Salting, Curing and Smoking your own meat 

Old Timers like this are worth their weight in gold. Too many people don't appreciate the knowledge and wisdom they have acquired over the years. Thanks for posting this.

Everyone should have a Grandpa like this, and have to spend every summer with him! I bet Granny is a keeper too! Thank you for sharing this. The 895 dislikes are the people who think meat magically appears at the grocery store.

I loved this video. That's how people used to talk to one another... with kindness and respect, especially for our elders. Great video!

"We got more then we deserve,,,,,and we don't appreciate what we have." Nailed it on the head old timer! Its so true its sad.

One of our true national treasures right there! I wish my Grandparents were still around to learn from.

Thank you for preserving these memories. Glad to know there are people out there that still know how to do things like this. Hats off to this man and his family.

I wish there was a program that has men like this who show the old ways of doing things like this just to learn and gather knowledge

Anyone else up vote just for the old timer? Champion.

Im 54 yrs old and this video has touched me. I love the "Ol ways". Its what got us this far. that old gentleman made my day.

Thank you for showing us how it is done. I am fortunate enough to have been taught these things by my dad, an old world Polish farmer, and have passed our Polish traditions on to my boy. God Bless.

Tim - it would be awesome to see a follow-up with Bills boys if they are still doing this to see the tradition carry one. This is one of the best videos I’ve seen. Blessings and stay well!

Forget about smoking ham! The lessons from this man are priceless and timeless.

I can watch this for days! How great would it be to spend some front porch setting with him? Takes me back to my childhood, reminds me so much of my grandfather. Immense amount of knowledge!

Love them old timers. Now that's a man to look up to.

He's a good man!!! The gentleness and knowledge are so rare these days men take note!!

Thanks to this video it's not just the grandchildren that will remember and carry on this tradition. As a chef and wild man I've always had my notions about how the process of bacon should happen, but now I know better. The Foxfire series of books are some of my favorites, and this is like we lived the research. Thank you.

I've learned so much from watching you're shows , we put up our own hogs last year and this year as well. The longer them hams hang the better they get! Keep'em coming Farmer. We appreciate what you do

I live across the mountain from this place. Mr Dixon and his family are the best. God Bless you for sharing this.

He asked the old guy if we are spoiled now.... and he replies everyone one of us has (gotten spoiled).... he is wise beyond his years. Excellent soul he is

GOOD JOB KID'S. GOD BLESS YOU ALL 😇

I'm glad there's a kid there they're passing down this valuable information!

Thank you Lord for this man. He’s keeping the old ways.

My 86 year old mother grew up in Pike County. Her family did all this every year for quite a long time

I love the Old Guy, and by old i do not mean insulting, old as in wise, been there done that got the t-shirt kind of old. He forgot more than we ever know about surviving with little to nothing. Sadly he is absolutely correct that we are totally spoiled. That is why I am glad my father taught me how to hunt, fish, forage. Build shelters, make fire. It is something I teach my kids now. And will be teaching my grandkids. If we dont know the ways of our past, we may never survive the future.

i grew up in Austria on a farm. we killed our pigs just before the first snow (end of Oktober,back than) and the Ham was ready to eat at EASTER time.while making Schnaps was the work of my grandmother, slaughtering was men-s work. and like here. all the neighbors helped togehter. first food in the evening was fried liver. next day it was sausage day... Salamis, 75% meat,25 % fat, salt and black pepper... meat was salted, we also used a little Nitrate or curing salt, some bayleaves and black peppercorns. meat was put into a big barrel, tightly packed. wooden boards on top. and big and heavy stones. once a week the meat was turned from the bottom up to the top and down. for 40 days. than a brine was cooked. curing salt, bayleaves, black peppercorns. when the brine was cold it was poured over the meat. again, once a week the meat was turned over, to make sure the brine got in everywhere. smoking was done in the smoking chamber. at first, without the meat, a fire was lit. every man had his own little secrets which herbs or sticks or berries to use. once it died down it was kept alive to give off a little smoke only, cold smoking,like it was mentioned in the clip. we also used juniper berries, very popular growth around our place. once it was done, the meat was left in the smoking chamber the whole time and used up from there. smoking chamber was down in the cellar, so the temperature,even during the hottest summer was never higher than 5°Centigrade. and the meat was soft and tender and tasted of SMOKED meat!

