Hog Killing.Pamlico County Style
Pamlico County’s environment has, for hundreds of
years, been kind to its inhabitants by providing fish,
oysters, shrimp, crab, wild game and a rich earth for
harvesting crops and raising animals. To enjoy nature’s
abundance, people have worked hard and often times
combined work with pleasure. Such is the case with hog
killing which is done today just as it was done a hundred
years ago. This is one of the unique things about Pamlico
County and hopefully the tradition will be handed down to
future generations.
At 4:00 a.m. the fires were started under the iron pots to
have the water boiling by daylight.
THERE’S A PLANTING AND A
HOG KILLING TIMEJ
The moon,.according to legend, influences hog killing
time just as it does other areas of life.
Old timers say that if a hog is killed on the decrease of the
moon that you get more lard or the lard “tries out” better.
Planting works basically the same way and certain crops
should be planted during certain phases of the moon.
Another saying claims that if you dig a hole and fill it on the
decrease of a moon you won’t have enough dirt and if you
dug a hole on the increase of a moon, you’ll have too much
dirt.
By the side of the vat is a thick bed of straw ready to lay
the hog for scraping after removing it from the vat.
Ponce and Mary Ellen Ham of Oriental and Mesic
decided to have an “Ole fashioned” hog killing just like their
parents and grandparents did before them. The Hams
wanted their daughter Kim and their son Ponce Jr. and his
fiance Karen Verme of New York to take part in a hog
killing so they could experience, first hand, some of the
heritage of this area. The Hams believe this is one way to
keep a little part of the past and help weave it into the
present. Ponce said when he was growing up they usually
had 40-50 hogs and killed 4 or 5 a year for family use. He said
he also remembered when he was a boy seeing pork
barrels which were kept in the barn full of rib side (salt
pbrk) pickled in salty brine water, as well as hams and
shoulders in dry salt.
HOG KILLING TIME
NOVEMBER 19,1980
The Ponce Ham family, along with Karen Verme and the
The hog has been placed in the vat of boiling water and
the hair tested for scraping.
Frank Learys of Vandemere, entered into a joint hog
killing.
It all began about 4:00 a.m. on November 19 at the very
last of the full moon-with the first preparation being that
of starting the fires under the large iron pots. Two men
from Virginia w< re also in on the hog killing...their first hog
killing.
The water in the iron pots was boiling by day break. At
the first crack of daylight, the hogs were killed with a gun
shot and immediately stuck in the throat for bleeding. They
were brought to a large vat filled with boiling water,
temperature of approximately 150 degrees, to prepare the
hog for scraping the hair off. The water temperature is
critical since it can set the hair if it is too hot. The testing
begins at this point...with the rolling and turning of the hog
in the vat of boiling water. The hog is rubbed to determine if
the hair is becoming loose and ready for scraping. The
Hams, Learys and others prepared a thick bed of clean
straw to lay the hogs on after removing them from the vat
for scraping. The hog was removed and scraping begun by
David and Billy Paul, Jim Ramsey, Ponce Ham, Ponce Jr.,
and Cliff Mezitta. Ponce stated that hog scrapers are used
now but scraping used to be done with large butcher knives.
It takes about 5 minutes to scrape a hog that weighs about
200 pounds. Ham said that you have to scrape quickly
because as the hog cools the hair begins to set. The straw
helps keep the hog clean and also helps hold some of the
heat in while the scraping is being done.
After the scraping is completed, the hog is run up a
scaffold, hanging it by putting a gaffle in the heel strings
(leader or tendon). The hog is then split by cutting the belly
side, starting at the hind legs and continuing straight down
the middle to the neck. The cutting has to be done carefully
so that the intestines are not cut. After splitting, the in
testines, liver, lites and haslet are removed. The gutting
was done by Henry Williams, Frank Leary and D. L.
Carawan. The fat was then cut from these parts and saved
for lard. The hogs were left hanging to cool approximately
IIV2 hours.
The hogs are hanging on the scaffold.
DINNER BELL RINGS
While the hogs cooled athe traditional dinner was spread.
Mary Ellen Ham and Gladys Leary prepared about 65 hot
homemade biscuits, collards, fresh meat stew which is a
traditional dish, sweet potatoes, tea and homemade coconut
pie.
