[AT] Scrapple & Head Cheese

[Billy Hood]

 George et al
 As one who made my families groceries for about 1/3 of my working life by raising hogs this discussion has brought back many memories.

Hog killing:  One of the few memories I have of my maternal grandfather, he died when I was 5, was his being the boss at hog killing.  He was the town Blacksmith in Lindale Texas, but like most others of that time kept 2 milk cows, some hogs and raised several acres of vegetables and corn with his pair of dappled mules.  His health was bad by the time I came along (my mother was the youngest of 9 and was 28 years younger than her oldest brother) so he did none of the work at killing time, but sure was the boss.  His scalding tank was an old oval riveted steam boiler with the top 1/3 cut off.  It was set on a sandstone foundation and a roaring fire was built under it long before and of us kids got up in the  morning.   He also had a couple of 20 gallon  cast iron wash pots going to add hot water or pour over the carcass.  They usually killed two for themselves and several for the neighbors who came to help.  The memories do not include the rest of the process, but I made up for that in my later life.  I don't remember if it was Grandpa Whatley or not, but the saying I hold on to was " we use everything on the hog, except the squeal".

Two years after my marriage to my bride of 36 years, we were farrowing 50 to 60 sows.  We started killing our own hogs then to help make the ends meet the middle.  My oldest uncle, an old bachelor was home for the winter from the logging woods and he helped me kill and butcher.  I drove a one ton with wooden bed at the time and we killed with a hammer and scalded by laying the hog on the truck bed and pouring hot water out of cast iron wash pots.  I used the scraping spoons built by my grandfather Whatley.  I later took to skinning, rather than scalding because it was easier.  We used everything but the tail and feet and the heads are another story
Bear

  David,

  Our ponhaas (scrapple) was made with a LOT more corn meal.  Much like 50/50
  horse meat/rabbit meat mix is... 50 horses and 50 rabbits.

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