How To Make The Most Of A Pig After It Is Killed Recipe
Cottagers sometimes feed a pig for their own consumption, and,
therefore, in the hope that many of you may have it in your power to do
so, I will give you proper instructions as to the best way to make the
most of it. First, when the pig is killed, should the hair or bristles
be wet, wipe them dry with a wisp of hay or straw, and having laid it on
the ground upon a narrow bed of dry straw three inches in thickness, and
laid some loose straw all over it, set fire to it, and as the upper
straw burns out, lay on another covering of loose straw, and, by the
time this has burnt out, all the hairs of the upper part of the pig will
probably be singed off, if not, burn a little more straw upon the
remaining parts; and, on turning the pig over, should it be found that
any of the hairs yet remain, let them be singed off with a lighted wisp
of straw. Throw a pail of water over the pig, and scrape it clean and
dry with an old knife. The next thing to be done, is to insert a stout
stick, pointed at the ends, into the hocks of the hind legs; fasten a
strong cord to the stick, and hoist up the pig so as to enable you to
stand up and finish your work with ease to yourself. With a sharp knife
rip up the belly, and stretch out the flaps with two sticks to enable
you to throw in some water to cleanse the pig's inside, having first
removed the guts, etc.; hang up the pluck to cool, and also the
chitterlings, and loose fat; and, after thoroughly wiping the pig, let
it hang in the draught to become quite cold. You then split the pig in
halves, commencing between the hind quarters; and, when this is done,
first cut off the hocks, then the hams, and the head; next cleverly
remove, slicing away, what is called the spare-rib--that is, the lean
meat about the ribs--reaching up about four inches toward the breast
part, and lay the spare-ribs aside to be sold or reserved for your own
use. The head may be baked as shown in No. 25. The spare-rib may be
dressed as in No. 27.
Vote