B. W. Lupton & Son
Stonewall Wo Accept Food Stamps
t
FORK CHOPS
j.29lb
1.49M>
Fresh Pork
PICNICS
79c lb
Fresh ^
NECK BONES
49' “>
Dinner Bell
FRANKS
QQc 12 oz.
orton House 24 oz.
-STEW...1.29
fterico Butterme not
BISCUITS.3 cans/1.00
Mazola ]b.
MARGARINE..79*
Bee lb.
HONEY.....119
Maxwell House 10 oz.
COFFEE.3.99
: Pocahontas Cut
CREEN BEANS...,. 3'*.00
Pocahontas Cream Golden
CORN.2 cans/89*
Kraft gal.
ORANGE JUICE.1.19
'• . ’,4
Joy Dishwashing 22 oz.
LIQUID.99*
jjt
Glad to
TRASH BAGS...1.29
Made Rite long loaves
BREAD......3/1.00
head
LETTUCE. .39*
Fresh lb.
TOMATOTES... 59*
ib. .r
RUTABAGAS..19*
Trojans Take Two
The Trojans were faced
with their “second” tough
game of the near-ending
season. They entertained the
Mattamuskeet Lakers in
Aurora on Tuesday,
Feburary 10. Two Trojan
squads came out victorious.
The Aurora Junior Varsity
has recuperated from its loss
to the Junior Bulldogs as they
led 31-22 at halftime and 48-32
at the end of the 3rd quarter.
They then ended the game
with a final score of 72-53.
Their TBC standing is 16-1,
the number one team!
The Lakerettes swam their
way to a 45-53 victory. The
Trojanettes were behind by
only 2 points (12-14) at the end
of the 1st quarter. Both teams
played excellent defense
which showed in their half
time score of 24-27. The 3rd
quarter was the highlight of
the game as both teams
performed great shooting
skill with the score 38-41 at
the end of the quarter. Even
after much hustling the
Trojanettes could never
overcome their guests.
The skilled Trojan varsity
squad stayed safely ahead of
their competitors throughout
most of tthe game. The
Trojans led 15-8 at the end of
the 1st quarter and 35-22 at D
halftime. The Lakers surged
back in the 3rd quarter and
were trailing by only 6 points.
In the final quarter the
Trojans fought to stay ahead,
with 55 seconds on the clock, -
the score was 56-53. The
Trojans managed to fit 5
points into that span of time
and defeated the Lakers 61
56.
Goose Creek Island
Ladies9 Auxiliary
The Goose Creek Island
Volunteer Fire Department
Ladies’ Auxiliary met
February Sat 7:30 p.m. at the
Lowland Community
Building with 11 members
and l new member present.
Appreciation was ex
pressed to those who made
Hot Dog Day such
on February 7th.
The Auxiliary recognized a
profit of 9296, plus a 1200
donation that was greatly
appreciated.
There is a membership
drive underway for
February.
The Auxiliary will hold
their next meeting mi March
9at7:30p.m. at the Hobucken
Community Building.
This hog has been scraped, split and is now in the process
of being cleaned.
FULL STOMACHS AND
BACK TO WORK
■The hogs cooled and were removed from the scaffold and
placed on the cutting table. Helping with the cutting were
Mrs. Allie Leary of Hobucken, Mrs. Rachel Williams of Rt.
1 New Bern, Debbie Hudson of Cash Corner, Sadie Paul,
Patricia Pegram and Lola Carawan.
The hogs wwere cut into hams, shoulders, rib sides, pork
chops, etc. 85 pounds of sausage was made and 1 stand of
lard, which is equal to about 5 gallons, along with
cracklings...a fine show for this November 19 day.
The hog is placed on the cutting table...and as you can
see, they didn’t waste any time!
PICKLING RIB SIDES
The Hams also pickle their own rib sides or salt pork.
Ponce and Mary Ellen placed the sow belly and rib sides in
dry salt for about 3 weeks. At the end of three weeks, they
removed the meat from the juice-like salt. The salt draws
the juices from the meat.
To make the pickling solution, they filled a large pot with
water and placed a raw egg in the shell into the pot. The salt
is then added to the water until the egg floats. When the egg
floats, the brine is right. The egg is removed. The Hams
placed the sow belly and rib sides in a large plastic con
tainer and poured the brine or
Aurora Jr.