Awesome Video!! Brings back some of the best memories I’ve have when I was younger!! Those good ole days when you were around your grandparents and great grandparents doing stuff like this is truly priceless!! Just wish I had more of them…. I’m blessed I was taught things like this, and will definitely pass it along to my future kids and grandkids and keep it going like I was taught so they will one day have great memories to cherish just like I did…

i grew up on a farm in Jamaica we raised, cured, smoked and jerked everything. Even had our own milk cows. Some of the animals we raised: chicken, guinea hen, partridge, squab. goats, pigs & rabbits. Fruits: 10 different variety of mangoes, 3 types bananas, plantains, grapefruit, ugly fruit, stinking toe, june plum, guineps, coffee, teas, cashews, peanut, cassava, yams, callaloo. cho cho, dasheen, nasberry, star apple, coconut, pineapples, Otaheite apple jack fruit, orange, seville orange, I could go on. Was this unusual? No this was the norm everybody did the same, all my neighbors. We would barter with the fishermen in Alligator pond or treasure beach for lobster, seapuss (octopus) snapper, sprat and we used to get a whole heap the only thing we used to really buy was bread, flour, rice and sugar. We also sold to the higglers (traders/sellers usually women) Everything was organically grown. One day I plan to go back and start a bed & breakfast there. 30 mins from black sand beaches,wyess falls and Holland bamboo Also had horses for riding in the commons or out inna de bush.Santa Cruz Jamaica. Google map it so you can get an idea of the region.

I'd love to sit down with Mr Dixon and listen to him talk for hours about the old ways. Us young bucks can learn allot from old codgers like him.

My grandfather used to cure his hogs in a similar fashion. I wish he had lived longer so I could have learned. He was a true old timer, never had a car, or a tractor, not even a tiller. He plowed with his horse and somehow planted nearly 2 acres. He and my grandmother were truly self sufficient, made their own soap, butter, and had chickens, fresh eggs and chicken meat, and of course the pork. She spent very little money at the company store. Mostly provided for themselves.

There will always be country folk. We've seen hard times more than most and know how to survive on what you can grow, trap, hunt and fish for.

I came from Pottsville. Pa We are German Dutch. we butchered 6 steers and 12 hogs a winter. We had huge butcher cast iron kettles. We made scrapple. And sausage. We apple smoked all meat.

this brings back old memories. this is the way me and my 11 sisters and brothers were brought up .thank you

Great video. My mother was born and raised in Harlan Co, and she grew up the exact way as this gentleman describes. I love to here her tell the old stories.

I️ grow up in Louisiana we raised pigs chickens grow our own vegetables , now me and my husband is teaching our kids the same way of life .started raising our own pigs and chickens garden I️ love it This old man reminds me of my grandpa. Love him

Wisdom is a beautiful thing. Honest and simple is the best way.

I'm 62 years old. I remember when i was in highschool. On a weekend. All the neighborhood would gather round. Dispatch hogs. Process them. Ponous was oh so good.

I really enjoy this video, I've seen it a few times now. Mr. Dixon is so humble.

"We got more then we deserve,and we don't appreciate what we have." Savage , but true assessment...

I love that man! He reminds me of my grandpa, who I miss terribly. Awesome video. Thank you

Salt of the Earth, these people are. No pun intended there... I could sit back and listen and talk to that Old man all night long, maybe have a little drink with him, and listen to his stories.. Some things are so simple, yet noone hardly knows how to do it anymore..My Grandfather when he was alive used to butcher a Pig or 2, every fall, back in the old Country. I still look at those old black and white pictures, and remember him fondly.

These are the people that make America great

I love this old man. He remembered well that the Lord gave us the land and the knowledge on how to make do with it. God bless your soul sir .

there are posts from 9 yrs ago on here ... Which goes to show this video will stand the test of time ...in 5-10 or even 25 yrs from now (2021) this man's history lesson will continue to educate.

Loved the video and how relax the ol man was when he talked very humble and full of wisdom in his own way I have nothing but respect for people like this so much to learn from them thx for sharing this video!

I sure never knew how they did that. This is great information! God bless the old gentleman. 😊👍

I can really appreciate this video we have a lot to learn from our elderly they’ve seen much in many years.

Thankful for the opportunity to have done this with my dad while growing up.

