WHAT TO DO WITH THE OFFAL.
Aside from the pieces of meat into which a hog is usually cut, there will
be left as offal the chine or backbone, the jowl, the souse, the liver and
lungs, pig's feet, two spareribs and two short ribs or griskins. Nearly
every housekeeper knows what disposition to make of all this, yet too
often these wholesome portions of the hog are not utilized to best
advantage.
PORK SAUSAGE.
Sausage has formed a highly prized article of food for a good many hundred
years. Formed primarily as now, by chopping the raw meat very fine, and
adding salt and other flavoring materials, and often meal or bread crumbs,
the favorite varieties of to-day might not be considered any improvement
over the recipes of the ancient Romans were they to pass judgment on the
same. History tells us that these early Italian sausages were made of
fresh pork and bacon, chopped fine, with the addition of nuts, and
flavored with cumin seed, pepper, bay leaves and various pot herbs. Italy
and Germany are still celebrated for their bologna sausages and with many
people these smoked varieties are highly prized.
Like pure lard, sausage is too often a scarce article in the market. Most
city butchers mix a good deal of beef with the pork, before it is ground,
and so have a sausage composed of two sorts of meat, which does not
possess that agreeable, sweet, savory taste peculiar to nice fresh pork.
The bits of lean, cut off when trimming the pieces of neat meat, the
tenderloins, and slices of lean from the shoulders and hams, together with
some fat, are first washed nicely, cleared of bone and scraps of skin,
then put into the chopper, and ground fine. If a great deal of sausage is
wanted, the neat meat is trimmed very close, so as to take all the lean
that can be spared from the pieces. Sometimes whole shoulders are cut up
and ground. The heads, too, or the fleshy part, make good sausage. Some
housekeepers have the livers and "lights," or lungs, ground up and
prepared for sausage, and they make a tolerable substitute. This
preparation should be kept separate from the other, however, and be eaten
while cold weather lasts, as it will not keep as long as the other kind.
After sausage is properly ground, add salt, sage, rosemary, and red or
black pepper to suit the taste. The rosemary may be omitted, but sage is
essential. All these articles should be made fine before mixing them with
the meat. In order to determine accurately whether the sausage contains
enough of these ingredients, cook a little and taste it.
If sausage is to be kept in jars, pack it away closely in them, as soon as
it is ground and seasoned, and set the jars, securely closed, in a cool
room. But it is much better to provide for smoking some of it, to keep
through the spring and early summer. When the entrails are ready, stuff
them full with the meat, after which the ends are tied and drawn together,
and the sausage hung up in the smokehouse for smoking. This finishes the
process of making pork sausage. Put up in this way, it deserves the name
of sausage and it makes a dish good enough for any one. It is one of the
luxuries of life which may be manufactured at home.
BOLOGNA SAUSAGE.
The popular theory is that these familiar sausages originated in the
Italian city of that name, where the American visitor always stops for a
bit of "the original." Many formulas are used in the preparation of
bologna sausages, or rather many modifications of a general formula. Lean,
fresh meat trimmings are employed and some add a small proportion of
heart, all chopped very fine. While being chopped, spices and seasoning
are added, with a sufficient quantity of salt. The meat employed is for
the most part beef, to which is added some fresh or salted pork. When
almost completed, add gradually a small quantity of potato flour and a
little water. The mixture being of the proper consistency, stuff in beef
casings, tie the ends together into rings of fair length and smoke
thoroughly. This accomplished, boil until the sausages rise to the top,
when they are ready for use. Some recipes provide for two parts of beef
and one part of fat pork and the addition of a little ground coriander
seed to the seasoning.
WESTPHALIAN SAUSAGES
are made in much the same manner as frankforts, chopped not quite so fine,
and, after being cased, are smoked about a week.
FRANKFORT SAUSAGES.
Clean bits of pork, both fat and lean, are chopped fine and well moistened
with cold water. These may be placed in either sheep or hog casings
through the use of the homemade filler shown on another page.
SUABIAN SAUSAGES.
Chop very finely fat and lean meat until the mass becomes nearly a paste,
applying a sprinkling of cold water during the operation. Suabian
sausages are prepared by either smoking or boiling, and in the latter case
may be considered sufficiently cooked when they rise to the surface of the
water in which they are boiled.
ITALIAN PORK SAUSAGES.
The preparation of these requires considerable care, but the product is
highly prized by many. For every nine pounds of raw pork add an equal
amount of boiled salt pork and an equal amount of raw veal. Then add two
pounds selected sardines with all bones previously removed. Chop together
to a fine mass and then add five pounds raw fat pork previously cut into
small cubes. For the seasoning take six ounces salt, four ounces ground
pepper, eight ounces capers, eight ounces pistachio nuts peeled and boiled
in wine. All of these ingredients being thoroughly mixed, add about one
dozen pickled and boiled tongues cut into narrow strips. Place the sausage
in beef casings of good size. In boiling, the sausages should be wrapped
in a cloth with liberal windings of stout twine and allowed to cook about
an hour. Then remove to a cool place about 24 hours.