Youth Meet
On February 15 the Aurora
Jr. Youth met at the church
with 15 members present.
Individuals were
remembered with cards by
the group. Bible stories were
told.
At the close of the meeting,
refreshments were enjoyed.
Slang for a crew-cut is
a “pig shave."
pork. They suggested using only plastic, glass, or enamel
containers, crocks or wooden barrels tor pickiing since
some metals are corrosive.
Judging from the smiles on all the faces, work, fun and a
home-cooked meal are a good combination.
MAKING LARD & CRACKLINGS
The fat scraps were saved from the intestines, lites, etc.
and cut into chunks for making lard. ‘
The fires were set under the iron pots and the chunks of .
fat were dropped in. When the lard “tries out" it is
strained through cheese cloth leaving the cracklings
strained out. The cracklings are used in corn bread or in hot
biscuits.
SOAP MAKING
Ponce Ham’s grandmother, Mrs. Lola Carawan of Mesic,
recalls her memories of soap making. Years ago she made
her own lye soap. Mrs. Carawan said that lye soap was a
fine soap for washing clothes, leaving them fresh and
bright. Washing, many years back, was an ordeal since
clothes were boiled in iron kettles outside and well water
was not always near by.
Like Mrs. Carawan’s mother, Mrs. Carawan always
soap. She used the parts of the hog that were scraps, incl
uding fat trimmings, and skin.
Again, the iron kettles were fired-up outside with the
pork trimmings placed in the kettle. Water was added to
cover the scraps and about 1 cup of lye was added to this.
She used the scraps from 4 or 5 hogs. The cooking process
begins and the lye eats up the scraps as the soap cooks.
“The soap,” said Mrs. Carawan, “is tested much like you
do candy...taking out a spoonful occasionally to test it for
hardening. If it holds its shape and becomes firm, you know
it’s ready.” When pouring her soap up, she used a long,
large container to pour it in. When it was hard, it was cut
into blocks and then placed on a board to store in the smoke
house.
WASH DAY
When wash day came, usually on Monday and Friday,
Mrs. Carawan would place lye soap shavings and water into
her iron kettle outdoors and let it come to a boil. Before
placing her clothes in the kettle, she would use a “rub
board” to help loosen stubborn stains. The pre-rubbed
clothes and linens were ready for the wash pot. They were
placed in the kettle and moved gently around and around in
the soapy water with a large stick. After they came to a
boil, they were removed from the wash kettle with the
stirring stick and the “rub board” process repeated. They
were then rinsed and hung on the line to dry in the fresh air
and sunshine. By 8:00 in the morning Mrs. Carawan had
her washing finished. Said Mrs. Carawan, “I loved it, and
wish I could do it again.” nffl
THE
BBQ
•CANE
Restauranl
Stonewall, N.C. Phone:745-5665
NOW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 7:00am - 9:00pm
CALL 745—5665 FOR TAKE OUT
Monday Night Spoclal
BBQRIBS
All you can eat $3.75
Children 4—11*2.75
Children under 4 No Charge
Beverage extra
Tuesday Night Special
FRESH TROUT
All you can eat $3-75
Children 4-11 $2.75
Children under 4 No Charge
Beverage extra
Wednesday Night Special
FRIED CHICKEN
All you can eat $3.75
Children 4—U$2.75
Children undo* 4 No Charge
Beverage extra
Thursday Night Special
6 oz RIB EYES
With baked potato and salad
2 for *7.99
Beverage extra
Friday Night Spactal
SEAFOOD BUFFET
All you can eat $5.75
Children 4—11 $4.75
Children under 4 No Charge
Beverage extra
Saturday Special
All day Saturday
BBQ & BBQ RIBS
COMBINATION
All you can eat $4-25
Children 4—11 $3.50
Children under 4 No Charge
Beverage extra
Sunday Buffet
Served from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
CHOOSE FROM
Shrimp, oysters, roast beef, clam strips, fried chicken, 6 vegetables, a variety of
desserts fcrolls.
1^;':^*• „ . , . , ,v‘ < ,
All you can eat $3.75
Children Children 4—11 $2-75
Children under 4 No Charge
Beverage extra