Ham & The American Smokehouse - The Discussion

Before refrigerators, before freezers, before the grocery store, a small windowless building behind the farmhouse was the difference between a comfortable winter and a hungry one for many Americans.This week on A More Perfect Plate, we dig into how Americans kept meat from spoiling with nothing but salt, smoke, and an absurd number of pigs, and how that survival technology turned into the ham sandwich in your lunchbox and the glazed centerpiece on your holiday table.We get into how pigs took over America, what really happened on hog killing day, the science of why salt and smoke work, the rise and fall of "Porkopolis," and why the Easter ham and Christmas ham origin stories you've heard mostly don't hold up.If you'd like to watch Nick & Bridget instead of listening, visit our YouTube page.You can read the full Dispatch on our blog or listen to 'The Read' to hear Nick read the full post.You can find our hub with the written dispatches, book suggestions, and more at: amoreperfectplate.comPlease be sure to subscribe to keep discovering interesting American stories. We appreciate your support for this project.Thanks for listening - cheers!Nick & Bridget