TONGUE SAUSAGE.
To every pound of meat used add two pounds of tongues, which have
previously been cut into small pieces, mixing thoroughly. These are to be
placed in large casings and boiled for about an hour. The flavor of the
product may be improved if the tongues are previously placed for a day in
spiced brine. Pickled tongues are sometimes used, steeped first in cold
water for several hours.
BLACK FOREST SAUSAGES.
This is an old formula followed extensively in years gone by in Germany.
Very lean pork is chopped into a fine mass and for every ten pounds,
three pounds of fat bacon are added, previously cut comparatively fine.
This is properly salted and spiced and sometimes a sprinkling of blood is
added to improve the color. Fill into large casings, place over the fire
in a kettle of cold water and simmer without boiling for nearly an hour.
LIVER SAUSAGE.
The Germans prepare this by adding to every five pounds of fat and lean
pork an equal quantity of ground rind and two and one-half pounds liver.
Previously partly cook the rind and pork and chop fine, then add the raw
liver well chopped and press through a coarse sieve. Mix all thoroughly
with sufficient seasoning. As the raw liver will swell when placed in
boiling water, these sausages should be filled into large skins, leaving
say a quarter of the space for expansion. Boil nearly one hour, dry, then
smoke four or five days.
ROYAL CAMBRIDGE SAUSAGES
are made by adding rice in the proportion of five pounds to every ten
pounds of lean meat and six pounds of fat. Previously boil the rice about
ten minutes, then add gradually to the meat while being chopped fine, not
forgetting the seasoning. The rice may thus be used instead of bread, and
it is claimed to aid in keeping the sausages fresh and sweet.
BRAIN SAUSAGES.
Free from all skin and wash thoroughly the brain of two calves. Add one
pound of lean and one pound of fat pork previously chopped fine. Use as
seasoning four or five raw grated onions, one ounce salt, one-half ounce
ground pepper. Mix thoroughly, place in beef casings and boil about five
minutes. Afterward hang in a cool place until ready for use.
TOMATO SAUSAGES.
Add one and one-half pounds pulp of choice ripe tomatoes to every seven
pounds of sausage meat, using an addition of one pound of finely crushed
crackers, the last named previously mixed with a quart of water and
allowed to stand for some time before using. Add the mixture of tomato and
cracker powder gradually to the meat while the latter is being chopped.
Season well and cook thoroughly.
SPANISH SAUSAGE
is made by using one-third each leaf lard, lean and fat pork, first
thoroughly boiling and chopping fine the meat. Add to this the leaf lard
previously chopped moderately fine, mix well and add a little blood to
improve the color and moisten the whole. This sausage is to be placed in
large casings and tied in links eight to twelve inches long. In an old
recipe for Spanish sausage seasoning it is made of seven pounds ground
white pepper, six ounces ground nutmeg, eight ounces ground pimento or
allspice and a sprinkling of bruised garlic.
ANOTHER SAUSAGE SEASONING.
To five pounds salt add two pounds best ground white pepper, three ounces
ground mace, or an equal quantity of nutmeg, four ounces ground coriander
seed, two ounces powdered cayenne pepper and mix thoroughly.
ADMIXTURE OF BREAD.
Very often concerns which manufacture sausage on a large scale add
considerable quantities of bread. This increases the weight at low cost,
thus cheapening the finished product, and is also said to aid in keeping
qualities. While this is no doubt thoroughly wholesome, it is not in vogue
by our most successful farmers who have long made a business of preparing
home-cured sausage. Bread used for sausages should have the crust removed,
should be well soaked in cold water for some time before required, then
pressed to remove the surplus moisture, and added gradually to the pork
while being chopped. Some sausage manufacturers add 10 to 15 per cent in
weight of crushed crackers instead of bread to sausage made during hot
weather. This is to render the product firm and incidentally to increase
the weight through thoroughly mixing the cracker crumbs or powder with an
equal weight or more of water before adding to the meat.
SAUSAGE IN CASES.
Many prefer to pack in sausage casings, either home prepared or purchased
of a dealer in packers' supplies. Latest improved machines for rapidly
filling the cases are admirably adapted to the work, and this can also be
accomplished by a homemade device. Figure 15 shows a simple bench and
lever arrangement to be used with the common sausage filler, which
lightens the work so much that even a small boy can use it with ease, and
any person can get up the whole apparatus at home with little or no
expense. An inch thick pine board one foot wide and four and one-fourth
feet long is fitted with four legs, two and one-half feet long, notched
into its edges, with the feet spread outward to give firmness. Two oak
standards eighteen inches high are set thirty-four inches apart, with a
slot down the middle of each, for the admission of an oak lever eight feet
long. The left upright has three or four holes, one above another, for the
lever pin, as shown in the engraving. The tin filler is set into the
bench nearer the left upright and projects below for receiving the skins.
