the rear of the carcass and remove the hide left on the rear of the hams (fig. 25). Do not skin the outside of the hams at this time. Remove the rear feet by sawing through the bone about 2 inches above the hock (fig. 26). Insert the spreader under the large tendons on the rear legs (fig. 27) and secure the legs to the spreader.