Trish is right, cracklins were left after fat was rendered into lard. The fat was cooked slowly for hours in a big old pot outdoors...stirred constantly. Once all the fat separated from the meat, it was poured slowly through a clean cloth so the lard was creamy white. That left the cracklins, which were eaten or used for such things as bread. If you grew up on a farm, you knew how good hot cracklins and sweet potatoes were to a crowd who had worked in a hog killing all day. I cook cracklins at Christmas to season collards. After your county ham cooks, cut small bits of fat and lean into an iron frying pan, cook until crisp, then separate cracklins from oil and pour it over the collards. Each serving comes with a warning that the cook is not responsible for cholesterol content. Don't put skin the in pan to cook because it pops terribly! Thanks for the tasty memories!! Jeanette ----- Original Message ----- From: "Trish Worthington Cobb" <turniproots@mac.com> To: <ncbertie@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 1:27 PM Subject: [NCBERTIE] Cracklins > The cracklins were a by-product of lard making. Lard was an essential > basic cooking ingredient on the farm. The winter hog killing needed to > produce enough lard to last a family all year, because hogs were > killed only during extremely cold weather, due to health safety > precautions. > > During a hog killing, the fatty pieces of the hog, was cooked to > render the lard. This meant cooking it until the grease (lard) was > liquified. The pieces of skin and meat left over from rendering the > lard were called cracklins. I guess they were called cracklins > because they were very crispy. > > When the lard cooled it was not a liquid, but semi-soft and somewhat > creamy. The lard was stored in large tin containers called lard stands. > > This link explains the process well, with photos. > http://www.deltablues.net/cracklin.html > > Trish > > > On Aug 17, 2009, at 12:50 PM, Mmaker52 wrote: > >> understand completely...LOL >> >> >> >> >> In a message dated 08/17/09 12:49:48 Eastern Daylight Time, >> bethdix@comcast.net >> writes: >> I was trying to type pork "fat"......not pork "fact". Sorry....I'm >> babysitting grandchildren. >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Beth Wienberry Dix" <bethdix@comcast.net> >> To: <ncbertie@rootsweb.com> >> Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 12:46 PM >> Subject: Re: [NCBERTIE] Cracklin' Bread >> >> >>> My mother would make cracklin cornbread by cutting up pork fact in >>> small >>> pieces and frying it in an iron skillet until it is crispy. She >>> would >>> leave >>> these "cracklins" and grease from them in the iron skillet and then >>> pour >>> her >>> cornbread batter on top of the cracklins and grease while still hot >>> then >>> put >>> right into the often for the cornbread to bake. >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Mmaker52" <mmaker52@aol.com> >>> To: <ncbertie-l@rootsweb.com> >>> Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 12:24 PM >>> Subject: [NCBERTIE] Cracklin' Bread >>> >>> >>>> I was asked the below question by one of our members and was >>>> wondering if >>>> any of you have the answers? Some of you local Bertites should be >>>> able to >>>> answer these!! >>>> >>>> I really appreciate the participation we are receiving....thank >>>> you all >>>> >>>> Claudia >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Here's one to bring up --- should go right along with the present >>>> subject. >>>> >>>> hot water cracklin' bread? I'm curious about the cracklings --- >>>> I did >>>> see >>>> some in our store the other day..... are they only used in bread? >>>> I think I've also heard of them in yellow baked corn bread. >>>> >>>> ------------------------------- >>>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>>> NCBERTIE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >>>> the >>>> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >>> >>> >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> >>> >>> No virus found in this incoming message. >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>> Version: 8.5.392 / Virus Database: 270.13.58/2309 - Release Date: >>> 08/17/09 >>> 06:08:00 >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>> NCBERTIE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >>> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> >> >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> Version: 8.5.392 / Virus Database: 270.13.58/2309 - Release Date: >> 08/17/09 >> 06:08:00 >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> NCBERTIE-request@rootsweb.com >> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and >> the body of the message >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> NCBERTIE-request@rootsweb.com >> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and >> the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NCBERTIE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I season my collards like that too and throw in some new potatoes. Do you make persimmon pudding at Christmas??? I do now that I finally found a persimmon tree:) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles White" <cgwhite@embarqmail.com> To: <ncbertie@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 1:51 PM Subject: Re: [NCBERTIE] Cracklins > Trish is right, cracklins were left after fat was rendered into lard. The > fat was