Memories of the Countryside: The 80s, the most memorable pig-killing rice

Pig in the mountain village (1)

In the past, in the countryside, every family was a small zoo, raising pigs, chickens, cattle and other livestock, and some also raised sheep, donkeys, mules, horses, ducks, geese, rabbits.

Among these animals, the pig is definitely the debut of the C position, the treatment of big coffee, but it is said to be a member of the family. Not only does it bring economic income to the family, but it also affects the improvement of food for a year.

Piglets are generally purchased from the market, if the family has a surplus of food, just buy it before killing the big pig years ago, when the price of the piglet is relatively cheap, buy it back and raise it with the big pig, until the big pig completes its mission, and the new pig continues its journey. In most cases, it is necessary to wait until the big pigs are sold, the hands are rich, and the spring is open to buy piglets on the market. The metropolis waited for the afternoon market to disperse, when after a day's tossing, the pigs were almost all excreted, the selected cubs were light, and the farmers were always careful. Then put the piglets in the back basket of the two-eight bicycle and bring them back. Those who didn't ride put them in a dung basket and carried them back on one shoulder. Dung baskets are a common domestic type in the mountains, which are woven into the shape of baskets with thorns from the mountains, and then added a thick wooden stick with an anti-U shape on the wide side of the basket. Go to the mountains to carry a mountain goods, collect some grain, decorate dry cow dung, etc., very useful. But those who have not used it cannot be used, and for those who are not used to carrying it, the wooden stick rests on the shoulder, and the shoulder is pressed and hurts. So if you don't make it, just put your hand under the stick to relieve the pressure. If you happen to bring nothing, put the pig on your back and carry it back. The pig cub peed on its back, and the picture was unimaginable. But it's harder to imagine how to carry it. Is it like a child with two hooves forked apart, but the pig brother has no hands and will not wrap his neck, I don't know how it can be honest and safe all the way back.

In order to let the children cut the grass, the parents often coax the children to say, come back from school to cut some grass, feed the pigs full, how long the meat, the pig's hooves for the New Year. XX, pig tail to you, eat no runny nose, this folk folk remedy, do not know where it comes from, do not know to care about things, anyway, the pig tail has not been cut, it has been pus all day with snot children fixed. Spring begins to be a variety of wild vegetables in the mountains, wildflowers are lush and green, and the grass is green. Cabbage, red root grass, purslane, etc. are all eaten by pigs. After school, I came back from school to cut a few bundles, threw them into the pigsty, watched the pigs eat gobbling, and did not come back in vain, looking forward to how long the pig's trotters were, and eating a rolling melon belly round in the New Year. Every time the adults came back from the field, they also carried a basket full of grass. It is not enough to eat grass, but also add some rice bran and wheat bran. After the autumn, cornmeal is often added, but it is rare, and in that era of material poverty, people even have to save cornmeal, after all, people can't eat enough. Add some grain after autumn so that the pigs can grow more fat. In winter, it was cold and cold outside, a desolate place, and there was no grass. People would take dried yam vines and peanut vines out of the hay room and add them to the pigs. Every few days, boil a pot of pork food in a large pot, and put carrots, yams, cabbage gangs, and some rice bran and the like. Think about the so-called healthy diet that people are pursuing now, pigs have achieved it many years earlier than people. Now in the city fires these wild vegetables such as cabbage, purslane, as well as corn, yam noodle nests. If the older generation sees it, it is time to sigh, this is why, the world has changed, and it is back to the old society.

