ISSUE 80, SOUTHERN STEWS, Part 3: Backbone Stew
Backbone Stew
Whenever a hog was slaughtered in preparation for an outdoor event—whether for barbecue, or for grilling the cuts and boiling the remainder—thrifty cooks prepared a cauldron of backbone stew. Because hogs live in nearly all of the states of America, and they are prepped and consumed by communities in every region, it will not surprise you to learn that backbone stew has practitioners in nearly every state. Some champion it at higher volume than others. Louisiana made it a fixture at a boucherie—a pig fete. I’ve had the Cajun version. Dionne Bordelon provided a recipe in 1977, published in the Baton Rouge State Times. Here it is:
Backbone Stew [Baton Rouge State Times November 17, 1977, page 90]
4 lobs pork backbone
1 1/3 cups cooking oil
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
1 ½ cups flour
½ tablespoon paprika
Use a 5 or 6-quart very heavy iron pot, with a cover. Season pork as desired and set aside until ready to use. Put oil in pot and let it get very hot. Add flour and stir vigorously until flour is dark brown (a roux). Add onions celery, pepper and continue to stir until vegetables are mixed in well. Add paprika and 3 quarts hot water. Add seasoned meat. Cook until backbone is tender, adding more water if it is necessary. Served with rice or cornbread. Serves 4-6.
Traditionally the backbone is cut into two inch sections. The roux is cook quite brown before employment. In Louisiana there is no particular allegiance to paprika, and cayenne powder or bird pepper powder are used in its place. Paul Prudhomme gave the stew a national profile in the 1970s. Yet Georgians and Alabamans claimed the stew as their own in the 19th century. As did farmers in Ohio and caterers in the upper Midwest. I’ve had it serves on three occasions in South Carolina. The forms of the stew I’ve had in South Carolina lacked the celery and green pepper noted in the recipe above, but abounded in onion. A regional variant? A Texan informed me that the back-bone stew served in that state invariably has green pepper, or green chili pepper.
The illustrations here come from Tank Jackson’s first Blood on the Water Boucherie. B. J. Dennis was one of the cooks of this pot.
Comments: “It’s got to be thick. It’s got to have a rich meaty flavor, but not too much fat. And don’t f--- it up with cloves & shit.”
The cooked rice that accompanied the dish was Carolina Gold, courtesy of Anson Mills.