Love watching and learning from our old folks. They so much knowledge and experience to share its fantastic.

We should all learn to do this, because you never know what lies ahead. Great video, thanks for posting. Wish you had listed exact recipes..would have helped some.

This is a wonderful video; very informative yet totally surreal. I grew up across the street from Bill, and I can remember this small farm like the back of my hand. I also remember wrestling with him as a kid, he was as strong as an ox. There's not many "Bill Dixons" around anymore. Thanks for making this video!

I remember those days, my family that butchered are all gone now, thank you so much for the memories.

Thank you so much for your video and what a wonderful old gentleman. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this. Truly heartwarming.

The country life is a great way of life.👍👍👍👍

Reason the hog butchering was done in late fall or earliy winter is the flys have died off meat wont spoil dureing processing its refredgeatered by cold days and nights you dont want to do this when temps can get over 50°

Tysm for sharing your knowledge ❤ As someone who is Gen Z and made the call to move my life off grid, and learn the old ways. I’m appreciative of how we have an abundance of learning on channels like this. My family think I’m slightly mad for leaving the city behind, but there’s a lot about learning to live independently and knowing how to be adaptable within in, no one can every take that knowledge from you once you’ve learned it, so it’s great!

FANTASTIC VIDEO!!! MAKE MORE LIKE THIS!!! Teach the old-time ways! Thanks!

This brings back GREAT MEMORIES of my childhood in the 70s at my grandpa's house in Toxey Alabama. Every fall this was a HUGE family & neighbors event to come to my grandpa's house & kill a hog he'd been raising for a couple of seasons. Most kids these days will never know the fond MEMORIES AND REMINISCING TEARS I have of being in the middle of this GRAND EVENT... Watching my grandpa & his brothers cut the meat to size...but the thing I most remember is eating SO MANY FRESH HOT HOG CRACKLIN'S RIGHT OUT OF THE GREASE AND THE FEELING SICK B/C I COULDN'T STOP!!!! The other benefits was the next morning when my grandma would make HUGE biscuits with the lard rendered from the cracklin's. ABSOLUTELY THE GREATEST TIMES OF MY CHILDHOOD GROWING UP. I'D LOVE TO GO BACK!!!

Takes me back to when I was a kid, granddad ran a meat company made all the sausages and hams. He was a tough old bird made us tow the line, but he loved us all.

I just came across your video today. My husband and I have been interested in this process. My parents used to sort of explain how they had these smokehouse growing up. Sadly, both my parents are gone now, but I am glad that I can gain such wonderful wisdom and knowledge from experienced information from a great resource. They knew exactly how to do it. Awesome video and the gentleman was wonderful to listen to! We need more videos and knowledge exactly like this gentleman shared ..❤

This is a lost art. Thank you for taking the time to show the way.

How did the average American lose sight of this way of living? Scary that if one generation fails to pass it down to the next, then it could be lost forever. My hope for this country lies in the resurgence of homesteading and self-sufficiency...plus look at this guy; well up there in years and still running strong...probably has something to do with the lack of chemicals, hormones, and preservatives in his diet.

Love this video. Have watched it several times. Mr. Dixon is a wealth of information and wonderful to listen to

Want to thanks you guys who post videos like this. The old ways of doing things like this is hard knowledge to get now days. And the value of having this knowledge priceless.

Thanks for your help and for the nice man that pass on his skill. this is what we need more of!

It's always to good listen to the old peoples stories, we usually dip the pig in the boiling water for a bit, then just pull the hair off with our hands and what little hair is left gets cleaned off with disposable shavers, Thanks again that was interesting

What a nice video to see. I wish I could be there to help you guys out. I used to do the same thing down here in Brazil with my parents, now I do it with my kids. tks a lot for posting.

You can feel the wisdom in this ol’ boys voice! Golly, I love Appalachia and the people found here! I hope & pray I resemble this man when I’m his age!

My dad dipped the pigs into a scalding box with the fire burning underneath it. He made the best curved ham I've ever eaten. Nobody could ever get the same mix of salt, peppers and brown sugar that he used. He covered the hams with the mixture, put the ham in a sack and hung it from a wire coming from the ceiling of the smoke house. The smoke house was over the cellar and, even though he could have also smoked the meat, he didn't. He also cured slabs of bacon this way.

