Duke:

Both of my sets of Grandparents butchered and cured their own meat.

My mother’s folks were German and Grandpa ran a Grade A Dairy. They made Wurst, Jerkey, Schnitzel, Sauerbraten, and regular Smoked Sausage, etc. Grandma would can 50-100 quarts of kraut both green and purple every year. Her Potato Salad was the best ever! She also made all kinds of Strudels, that served with homemade ice cream from the dairy, was a Treat Deluxx!

My Dad’s folks were poor old country farmers. Papa had a big Smokehouse where he cured his hams and sausage. Papa liked to make Hot Links. And they were HOT! He raised some really hot red peppers and would use the ground up seeds in his Hot Links. He really liked the burn and I guess I inherited that from him. They used the Whole Hog including: hocks, knuckles, jowles, brains, heart, liver, and Chitlins.

They raised a big garden and raised corn, peas, beans, tomatoes, onions, turnips, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, and watermelons. They had an orchard and had pears, peaches, apples, figs, blackberries, and pecans. Ma would make cobblers and Butter Rolls in a big porcelain dish pan.

My Uncle Paul had gone off to a CCC camp during the Depression and learned how to be a Stone Mason. He built Papa a big Smoker out of Iron Ore rocks complete with a chimney. Papa could grill steaks on it or slow smoke a brisket.

Anyhow, I miss them all and I find myself thinking about them a lot this time of the year. Sorry to go on & on but it has been fun to write it all down and remember those days.

Coach