| I was going to post on the history behind the | | | | course we have all heard of the Arkansas |
| Southern style BBQ pork which is so famous | | | | Razorbacks. Well, the climate of Virginia was so |
| down South. I mean if you are in the South, BBQ | | | | suited for raising pigs that they just multiplied way |
| is always pork. It is never beef. In fact, they will | | | | too fast. They were so numerous that they |
| throw you out of the state if you try to order | | | | settlers rounded them up and delivered them to |
| beef brisket, or steak, or Santa Maria style tri-tip. | | | | an island in the James River. And this island is |
| So in thinking and mulling over this post I figured | | | | what came to be known as 'HOG'S Island." |
| that a lot of people do not even know the history | | | | Now these wild pigs were the main source of |
| behind the reason for the southern style BBQ | | | | food for the early settlers because they were so |
| pork which they do down there. | | | | numerous and easier to catch than wild game or |
| So I thought that I would start with an | | | | fish. Now the Indians which were indigenous to the |
| introduction on why they even chose pork to | | | | area had been smoking and curing meat, mainly |
| begin with. These animals were brought here | | | | venison, since long before the white man showed |
| from England and Bermuda for two reasons: | | | | up and so they were the ones to teach us how |
| 1) To raise food for the settlers | | | | to cure pork. |
| 2) And sport. | | | | Now this is just the basic idea of how they came |
| The early settlers loved their sport which they | | | | to doing Southern style BBQ pork down South. |
| brought with them from England and that was | | | | There were just way too many of the pigs and |
| the sport of wild boar hunting. In some parts of | | | | hogs down there. And it was just a whole lot |
| our country we still do this today. Where I am | | | | easier to catch them than it was the wild game |
| from, the Paso Robles area of Caif., we have an | | | | or the fish. Then the native Indians taught them |
| area up around Lake Naciemento and Fort Hunter | | | | how to cure and salt the meat down. |
| Liggett where they still do this every year.And of | | | | |