|
| Wood piled around two 55 gallon drums of water the night before is lit at dawn. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Butchering. It is starting to look like pork chops. Still have an appetite? |
There are two different ways to process hogs after slaughter. One, which is described here, is to scrape the hair off the hide. The other is to skin the hog. In the old days when hog fat was valued to make soap, candles and even greese for the wagon wheels, the goal was a fat hog and the hog was scraped and the lard rendered down. Today lean meat is valued higher and the fat must be disposed of, so it is easier to just skin the hog.
Preparations start the night before. One or two 55 gallon metal drums are set on an old wheel or rocks, filled with water, and fire wood stack around the drums. Old oak pallets are the preferred fuel.
Rise early the next morning, a cold day with no wind, to light the fire at dawn. After the fire is going a shovel of ashes is added to the water.