Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-12-27
now TO CUT UP A HOG.

With sharp ak and a sharp butcher
knife at hand, lay the hog on the chop
ping bench, side down With the knife
make a cut near the ear clear across the
neck aud down tc the bone. With a
dexterous stroke Of the AK sever the head
from the body. Lay the carcass on the
back, boy holding it upright and keep
ing the forelegs well apart. With the
ak proceed TO take out the chine or back
bone. II 1t is desired to put as much of
the hog into neat meat rs possible, trim
to the chine very close, taking ont none
of the skim Or outside fat without it.
Otherwise the cutter need not be partic-
ular how much meat comes away with
the bole. What does not 90 with the
neat meat will be in the offal or sausage,
and nothing will be lost. Lay the chine
aside, and with the knife finish separa.
ting the two divisions of the hog. Next
strip off with the hands the leaves or
flakes of fat from the middIes to the
hams. Seize the hook of the ham with
the left hand, and with the knife in
the other proceed to round out the ham,
giving it neat oval shape. Be very
particular in shaping the ham If it is
spoiled in the first cutting, no subsequent
trimming will put it into form to suit
exactly the fastidious public eye. Tim
off the surplus lean and fat and projecting
pieces of bone. Cut off the foot just
above the hook joint. The piece, when
finished, should have nearly the form OF
alegular oval, with its projecting handle
or hook.
With the AK cnt the shoulder from the
middling, making the cut straight across
near the elbow joint. Take off the end
ribs or "spare bone" from the shoulder,
as well as the other pieces, very closely,
taking off all of both lean and fat that
can be spared. If care was taken to cut
away the head near the ear, the shoulder
will be at first about as wide as long,
having good deal OF the neck attached.
II the meat is intended for sale, and the
largest quantity of bacon is the primary
object, let the piece remain so. But if
it is preferred to have plenty of lard and
sausage. cut smart strip from off the
neck side of the shoulder, and make the
piece assume the form of a paralelogram,
with the hook attached to one end.
Trim a slice of fat from the back Of the
middling, take oil the ''short ribs" and,
if preferred, remove the long ribs from
the whole piece. The latter, however,
is not often done by the farmers. Put
the middliug in nice shlpe by trimming
1t wherever needed, which, when finished,
will be very much like a square in form,
perhaps little longer than broad, with
small circular piece cut out from the
end next the ham.
The six pieces Of neat meat are now
ready for the salter. The head is next
cut open longitudinally from side to side,
separating the iowl from the top or
"head, so-called. The jawbone of the
jowl is cut at the angle or tip, and the
"swallow," which is the larynx or upper
part of the windpipe, is taken out. The
head piece is next cut open vertically,
and the lobe of the BRAN is taken out,
and the cars and nose are removed.
RE bone of the chime is cut at several
places for the convenience of the cook,
and the task of the cutter is finished.
Besides the six pieces of neat meat, there
are the chine, scuss, jowl, head, fa.,