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To Make Souse from Hog's Feet

A historical recipe from Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree (1878).

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A historical recipe

Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree (1878). Project Gutenberg eBook #42450.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

United States

Known as an American recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

Ingredients 1 ingredient

  1. a handful of salt

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Hot oil. Never put water on an oil fire: turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid or a damp tea towel. Pat food dry before it goes into hot oil, and lower it in gently, away from you.
  • Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. As soon as the hog is cleaned, cut off the feet and throw them in a tub of cold water with a handful of salt;
  2. let them remain covered in water until you are ready to clean them, which should be done as soon as possible, as they will be much whiter.
  3. To get the hoof off, put the feet in hot water (not above the hoof);
  4. as soon as they get hot enough, slip a knife between the foot and hoof, and slip it off;
  5. then scrape the foot nicely, and throw into a tub of clear water;
  6. do this for several days.
  7. When you have scraped and changed the water for a week, then wash them clean and put them on to boil.
  8. First put them in a clean pot with a thin gruel made of corn meal;
  9. boil until half done.
  10. Wash them off, and put on in clear hot water, and boil till done, then take them up and throw them into a firkin of clean salt and water;
  11. keep closely covered to prevent them from molding.
  12. They are now ready to fry, which should be done by splitting the foot in half and fried in egg batter.--Mrs.
  13. P.
  14. W.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Frying pan
  • Saucepan
  • Chef's knife
Source Public domain in the USA
Credit

From Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree (1878). Digitised by Project Gutenberg, eBook #42450 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42450). Public domain in the USA; its status may differ elsewhere.

What was changed: As printed, from the book's text; Project Gutenberg's header and licence removed. Ingredient lines were read out of the text by a program. A historical recipe, not current advice.