Where Does Bacon Come From?
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Bacon - From the Farm to Your Table
Growing up on a farm, I knew very well where our food came from and even helped hand-raise our calf (named Hamburger). Don't throw up your hands in horror, but I also know how to pluck a chicken and skin a domestic rabbit.
Anyway, let's get back to the source of bacon. Most people know it comes from pigs, but where is it on the pig? How is it processed? Here are answers to those questions plus more than you ever wanted to know about old-fashioned uses for a butchered hog.
Cute pig mousepad by Lioness_Graphics
Contents at a Glance
- First You Have to Raise the Pig
- Vote for Your Favorite Pig Photo
- An Old-Fashioned Hog Butchering on the F...
- Farmers Used a Hog Scraper Tool
- Farm Life in the 1930s
- My Father's Memoir
- Preview a Section of My Dad's Book - Cly...
- Read All about Butchering a Hog
- The Pig Is Then Divided into Different C...
First You Have to Raise the Pig
"Sleeping Pig" Mousepad by Matra_Man
My brother had a registered Duroc sow to raise as a 4-H project. He won the pig in an essay contest. The project was to raise the pig, have a litter of new pigs and then return one to the contest for the next year. He got to keep the rest of the pigs and any profit he made from raising and selling them. By the way, the sow's name was Suzie.
It wasn't an easy job caring for the pigs and keeping them fed and healthy. Pigs are natural escape artists and ours would often get out and we had to chase them back to the pen. Not fun.
Since the pigs were valuable as breeding stock, none of them ended up on our table. I've heard my father tell about his family butchering their hogs back in the 1930s. It had to be done on a cold day. There's more about that in the video below and in my father's book (preview below).
Vote for Your Favorite Pig Photo
Click up or down using the arrows
Click on any photo to see it larger.
Farmers Used a Hog Scraper Tool
Farm Life in the 1930s
My Father's Memoir
- Clyde Owen Martin: Family Memories of his Life and Times, Compiled by Virginia Martin Allain (preview the book)
- Clyde Martin grew up in Greenwood County, Kansas in the 1930's. The book describes farm life during the Great Depression from butchering days to a very detailed account of early school days on the Kansas prairies.
Preview a Section of My Dad's Book - Clyde Owen Martin
Read All about Butchering a Hog
Home Pork Making; A Complete Guide - In All That Pertains To Hog Slaughtering, Curing, Preserving, And Storing Pork Product--From Scalding Vat To Kitchen Table And Dining Room
Amazon Price: $23.34 (as of 05/28/2012)
This book is a complete guide for the farmer, the country butcher and the suburban dweller, in all that pertains to hog slaughtering, curing, preserving and storing pork product- from the scalding vat to kitchen table and dining room. Originally published in 1900. This book furnishes in a plain manner such detailed information as is needed to enable the farmer, feeder, or country butcher to successfully and economically slaughter his own hogs and cure his own pork. All stages of the work are fully presented, so that without special equipment any intelligent person can readily follow the instructions. Hints are given about finishing off hogs for bacon, hams etc. Then beginning with proper methods of slaughtering, the various processes are clearly presented, including every needful detail from scalding vat to the kitchen baking dish. (product description from Amazon)
The Pig Is Then Divided into Different Cuts of Meat
The Pork Belly Is Where American Bacon Comes from
Pork Meat Cuts - Pig Tasty Tasty Piggy by makemystyle
How Often Do You Eat Bacon?
Vote in the poll
Cooking with Bacon and Pork
Tell Us How You Feel about Bacon
I can't resist a BLT once in awhile. It's very seldom that we have an old-fashioned breakfast of bacon and eggs. When we do, it's a real treat. I must admit that we buy the turkey bacon though.
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Pitaya
May 23, 2012 @ 11:53 pm | delete
- I can't find bacon in my small french town but I do buy 'lardons' (google it if you want to know what you're missing!) which I use regularly.
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Wedding_Mom
Apr 23, 2012 @ 12:21 am | delete
- It's ok to eat bacon and indulge from time to time. How can we resist such delicious treat?
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cold0911
Apr 22, 2012 @ 1:35 am | delete
- Great bacon lens. I too love the turkey bacon, but nothing beats the real deal. Check Out my lens on funny bacon gifts. There's even a bacon coffin! Great lens you have here. It kept me wanting to see more.
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KitandCaboodle
Mar 1, 2012 @ 7:30 pm | delete
- Love bacon but try not to indulge in it too often. To me the turkey bacon is OK, but just not the same. Give me the real thing any day!
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JaguarJulie Mar 1, 2012 @ 9:11 am | delete
- Hey Hey Hey ... honoring our little pigs today ... poor little bacon piggy! Where does my bacon come from? Turkeys ... [I think]. ;)
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SayGuddaycom
Feb 17, 2012 @ 9:43 pm | delete
- I live on a boat so meat is a real luxury but, when I'm on land, do love me some bacon!
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kimmanleyort
Nov 8, 2011 @ 10:08 am | delete
- What an informative lens on bacon from someone who knows what they are talking about. I really love bacon, although I only eat it once in a while.
Your Dad's book looks really interesting. Blessed by a Squid Angel.
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anonamas
Oct 14, 2011 @ 7:12 am | delete
- yum bacon i just had some for breakfast
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sidther
Aug 17, 2011 @ 8:02 am | delete
- I absolutely love bacon! If I were made of money I would eat bacon every day, but since I am not it it takes a lot of bacon to make me feel full, I only eat it every couple of months or so! I have never been able to eat Turkey bacon, I am hypersensitive to smell and taste, so even on a burger it just tastes too different. I love how you handled this, I will show my son this lens as he has been inquiring about where his foods come from.
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mismatch
Aug 16, 2011 @ 6:39 am | delete
- The bacon comes from my home country where Dracula is also coming from. Bacon is the best thing ever -- braii it on a stick of wood that is not dry and drip it on a piece of bread while getting done. Forget about diet and health for an hour and think about happiness! Keep well!
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MiddleSister
Aug 8, 2011 @ 8:00 am | delete
- If we eat it, we ought to know where it comes from.
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ellagis
Jul 27, 2011 @ 4:09 pm | delete
- I really like the style you used to describe such difficult arguments. As ex environmental educator, I can tell you that children would really love your style too (but, as librarian, I guess you know it better than me!!!) :)
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gottaloveit
Jul 17, 2011 @ 4:17 pm | delete
- Was a bit trepidatious when I started reading this lens but you handled the subject with your normal aplomb.
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phoenix-arizona-friends
Jul 11, 2011 @ 4:46 pm | delete
- Very cool lens.
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A-Redneck
Jul 3, 2011 @ 8:40 am | delete
- I am not much of a meat person but pork chops and bacon are my favorite meats. When I get a craving for some protein it is "Run little piggy run...".
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A Worthy Charity
The Food For Everyone Foundation's mission is to teach and assist families everywhere to grow successful and sustainable vegetable gardens, and really enjoy the experience.
by vallain
I'm Virginia Allain, a retired librarian. Now I devote myself to writing, photography and designing books to self-publish. Having fun!
My current project...
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You Can Buy Gourmet Bacon Online!
Bacon Lover's Feast (2.5 pound)
Amazon Price: $29.99 (as of 05/28/2012)
How to Cut and Cook Pork
The Butcher's Guide to Well-Raised Meat: How to Buy, Cut, and Cook Great Beef, Lamb, Pork, Poultry, and More
Amazon Price: $13.85 (as of 05/28/2012)
Bacon Sampler Gift Box
to send to your favorite person
Nueske's Applewood Smoked Bacon Sampler Gift Box
Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 05/28/2012)
