Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1892 — Seorch Instead of Scald. [ARTICLE]

Seorch Instead of Scald.

It is quite a common practice in Europe to remove the hair from slaughtered pigs by burning instead of scalding. The heat has the same effect either way in destroying the epidermis or outer skin, and thus removing the hair from the carcass. The method is as follows: Some dry straw is laid down and the pig is laid upon it, more straw is thrown on the carcass, and fire is set to it all. All that is required is to scorch the skin; it must not be burned. If this is done as soon as the animal is dead and still warm, a blister is raised on the skin and the hair is loosened. It is necessary to manage the fire and turn the carcass so that the heat is distributed evenly and not too much of it is made. The carcass is then scraped in the usual manner.