Hog Killin’ Time
Yes! At first glance, this title will cause all kinds of reaction and some might think, who cares and others, a downright indignant response: “how dare they”?
There are some estimated 75 Million hogs in the US according to a 2019 study! Up Fifteen million from the year before. Several million are kept for breeding purposes and can produce, in some cases, 25 pigs per year.
Worldwide, in 2016, some 1.5 billion (yes, with a “B”) were turned into sausage, hams, and juicy pork chops. About 123 million in the US.
Most of this happens with little notice to the general public as most of these porkers are in long enclosed farrowing house with lights, fans, auto feeders and concrete floors. Hard to tell a long chicken house from a long hog house except maybe by the smell.
True, little pigs are cute as the devil and fun to play with, if you can catch ‘em. But, like a lot of the animal kingdom, older means uglier.
There is an old saying that’s says some like, “If you ever saw sausage made, you would never eat any.” I, having seen the process, still like a slice of bacon, sausage, pork chops cooked fried or broiled and ham sandwiches. But, with cholesterol readings pegging the needle I have to go moderately. Even red eye gravy would be a treat.
In the rural area where I grew up, most families had some hogs. Some might just have one, but it wasn’t for petting. A few got saved by 4-H and FFA members who took them to shows. The sausage part came later.
Hog pens and hog lots were commonly off a ways from the house, when possible. A wet area was preferred so the hogs could wallow and root in the mud and stay cool in the hot summer. This was the case at my Grandparents Sandy Point farm.
My Grandfather had a fenced in area around a large stand of plum bushes and sweetgum trees. The hog lot. A small spring bubbled up there then and the hogs were in “hog heaven” with corn, pea hulls, and other products from the farm being tossed to them. Turnips, over ripe apples and pears, and sweet potatoes were also on the menu. As these brood sows produced pigs, most were grown off and eventually sold for cash.
He also had a hog pen. This was reserved for one or two honored guests where water and shade was provided as well as a feed trough or two. These were destined to become, you guessed it, sausage, pork chops, ham, pig skins, pigs feet, bacon, and chitlin’s
(actually chitterlings ). In some case, pork brains! Yes there are people who eat them and if you want some you can order them on Amazon! Chitlins’, well, they are made from hog intestines.
To my knowledge, I’ve never had chitlins’ or hog brains. (I almost left off the hog in front of brains but that would have caused several “Amens” from readers.) Enough about that.
It’s Cold Enough to Kill Hogs.
There were no freezers or even electricity on the farm until about 1948 other than part time power from a Delco Plant. So late fall or winter was the time that the chosen, well fed hogs would be turned into all the aforementioned delicacies that were mainstays of the diet. But just on cold days.
The day had to be cold to avoid spoilage of the meat as the work went on. So, when I was walking this morning and it was 37° I thought to myself, “It’s cold enough to kill hogs.”
Hog killin’ day was a family affair. Poppa, Grandmother and all available offspring showed up. They would get a reward at the end from the process.
We will skip the first step or two but that usually involved a .22 Caliber rifle and a well placed shot. The was a big fire going in the yard. And the hog would be cut up into the various sections and the larger hams and such would be destined for the smoke house. Some were actually “smoked” and others used salt to rub the meat at the appropriate time to preserve it.
Sausage was made in the kitchen. Meat was run through the meat grinder and then, are you ready for this, put into the cleaned out intestines of the animal! That’s where that “if you ever saw it made” stuff really kicks in. But, boy was it tasty!
Later, meat processors came along and some exist today to handle the process in a more professional and clinical way. They are often found around deer hunting areas.
Today, when I want some sausage or bacon, I buy it at Publix or already prepared at Hardy’s, Cracker Barrel, or Chick Fil A. I’ve tried to blot out the hog killin’ day episodes but they never entirely go away. Enjoy your breakfast!
Jerome Chapman
©Feb 2021