Ever Wondered What In Tar Nation Is a Hogkilling?

[EDDIE BUCK]

Its been at least fifty years since I participated in one,but I remember it as if it was yesterday. I still remember the sounds,the smells, the tastes,and watching everybody do their part that they all knew,what,and how to do, so well.

Martin county is just two counties from me.The only thing we did different,was press our cracklins with the sausage stuffer to remove the lard,making cracklin pads 3-4 inches thick.

http://martin.ces.ncsu.edu/hogkilling/

[gettys1863]

When I was little I can remember all the family coming to grandparents for hogkillin time, we would do around 4 hogs at a time. Out of all my cousins I'm the only one who has carried on the tradition. My Grammother is going to be 96 and it's just my dad, my uncle and I but she still can't wait for hogkillin time. We still press our cracklins with our stuffer. Everyone always fights over the first cake of warm cracklins.

[Idum]

Thanks Eddie! It brought back good memories of the only Hog Killing I ever went to back in the late fifties. I was only about 8 years old and mostly played with the other kids. They did let me shoot the first hog though.

[Muleman]

We have them in the winter. Not on the grand scale I have seen in the past. Usually just my wife and kids and my parents and a sister or two. We killed one about a month ago. We also make a big day out of chicken killin. I would much rather spend all day cuttin up hog than chicken though? We are losing many of the traditions that made strong communities (and families) in the past. I made up my mind my kids would not just hear stories, but I would make sure they got to experience these things. My daughter took some pictures I think, I will see if I can find a few to post later.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

We do one every other year or so...

[Maura]

This is like Reading Little House on the Prairie (Little House in the Big Woods, actually). Did you fight over the tail?

[big rockpile]

When I was young we would kill several at a time, cure most all.

I use to kill a few. Anymore we can buy whole Hog already processed much cheaper than I can raise one. I still may kill Wild ones every so often.

big rockpile

[Michael W. Smith]

I think it is so interesting that they used almost EVERYTHING from the pig.

I would imagine in today's throwaway society - if people still had hog killings - a lot of the pig would be thrown away.

I'm 47 years old, but I can remember as a teen that one of my Dad's friends had raised pigs and wanted help. My Dad and I went down and Dad helped - I mostly watched.

I remember that a tractor with a bucket was used to lift the hog and move it around.

I think this would be a good experience for people to see where there meat actually comes from.

[simi-steading]

I've killed one myself this past year, and I've done two others with friends, and we did a bull..

I'll be doing another in a month or maybe less... then sometime this this year, I'll be doing three more..

I don't thing us that do hog killin's are that few and far between.. .I just think it's not a big "festival" of sorts like it used to be... kind of like a barn raising.. .

[plowhand]

I've seen over 20 hanging on gambrel sticks at one time.....ain't been too many years ago if you ate pork, you raised it, butchered it and smoked it

[simi-steading]

Wow.. 20.. .that's a heck of a day's work...

[postroad]

When I was young we did the whole scald and scrape routine. Used every last bit for headcheese liver sausage etc.. I still remember the first time I saw my Dad kill and stick a pig. I was maybe five years old and I was a little disturbed by my Father the "killer" In later years we just skinned the pigs. I still do a fair number every year. Have one planned for tomorrow. I am passing it along to the next generation. My second oldest can skin better than half blind me. Actually my corrected vision is one third normal so that makes it two thirds blind me.

[simi-steading]

Just curious if anyone hangs their hogs to let them age like you'd do beef?

[EDDIE BUCK]

Originally Posted by Maura

This is like Reading Little House on the Prairie (Little House in the Big Woods, actually). Did you fight over the tail?

Back then we salted hogs tails along with the rest of the salt meat.However some folks used it in making souse meat.We use salted pig tails as seasoning meat in collard greens, or a pot of beans, or soup.Yep they are worth fighting over.lol.

[postroad]

Originally Posted by simi-steading

Just curious if anyone hangs their hogs to let them age like you'd do beef?

Just overnight to chill the meat.

[SueMc]

Little hog killin music:

http://youtu.be/WXZjJu4SsVk


I haven't looked for a link but there was a Dirty Jobs episode that highlighted a hog killing that looked like a great big party. Everybody participated in the process.

[Muleman]

I will let one hang a few days if we have cool weather for it, otherwise I usually try to kill late in the evening and gut them, then finish up the next day with cutting everything up. When we do chickens we usually kill them all one day and gut them, then put them whole in ice water for a day overnight as well then finish up the next day cutting up and everything. I am in the habit know of cutting of legs, thighs and wings, then debone the breast and tenders and boil the backs and bones in a big pot for broth for soups. We usually pick the remaining meat from the bones once it is cooled then give what is left over to the pigs to sort out!! They do a good job of that. I like killing hogs at home, because not much is wasted like at a butcher shop.

[simi-steading]

I've not let one hang, but I always try and kill when the weather is plenty cool..

I can time the one I have waiting now, until he weather is cold enough.... So I was wondering if I were to let it hang 4 or 5 days, or even a week, if I'd see much difference in the meat? I'd at least like to let it hang through rigor..

BTW, that's one cool recording SueMc..

[SueMc]

Originally Posted by simi-steading

BTW, that's one cool recording SueMc..

That band was one my grandpa liked to listened to. I laughed to myself the first time I bought a set of Smithsonian recordings of old traditional music that I wouldn't have been caught dead listening to when I was younger!

[Muleman]

Semi, according to a butcher I have some info from a skinned hog can hand 5 to 6 days at most and a scalded hog 2 to 3 days. He says the heat from the scalding will cause bacteria to grow quicker so a scalded hog should not be hung as long. In my opinion over 2 cold nights for both is ideal. They are well cooled rigor is finished (or should be?) and the carcass is chilled through and through and easy to cut up and handle as it is firm. I could not comment on what a few more days would do as I have never done one longer? I find proper cooking along with using the proper portions of the hog for the proper cuts, and sausage or ground pork for less than good cuts or older animals will take care of most tough meat issues.