Update on Romanian Pig Slaughtering
Mihaela Lica who has a blog “Romania: Simply Surprising” posted last year on the annual killing of pigs for the Christmas meal, the subject of some debate in the EU. This year she contacted me again.
“I am not sure if you are informed, but apparently the EU keeps allowing Romania to slaughter pigs in the traditional way. I am not pro, obviously, but many Romanians (particularly peasants who practice this tradition for generations) are happy. There’s something about the fresh blood needed for home made sausages like “sangerete” that makes them advocate this tradition. There’s of course the meat, which loses its tender consistency if the animal is not sacrificed in the traditional manner (not that I really believe this) – and there are a few other explanations.”
Here’s the new link.
Do look at the photos and illustrations.
Mihaela is a vegetarian in spirit at least. I have to say that although killing is never a simple matter I do not see that the killing of pigs by Romanian country people is particularly cruel.
Mihaela do you want to explain a bit more? Anyone else comments?
My Grampa taught me how to slaughter a pig and we used to scald the pig and scrape off the hairs. That blowtorch method in the photos is beyond the pale…
Bob, I write as a complete ignoramus about this. Why is the blowtorch so unacceptable? And do you think the slaughtering itself is unusually cruel?
Any thoughts most welcome.
The blowtorch to me looks like the lazy way out. Very sloppy. Can you imagine a nice cured ham with a burnt blotchy look? I have no objection at all to the slaughtering. It is done millions of times a day to various types of animals. The Jewish people and the Muslim people in particular (among others) do it with proper respect. As long as there is an acknowledgment that all life comes from God then I have no problem. We kill pigs and goats all the time here in Mexico, Rachel, as you well know. Done quickly and properly the animal doesn’t suffer.
Here is a link that shows more or less how my Grampa did it:
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/26314158utgXAgvDNf
It’s hard to explain, Rachel. You have to be there, to understand. It always appeared to me as if the animal understands what is going on. I remember (although I was only 10 when I last saw a pig slaughtered) how the animal screamed, and sometimes I thought I saw a tear in its eye. Then the agony… the pig is still alive when the blood drains out of its throat.
It’s probably hypocrisy to call pig slaughtering cruel and go on eating the meat. Also, I am not saying that people should stop killing these animals. But if we are to do it, at least let’s do it in a more humane manner.
Mihaela and Bob, Thanks so much for informative comments. The photos you linked to Bob are excellent. But I assume the EU is not going to allow people to have guns to shoot pigs.
I had always believed that throat slitting if done properly was pretty quick too. Any one have any information on that.
And your argument about the blow torch sounds right.
The Italians also traditionally slaughter at this time of year. They also believe that a pig that is quickly and humanely slaughtered will taste better; the reasoning is that fear creates adrenalin which toughens the meat. Frankly, if every last scrap of the pig is used, including the blood, then that is the highest homage. I have numerous local Umbrian recipes for blood puddings, both sweet and savory.
As far as the blow torch goes, the guy is probably thrilled to death to have that blow torch. I wonder what he used before he had the blow torch.
I’ve never been present when a pig was slaughtered but I’ve attended the slaughter of a number of other critters. The most memorable was a few years ago in Tuva. I was with a very small group of foreigners and one of our ‘stops’ was a couple of days and a night with a family who lived hours drive away from the city. They occupied two gers and there were no other habitations visible to the flat horizon in any direction. For the night the whole family slept in one ger and the foreigners slept in the other, but that is another story. At mid-day a large elderly ewe was led to a small wooden palette between the gers and laid down on her back. There were a couple of people holding each foot and stroking the legs. There were some more gently holding the head and stroking the exposed neck. There was no crying or struggling by the animal at all. A man came up with a thin knife similar to a scimitar and he and another man separated the wool down to the skin just under the ewe’s rib cage. An incision about 8″ long was made starting at the bottom end of the sternum and only through the skin and fat, not into the muscle. There was no blood and no crying or jerking by the animal. A man, who obviously knew the anatomy, slid his hand and arm into the animal not tearing any muscle. A question was asked about what he was doing and the answer was, “Stopping the heart so it won’t hurt.” The people at the head continued stroking and watched the eyes to see when the animal was dead. At that time began the process of turning the animal into products necessary to survival — draining the blood and peeling off the skin. There was no blood except from the neck into a basin. We were told that blood on the skin or wool would ruin it. Dinner that night was delicious and very tough.
As a child I participated many times to the pig slaughtering.
I saw from close the way how it is done.I don’t think a pork feel more pain than a bull in arena.
The torch is used to burn the hair and to make the skin softer in order to be used in cooking.Also, personally, I loooove the pork skin from the bally after is cleaned.
And there is this tradition to put the kids to ride the pork after is cleaned and covered with a blanket.The riding and the eating of the tail is suppose to keep the fear away from little kids.It worked for me!!!!
It is a wonderful tradition as many other traditions are and I belief that UE will stay away from that since in Romania are many other situations to be fixed.
Mariana, thanks so much for the very evocative account of pig killing in your own life. I loved it. And in your experience then you can wield the blow torch so that it does not damage the skin nor begin to cook the flesh underneath?
It really is ironic that as Americans and Europeans want to become closer to the sources of their food, including to how animals are killed, the EU is moving in the other direction.
Interesting article today in Slate about slaughtering.
Not pigs but cows – but nonetheless interesting as it explores links between culture, architecture, economics, etc. – the issues which exist in the discussion of the slaughter of any food animal (though of course in different flavors depending on the beast).
I have vivid memories from my childhood about pig slaughtering. I used to hide away not to hear the noises they made, but soon after it was all ok, everyone around it. Taking part in preparing the pig, burning the skin, covering it in a blanket, riding it, cleaning it afterwards, assisting the man who separated all the organs and finally getting to eat it… it was a ritual. The whole family was part of it, each one of us was busy with something.
There’s even a day when the pig, they say, dream about its death, St Ignatiu. The day you slaughter it it’s called Ignat.
I love that tradition about my country. Experiencing it now as an adult I get to understand so many things about culture, myths and even reflect upon life and death, they seem more natural and less frightening. I would recommend anyone to take part in that ritual once