The hardwood forests blanketing most of the early terrain formed a natural food supply for hogs, many of which roamed wild in the woods. Winter weather was cold enough to make the dry salt cure practicable. Prolonged periods of intense cold in the northern states made it possible to preserve meat by natural refrigeration, so the salt cure wasn't so essential.

The early settler watched the weather closely, especially around Christmas which is hog killin' time. They wait for an extended cold spell, then do their butchering. As soon as possible the hams are taken into the smoke house where they're spread on a table for salting. The meat is trimmed of most of its fat, then rubbed with the salt and what ever additives the family recipe requires. One of the recipes called for 10 pounds of salt, 1/2 pound of pepper, 1 pound of brown sugar and two ounces of a saltpeter solution. These were well mixed and applied directly to 4 20 pound hams. The salt is rubbed well into the meat, with the hock and butt ends given special attention. Salt is also forced into any openings, especially around bones.

The outcropping of the thigh bone is a delicate point, for a large artery runs along it. Unless salt goes deep into this tract, souring could result. It takes a stout thumb to open the cavity and pack the salt. When they are well rubbed and packed the hams were laid flat in a sprinkling of salt on the curing table and as much of the mixture as they can hold was patted on.

Our family's recipe called for leaving the meat for 23 days of cure, during which it rested, undisturbed in the unheated smoke house. If the weather turned very cold, below freezing, a few extra days were added. This was done because frozen meat won't take the salt as fast as unfrozen meat. After the curing period, hams were brushed and hung from smoke house rafters. They were dusted with black pepper and borax to keep the bugs away.

Warm summer days dried and seasoned the meat. The small windowless building with its tin roof could intensify temperatures. It was tightly constructed to keep out varmits, and the dark interior discouraged flies. As the hams lost moisture they became harder and harder until another winter came. Then, when hog killin' time rolled around again, the first of last winters crop was taken down and carried to the kitchen.

Fresh from months of hibernation such a ham doesn't remotely resemble a well dressed product turned out by a commercial packer. It was often deep in a coat of mold. It is scrawny. It had lost about half of its original weight, and while not as hard as an old oak board, it was pret'near.

It was scrubbed with soap, and soaked in water for a minimum of 12 hours. After that a little trimming, and it begins to look edible. This ham can be sliced and fried, but baked or boiled was best. Usually a large kettle of cold water to cover it entirely goes on a slow fire until it comes to a boil, then, simmers for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the heat and let the pot cool. Potatoes were often put in the water, to draw out the salt. Slice the ham as thin as paper with a razor sharp knife.

Country Biscuits

The best way to complement your hams is to whip up a batch of beaten biscuits. Here is my family recipe: with 3/1/2 cups of flour, all purpose, sift one teaspoon of sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in 1/2 cup of solid shortening, such as lard. Mix carefully with one cup of cold milk, just enough to make the dough thick. Knead a few minutes, just to hold the dough together and then wrap and put into the refrigerator for an hour or two.

Now comes the beating. A rolling pin or a wooden mallet will do. Keep it up for 15 minutes. Take a break, then beat another 30 minutes. folding the dough from time to time as it flattens out. Eventually, (I know it seems hard to believe) it becomes velvety and elastic. Tiny bubbles will form and the dough will begin to talk back as the bubbles burst under the clubbing.

Each biscuit must be punctured twice with a three tined fork and punctured all the way through. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. The biscuits will come out tinged with brown, and when you squeeze them, they will yawn and break in two. This recipe makes about 4 1/2 dozen small biscuits.
Plop the hot biscuits on a plate with the country ham and you're ready for the test. For a country boy, it's heaven.

Red Eye Gravy

Brown bits of the trimmed fat in a skillet, add a few tablespoons of black coffee. A spoon of bouillion granules won't hurt a bit.

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