Above the filler is a follower fitting closely into it, and its top
working very loosely in the lever to allow full play as it moves up and
down. The engraving shows the parts and mode of working.
[Illustration: FIG. 15. HOMEMADE SAUSAGE FILLER.]
PHILADELPHIA SCRAPPLE.
This is highly prized in some parts of the country, affording a breakfast
dish of great relish. A leading Philadelphia manufacturer has furnished us
with the following recipe: To make 200 lbs. of scrapple, take about 80
lbs. of good clean pork heads, remove the eyes, brains, snout, etc. Put in
about 20 gals. of water and cook until it is thoroughly done. Then take
out, separate the bones and chop the meat fine. Take about 15 gals, of the
liquor left after boiling the heads, and if the water has boiled down to a
quantity less than 15 gals., make up its bulk with hot water; if more than
15 gals. remain, take some of the water out, but be sure to keep some of
the good fat liquor. Put this quantity of the liquor into a kettle, add
the chopped meat, together with 10 oz. pure white pepper, 8 oz. sweet
marjoram, 2 lbs. fine salt. Stir well until the liquor comes to a good
boil. Have ready for use at this time 25 lbs. good Indian meal and 7 lbs.
buckwheat flour. As soon as the liquor begins to boil add the meal and
flour, the two being previously mixed dry. Be careful to put the meal in a
little at a time, scattering it well and stirring briskly, that it may not
burn to the kettle. Cook until well done, then place in pans to cool. The
pans should be well greased, also the dipper used, to prevent the scrapple
sticking to the utensils. When cold, the scrapple is cut into slices and
fried in the ordinary manner as sausage. Serve hot.
SOUSE.
After being carefully cleaned and soaked in cold water, the feet, ears,
nose and sometimes portions of the head may be boiled, thoroughly boned,
and pressed into bowls or other vessels for cake souse. But frequently
these pieces, instead of being boned, are placed whole in a vessel and
covered with a vinegar, and afterwards taken a little at a time, as
wanted, and fried.
JOWLS AND HEAD.
If not made into souse or sausage, these may be boiled unsmoked, with
turnips, peas or beans; or smoked and cooked with cabbage or salad. The
liver and accompanying parts, if not converted into sausage, may be
otherwise utilized.
THE SPARERIBS AND SHORT BONES
may be cooked in meat pies with a crust, the same as chicken, or they may
be fried or boiled. The large end of the chine makes a good piece for
baking. The whole chine may be smoked and will keep a long time.
CRACKNELS.
This is the portion of the fat meat which is left after the lard is
cooked, and is used by many as an appetizing food. The cracknels may be
pressed and thus much more lard secured. This latter, however, should be
used before the best lard put away in tubs. After being pressed the
cracknels are worked into a dough with corn meal and together made into
cracknel bread.
BRAWN
is comparatively little used in this country, though formerly a highly
relished dish in Europe, where it was often prepared from the flesh of the
wild boar. An ancient recipe is as follows: "The bones being taken out of
the flitches (sides) or other parts, the flesh is sprinkled with salt and
laid on a tray, that the blood may drain off, after which it is salted a
little and rolled up as hard as possible. The length of the collar of
brawn should be as much as one side of the boar will permit; so that when
rolled up the piece may be nine or ten inches in diameter. After being
thus rolled up, it is boiled in a copper or large kettle, till it is so
tender that you may run a stiff straw through it. Then it is set aside
till it is thoroughly cold, put into a pickle composed of water, salt, and
wheat-bran, in the proportion of two handfuls of each of the latter to
every gallon of water, which, after being well boiled together, is
strained off as clear as possible from the bran, and, when quite cold, the
brawn is put into it."
HEAD CHEESE.
This article is made usually of pork, or rather from the meat off the
pig's head, skins, and coarse trimmings. After having been well boiled,
the meat is cut into pieces, seasoned well with sage, salt, and pepper,
and pressed a little, so as to drive out the extra fat and water. Some add
the meat from a beef head to make it lean. Others add portions of heart
and liver, heating all in a big pan or other vessel, and then running
through a sausage mill while hot.
BLOOD PUDDINGS
are usually made from the hog's blood with chopped pork, and seasoned,
then put in casings and cooked. Some make them of beef's blood, adding a
little milk; but the former is the better, as it is thought to be the
richer.
SPICED PUDDINGS.
These are made somewhat like head-cheese, and often prepared by the German
dealers, some of whom make large quantities. They are also made of the
meat from the pig's chops or cheeks, etc., well spiced and boiled. Some
smoke them.