Butchering days were family affairs

Hilde G. Lee Daily Progress correspondent
Published: October 21, 2008

Sometimes I think that I would like to have lived in Colonial days. Then I realize how hard life was, with no supermarkets in which to do our food shopping.

But there were pleasant aspects to life in those times — neighbors helped each other routinely and life was not as hectic as it is today.

For many of the early settlers in this area, as well as the nearby mountain regions of Virginia, hog-killing time rated next in importance to Christmas. It occurred in late fall, just before the onset of winter.

The children of the family were kept out of school so that they could help wherever needed. Neighbors “swapped work,” helping each other with the butchering, for it took many strong backs to lift a 500-pound hog.

Hog killing was usually done near a stream, if the farm had one, or near the spring house. A big kettle filled with water from the stream was put on to boil over an outdoor fire pit.

Hot biscuits

The boiling water was used to scald the hog so that the hair could be scraped off. Each neighbor who helped with the butchering brought his own knife, which was typically handmade and razor sharp. The women provided hot coffee, biscuits and fried pork, which had been cooked over some of the coals taken from under the kettle.

After the meat had been cut in the traditional pieces, it was usually put in a vacant building on the farm to chill overnight. The next day the meat was trimmed — not an incidental task. The result was considered a work of art.

The meat was then hand-rubbed with salt and put into the salt-covered bottom of the meat box. Each layer of meat was covered with more salt, and the box was covered and stored in a cool place for three to six weeks.

Smoking and aging

After that time, the meat was ready for further processing. It was removed from the salt and thoroughly rinsed. The hams were hung in the smokehouse for smoking and aging. Green hickory wood was used to provide a slow, smoldering smoke. The fire was kept going for six weeks until the hams turned a deep mahogany red.

Some of the cured meat that was not destined for the smokehouse was put in cloth bags and hung in a cool place to age.

The day after hog killing, all of the hog fat was cut into small pieces and placed in a large cast-iron kettle and cooked over an outdoor fire. When the pieces of fat turned to brown cracklings, the lard was ready, and it was carefully ladled into 50-pound tins. The cracklings were saved and became a much sought-after ingredient in corn bread.

An essential part of hog killing and meat preservation was the making of

sausage. All of the lean trimmings, along with some fat, were saved for sausage. Each family had its own special favorite blend of seasonings, which commonly included pepper and sage. Sausage was kept cool in the spring or icehouse for winter use. Many families also put sausage into cloth bags and smoked it for a week to 10 days in the smokehouse.

One of the most famous sausages in the country is Odom’s Tennessee Pride Sausage of Madison, Tenn. We first encountered it while living in California and have liked it ever since. Unfortunately, sometimes it is hard to find.

Raised in the meat business as a child, Douglas Odom Sr. was well versed in sausage making. In 1943 he began a business blending the best cuts of the hog — tenderloins, loins and hams — into sausage and added his family’s secret spices. Soon he was selling his product to local markets and to grocery stores in Nashville.

In the early days, the entire Odom family worked in the business. Mrs. Odom sewed the cloth bags for the sausage, and the two sons, Richard and Doug, stuffed the bags. Then they pulled out the back seat of their old car, filled it with a 100-pound tub of sausage, packed with ice and proceeded to make deliveries.

The famous logo, the little animated farm boy, was drawn by Odom’s daughter, Judy.

Times has changed. There are now Tennessee Pride refrigerated trucks crisscrossing the country, and additional plants have been built in Adairville, Ky., and Little Rock, Ark. The Odom Sausage Co. is still a family-owned-and-operated business under the management of the third generation of Odoms. Although we usually think of sausage as a breakfast food, I use it in the following Sausage Macaroni and Cheese recipe in a main- course dinner recipe. Along with a green vegetable and a salad it makes an excellent meal. The casserole may be prepared ahead to the point of baking. Refrigerate it and bake it 10 minutes longer.

Sausage Macaroni and Cheese

1 pound sausage

1½ cups milk

12 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into cubes

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup diced fresh or canned tomatoes

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ green pepper, chopped

½ red pepper, chopped

1/3 cup sliced green onions

12 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni or mini penne

2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

Crumble and cook sausage in medium skillet until browned. Drain on paper towels. Combine the milk, cheese and mustard in a medium saucepan and stir over low heat until the cheese melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in the sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms, green and red peppers and green onions. Remove from heat. While the sauce is cooking, cook the pasta until done and drain. Combine pasta and cheese mixture in a large bowl and stir until well coated. Spoon into a 2-quart casserole dish. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree F. over for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 5 more minutes. Serves 6 to 8.