Hog Killin on December 29th

[matt walker]

Oh man, sorry George. I have to admit, I laughed. Sorry.

[George Collins]

Day before yesterday, the other two slabs of bacon and the jowls went into the smokehouse and yesterday morning, the first slab came out.

Several paper thin strips were sliced off. Then I saw what I had desperately hoped to see - the fat immediately started glistening as it apparently melted soon after contact with the air. All the kids and the wife were around as the paper thin sheets of bacon were being removed with long strokes of the Go-To Knife. Each swallowed involuntarily and hungrily when watching a luckier brother or sister get their sample before them.

They all loved it.

It certainly tasted Jamon Iberico de Belottaish or as best as my memory will serve to remind me of those two bites I had back in September.

Even if not as good as the Spanish Ambrosia, the deviation from the standard corn-soy diet certainly seems to have had a material and beneficial impact on the flavor.

The BLTs we had for lunch were just wrong. Wrong because now that I know how good a BLT can taste, I am confronted with the knowledge that once these three bacons are consumed, I must wait till next January to get more. And that's just hurts my feelings . . . feelings in this case being hunger pangs.

The one upshot that keeps me from just breaking down in tears - the loins, shoulders and one of the hams will be treated exactly like the bacons. If them pork chops turn out to taste as good as that bacon . . . Oh man!

As Youngblood would say, "There's gunna be a draggin off 'round here."

[matt walker]

George, my turn is finally coming, next weekend. My friend and I have the Farmstead Meatsmith guy coming to his farm for a couple days. We are going to slaughter two Tamworth gilts. I'm looking forward to it.

[mannytheseacow]

Mmmmmmm...... Perfect time to make a blood sausage and head cheese. Don't let a morsel go to waste!

[matt walker]

That's the plan Manny, as scary as that sounds to me. To be honest. Lol.

[dave brenneman]

black pudding is amazing, don't let anyone tell you different. I like it as part of a "full english" breakfast. On its own it's.. much of a muchness, shall we say, to eat a lot by itself. I find the flavor a lot more palatable than kidneys, for example.

[matt walker]

[mannytheseacow]

Don't be scared. Done right you'll be craving all the parts! Here's a couple recipes that I've grown to love:

Boudin noir (black sausage)
2# pork back fat, finely diced
2# onions, finely diced
4 ounces butter (unsalted)
3 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup liquor (apple liquor, cognac, scotch, white wine, whatever)
1 cup cream
2 eggs
1 Quart fresh pig's blood
1 3/4 ounce salt
2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon chervil
1 tablespoon chives
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Lightly simmer fat for 20 minutes, strain and set aside. Cook onions and apples in butter, when soft add liquor and simmer to evaporate. Add the fat and refrigerate until chilled. Combine the cream and eggs in a large bowl, whisk together and then strain the blood into this mixture. Stir in the apple-onion-fat mixture and add remaining seasonings. Clean your intestines very well. Tie a knot in one end of the intestine (I use about 2 ft long sections). Fit a funnel in the other end and pour this mixture into it. When full tie off the other end. Lightly simmer these little sausages in near boiling water for 20-30 minutes. (makes about 5 2ft. rings).

Headcheese
1 pig's head
4 pig's feet
2 cups white wine
4 garlic cloves
10 black peppercorns
8 bay leaves
6 whole cloves
1 tablespoon vinegar
dash of nutmeg and allspice
fresh leeks, thyme and parsley... as much as you can spare, there's never too much.

Brine:
2 gallons water
2 cups kosher salt
4 oz. pink salt (curing salt, aka sodium nitrate)
1 cup sugar

Mix up the brine and submerge the head and feet in the brine overnight. Next day, remove the head and feet and discard the brine. Combine head, feet and all remaining ingredients in a large pot and cover by 2 inches with water. Simmer gently for 3 hours. Remove all meats and set aside to cool. Strain teh liquid through a fine strainer or several layers of cheesecloth.
Remove all meat from the head and feet and dice into 1/2 - 3/4 inch pieces. Be sure to peel the skin from the tongue and include the interlaying meat. Put the meat into a suitable container, cover with the liquid, and refrigerate overnight... up to a week. The liquid will gel and you will have a fine delicacy to slice off.

Oh you haven't lived, my friend!

[GrahamB]

Like Dave said. Two sausages, two rashers of fat back bacon, two fried eggs, two fried tomatoes, two slices of black pudding covered in Coleman's English Mustard, a ladle full of baked beans, a ladle full of mushrooms, all served on two slices of fried bread, or if you are watching your weight, two slices of toast, and wash it all down with a large mug of steaming hot tea. That is at the top of my list of things I miss from home. Second is steak and kidney pie. I would sell one of my children for a bag of kidneys.