Plenty in the smokehouse was the cornerstone of the old time southern
cookery. Hence hog-killing was a festival as joyous as Christmas--and
little less sacred. There was keen rivalry amongst plantations as to
which should show the finest pen of fattening hogs. Though the
plantation force was commonly amply sufficient for the work of
slaughter, owners indulged their slaves by asking help of each other--of
course returning the favor at need.

A far cry from a cook book, common or garden variety. Here, it is worth
its space, as explaining in a measure what follows. Namely full
direction for choosing your fatted pig, cutting him up, and making the
most of the ultimate results. Choose carcasses between a hundred and
seventy-five and a hundred and fifty pounds in weight, of a fresh pinky
white hue, free of cuts, scratches, or bruises, the skin scraped clean,
and firm, not slimy, to touch, the fat firm and white, the lean a lively
purplish pink. Two inches of clear fat over the backbone, and the thick
of the ribs should be the limit. Anything more is wasteful--unless there
is a great need of lard in the kitchen. The pig should be chilled
throughout, but not frozen--freezing injures flavor and texture
somewhat, besides preventing the proper quick striking in of salt.

Curing space permitting, it is wise to cut up several pigs at once. The
trouble is hardly increased, and the results, especially in saving, very
much greater. The head will have been at least half severed in
slaughtering. With a very sharp butcher knife, after the pig is laid on
the chopping block, cut deeply through the skin, all round, then with a
blow or two of the axe sever the head. Next cut through the skin deeply,
either side of the back bone. The cuts should be evenly parallel, and
about two inches apart. Now turn the pig on his back, part the legs and
with the meat axe chop through the ribs, and joints. After chopping, cut
the backbone free with the knife, trim off the strip of fat for the lard
pile, chop the backbone itself into pieces three to four inches long,
until the chine is reached--the part betwixt the shoulder blades with
the high spinal processes. Leave the chine intact for smoking, along
with the jowls and sausage.

Pull out the leaf-fat--it grows around and over the kidneys. Also pull
out the spare ribs, leaving only one or two in the shoulders. This done,
chop off feet, then with the knife cut hams and shoulders free from the
sides. Tri