cooked slowly for hours in a big old pot outdoors...stirred > constantly. Once all the fat separated from the meat, it was poured slowly > through a clean cloth so the lard was creamy white. That left the > cracklins, which were eaten or used for such things as bread. If you grew > up > on a farm, you knew how good hot cracklins and sweet potatoes were to a > crowd who had worked in a hog killing all day. > > I cook cracklins at Christmas to season collards. After your county ham > cooks, cut small bits of fat and lean into an iron frying pan, cook until > crisp, then separate cracklins from oil and pour it over the collards. > Each > serving comes with a warning that the cook is not responsible for > cholesterol content. Don't put skin the in pan to cook because it pops > terribly! > > Thanks for the tasty memories!! > > Jeanette > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Trish Worthington Cobb" <turniproots@mac.com> > To: <ncbertie@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 1:27 PM > Subject: [NCBERTIE] Cracklins > > >> The cracklins were a by-product of lard making. Lard was an essential >> basic cooking ingredient on the farm. The winter hog killing needed to >> produce enough lard to last a family all year, because hogs were >> killed only during extremely cold weather, due to health safety >> precautions. >> >> During a hog killing, the fatty pieces of the hog, was cooked to >> render the lard. This meant cooking it until the grease (lard) was >> liquified. The pieces of skin and meat left over from rendering the >> lard were called cracklins. I guess they were called cracklins >> because they were very crispy. >> >> When the lard cooled it was not a liquid, but semi-soft and somewhat >> creamy. The lard was stored in large tin containers called lard stands. >> >> This link explains the process well, with photos. >> http://www.deltablues.net/cracklin.html >> >> Trish >> >> >> On Aug 17, 2009, at 12:50 PM, Mmaker52 wrote: >> >>> understand completely...LOL >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> In a message dated 08/17/09 12:49:48 Eastern Daylight Time, >>> bethdix@comcast.net >>> writes: >>> I was trying to type pork "fat"......not pork "fact". Sorry....I'm >>> babysitting grandchildren. >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Beth Wienberry Dix" <bethdix@comcast.net> >>> To: <ncbertie@rootsweb.com> >>> Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 12:46 PM >>> Subject: Re: [NCBERTIE] Cracklin' Bread >>> >>> >>>> My mother would make cracklin cornbread by cutting up pork fact in >>>> small >>>> pieces and frying it in an iron skillet until it is crispy. She >>>> would >>>> leave >>>> these "cracklins" and grease from them in the iron skillet and then >>>> pour >>>> her >>>> cornbread batter on top of the cracklins and grease while still hot >>>> then >>>> put >>>> right into the often for the cornbread to bake. >>>> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> From: "Mmaker52" <mmaker52@aol.com> >>>> To: <ncbertie-l@rootsweb.com> >>>> Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 12:24 PM >>>> Subject: [NCBERTIE] Cracklin' Bread >>>> >>>> >>>>> I was asked the below question by one of our members and was >>>>> wondering if >>>>> any of you have the answers? Some of you local Bertites should be >>>>> able to >>>>> answer these!! >>>>> >>>>> I really appreciate the participation we are receiving....thank >>>>> you all >>>>> >>>>> Claudia >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Here's one to bring up --- should go right along with the present >>>>> subject. >>>>> >>>>> hot water cracklin' bread? I'm curious about the cracklings --- >>>>> I did >>>>> see >>>>> some in our store the other day..... are they only used in bread? >>>>> I think I've also heard of them in yellow baked corn bread. >>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------- >>>>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>>>> NCBERTIE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >>>>> the >>>>> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >>>> >>>> >>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> No virus found in this incoming message. >>>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>>> Version: 8.5.392 / Virus Database: 270.13.58/2309 - Release Date: >>>> 08/17/09 >>>> 06:08:00 >>>> >>>> >>>> ------------------------------- >>>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>>> NCBERTIE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >>>> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >>> >>> >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> >>> >>> No virus found in this incoming message. >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>> Version: 8.5.392 / Virus Database: 270.13.58/2309 - Release Date: >>> 08/17/09 >>> 06:08:00 >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>> NCBERTIE-request@rootsweb.com >>> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and >>> the body of the message >>> >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>> NCBERTIE-request@rootsweb.com >>> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and >>> the body of the message >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> NCBERTIE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NCBERTIE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.392 / Virus Database: 270.13.58/2309 - Release Date: 08/17/09 06:08:00