At the beginning of the twentieth month of the Waxing Moon, it is time for the lazy pigs, who have been served by adults and children for a year, to dedicate. This is also the most lively time in the village, with large pots, shelves and gate panels. A few strong boys drove the pigs out of the pigsty, and the piglets bought from 10 catties, raising only about 150 pounds a year. Wagging their butts and tails, they walked down the street, and the children helped chase the pigs. When you come to the pig killing place, it is generally a relatively spacious open space. The strong boys went up, lifted the pig and held it on the board. The pig screamed like crazy "Squeak... chirping...! chirping...! "Desperately resist. It is indeed desperate, because what is wanted is its life. The man with the main knife, took a knife, pointed it at the pig's neck, and snorted and went in. "The white knife goes in, the red knife comes out" is probably how it came about. Even after being stabbed, the pig still screamed loudly, and the sound shook the whole village and reverberated through the surrounding mountains. Bright red blood flowed down from the neck, leaning over to help, quickly handed a basin to receive blood. In the future, the blood of this red dandan will be made into a blood clot to satisfy people's taste buds. Occasionally there are careless guys, not pressed, the pig one heel up, with injuries can still run around the street, causing a riot. When the crying gradually stopped, it died. The blood is almost after the release. The main knife man cut a small cut in the pig's hind legs. Use a long steel rod to penetrate under the pig skin, skewering back and forth, so that the pork skin and pork are separated. At this time, a young man with a large lung capacity and an understanding of the game has to come up and blow the pig. The so-called blowing, is like blowing a balloon, pinch the leg with the hand, blow the air with the mouth against the small mouth of the pig's hind leg, when the blowing hand is released, to ensure that the gas goes in, once blown in, immediately press the hand tightly to prevent air leakage. It's a very tiring job. It often takes several people to alternate back and forth. Listening to my mother, Grandpa is a pig killing master, blowing this kind of thing to the pig, he will do it alone, huffing and whirring, and blowing up in a moment. Here there is both good health and skill. When the pig blows into a large balloon, the large iron pot that has been prepared comes in handy, and the water in the big pot has been boiled, waiting for the pig to go into the water. Several people worked together to carry the pig into the pot and burn the hair. Dead pigs are not afraid of boiling water. Sometimes in the pot, the hair is shaved with a flat stone, and sometimes the pig is placed on a large board. Man-made knife tricks, pigs for fish meat began ho ho ho. Yikes! Yikes! Scrape back and forth on the smooth surface of the pig skin, and sprinkle hot water while scraping to prevent the temperature from dropping. For the bristles on the spine, the stone scraper is a bit difficult. Occasionally you have to use pliers to pull, the plucked bristles can not be thrown around, you can sell a few cents, in the past this thing is the material for brushes. After the pig hair is hot, it is put on the shelf. Hanging the pig's hind legs, the main knife began to cut off the pig's head, cut off the pig's trotters, and open the stomach. First get the pig out of the water to wash. The remaining flesh is cut along the bone texture. A lively feast is coming to an end.

Pig in the Mountain Village (II)

After the slaughter of the pigs, a relatively sumptuous dinner will be arranged that night to entertain the people who come to help, especially the main knife hand who kills the pigs. This is not only a reward for hard work, but also a small gathering before the New Year when everyone can eat meat and drink some wine. The children gathered around the cauldron, pulling the bellows and smelling the meat all over the room. Halazi can flow to the ground. Only tonight, the family will say, let go and eat, the meat tube is enough. Each child picked up lean meat, rib meat, chewed it with relish, and ate it. Usually there are very few meat stars, this is a delicious meal, until you eat the throat eyes, full of mouth oil, full of meat aroma. If the family conditions are worse, there will be some pig heads, pig brains, pigs in the water, and other meat and bones will all be sold to supplement the family. Pig heads, as well as intestinal oil is not sold, these oil savings, is a source of cooking oil for a year at home. If the family conditions are better, sell half of the pigs and keep half. The part that remains is boiled in a large pot until seven or eight are ripe, and a little salt is added. Use the refined lard to store in the urn, the family comes to the individual, occasionally improve the food, take out a few pieces from the urn, by the way bring some lard, consume a little, treat a guest, relieve a hunger. Enough to eat this year.

Now if you want to eat pork, you can buy it whenever you want. And tenderloin, pine plate meat, plum blossom meat, buttocks tip meat, pork belly, etc. are clearly classified, each part of the eating method is different, the same old time can not be the same day, but then fine division, no matter how rich the way to eat, there is no such era of material scarcity, a large pot of various stews, a bite down full of fragrant refreshing. Maybe people's appetite is spoiled, or maybe people miss not only the taste, but also the moment when they rub their hands and feet on the edge of the pot, scratch their ears and scratch their cheeks, and wait for the pork to stew well, open the lid of the pot, light their eyes, and pound the ground. ( Su Jian )