It's like listening to my grandpa.

Grew up, since I was three feet tall, doing our own beef, pork, and chickens in Anderson and Shelby counties. Beef and chickens were pretty standardly butchered, wrapped, labeled and frozen. Pork - Oh my - in addition to the standard cuts we also made our own country hams, sausage, and bacon. One of the real treats was the crackling cake left over from the fat rendering. Those are the REAL bacon rinds. I garontee!

Thank you for taking the time to do this video. These are some of my favorite memories.

Thank you very much for making this video I grew up the old way like this man did .. God bless him for all he does

I grew up during the good old days. We didn't have running water nor electric. We killed 3 hogs and a cow every Winter, smoked the meat. We drink water from a hand duged Well or from a clear running Stream. None of us even got sick. I studied by a kerosene lamp at night during my elementary and High school years (at the age of 74, I don't need glasses to see nor read. I was able to use the skills during my 30 years Career in the US ARMY SPECIAL FORCES.

my new favorite video. Thank you for that

Thank you so much for letting us meet Mr. Dixon. If we knew a third of what our elders knew, we would be dexterous.

These are exactly the things we do not want to lose the knowledge of, I thank him for help you and many others to understand how to do.

Wow! GREAT VIDEO!! We had better learn to do this and pass it on to the next generation. The world is changing dramatically,... and there will be those that survive and those that do not. You decide which group you wanna be in.

NOW HERE'S A MAN OF FAITH AND WISDOM. CALM HUMBLE GOD HAS BLESSED HIM WIFE 4 SONS. LONG LIFE GOOD MIND. TAKE NOTE.

Thanks for the video, love to see folks teach us the old way of doing things. Thankd for the wisdom.

What a wise man, I’m sure thankful he chose to teach others instead of keeping it a family secret. Sure, they have their own nuances that make it their own, but this is an awesome foundation to build off of!

When it turns good n yeller. I got a little misty on that one. My grandaddy used to say he was gonna walk down into the garden goose the deer in its butt curl his finger so it couldnt get away and smell its breath to find out which one was eatin his tamaters... Mr. Dixon said he had four good boys and I say nosir you made four good boys.

as a boy i learned the old ways and now i feel like it was over 100 years ago.

Tim you always treat everyone with the upmost respect.

Wonderful video. What a lovely old gentlemen; the wisdom and experience literally oozing out of him, and still an upbeat, sprightly spirit. Good interview, wonderful knowledge. Thank you and God bless all.

AWESOME!!! Thanks for sharing👍👍

The sound of that old man's voice instantly reminded me of my father. He was from Pike County.

I love this old man, he is good stuff. God bless him.

I smiled all the way through this video, and wish everyone now days could slow down and do more things from scratch. We do all our own butchering, smoking hams is going to be a new venture for me some day when I get brave enough. I just don't want to mess up that awesome meat. We are raising 3 pigs this year. Thanks for the video.

Cut off a few hunks of that old ham he was talking about, toss them in a pot with some beans, acre peas or collard greens, bake a pan of corn bread, and buddy you've got something. All you need is a gallon of sweet iced tea to wash it down with.

in my home country we covert the pig in straws and set them on fire. After that ( all the hair is burnt out) we use hot water and scrape him. It is more faster and cracklings are more taster :D

What a nice old boy, it's people like this guy with the best survival knowledge 👍👍.

thank you so much for this vid,,love those old guys,,im working hard on getting this skill set back.i could listen to these older gentlemen all day,

Yes... Thanks Grandma and Grandpa! I miss mine. :(

Those grandkids are lucky to have a pa pa to teach them. Wish he would've told us where we could buy bulk salt cure and sugar cure

wow this is a great video . It's not just about the smoked meat that i liked . The old guy is just like my grandfather was. This world would be a much better place if more people were like him

"We got more than we deserve, and we don't appreciate what we got". That is the truest thing I've heard in a while.

A country boy can survive........

WISDOM. Thanks grandpa.

You are Blessed for passing on the older ways to us whippersnappers. Thanks!

I grew up on farm in southern Maryland, on the Patuxent River. We did this, raised and grew everything to feed what we raised to eat, Miss those days, 😍❤️🙂🙏 Thanks for great video. We need to go back to eating this way, so we know what we’re eating👍