Colonial Historians Press for Crackling Revival

by Hanna Raskin, Posted Jan 27th 2010 @ 11:00AM

Members of an eastern North Carolina historical organization are trying to stimulate interest in Colonial-era pig preparations they claim the current crop of pork devotees has unfairly overlooked.

"Cracklings have gotten a lot of bad press," sighs Sarah Weeks, a volunteer for the Perquimans County Restoration Association. But she insists, "People can add them to any savory recipe," she insists.

While a few high-end chefs have toyed with cracklings, Weeks would like to shift the crunchy, salty byproduct of rendering lard from the amuse plate to the kitchen pantry. That's why she's enlisted an ally to show up at the association's hog-killing festival this weekend with crackling-streaked biscuits.

Cracklings won't be the only piggy product showcased at the festival: Doug Layden -- whose country market still does a steady business in hoop cheese and Dan Doodles, the sausage-stuffed intestines that eastern North Carolinians plop in their collard green pots – will lead a whole hog-butchering workshop.

The historical association typically focuses on the Colonial period, but Layden's planning to recreate an early 1800s butchering session (minus the slaughter, which will be done out of public view). Weeks explains the group couldn't track down the tools favored by early European settlers.

"They did a lot of things with massive cleavers," Weeks says. "Think about what they used to chop heads off with in medieval times."

Instead, participants will use relatively safer hacksaws to take apart the pig, gradually transforming the animal into sausage, souse and chitterlings. Although only a few local families maintain the centuries-old tradition of festive hog killings, Weeks says the thriving locavore movement has helped draw young eaters to the event, now in its second year.

"There's a lot of interest in this right now," he says.

Filed Under: Offal, Food History, Events
Tags: crackling revival, cracklings, hog, north carolina, pork

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-27-2010 @12:35PM verdegrrl said... I grew up on a farm and cracklings was one of our favourites. In an attempt to make the cracklings a bit less fatty, we would try to strain some of the fat away during the final rendering, which would still include some tiny bits of browned meat (cracklings). This was separated from the rendered lard (the primary product) and called crackling butter. We'd spread a thin layer on bread, salt it, and happily munch away.

Spent many hours next to an outdoor wood stove, slowly stirring a giant pot of sliced up pig fat so it would melt evenly and the cracklings (which go to the bottom) would not burn. The fat would be used for cooking and making laundry soap.
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1-27-2010 @12:59PM theshowmestate said... Love cracklings, especially fresh ones, and in cornbread.
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1-29-2010 @7:31AM Jim said... Try cracklings on your omlet. It's fantastic.
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1-29-2010 @7:56AM Jan said... Really like cracklins in green beans--good subsitute for ham
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1-29-2010 @8:06AM b said... HEART OF HEARTS HOW MANY OF YOU OUT THERE COULD HONESTLY KILL THIS ANIMAL ABOVE IN THE CAPTION FOR THE SAKE OF EATING ITS MEAT? IF THE ANSWER IS A NO! THEN DON'T LET SOMEONE ELSE IN THE ABATOIR DO IT FOR YOU? HAVE A CONSCIENCE GO VEGETARIAN/VEGAN THE HUMANE ALTERNATIVE.
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1-29-2010 @11:38AM Brenda said... I was raised milking the cow getting the eggs and hoeing in the garden in St. Augustine, Fl. My Aunt lived in Wasissa, Fl her Family Still today own and operate lime Limestone meat house. They still make sausage to order with what ever spices .you want
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