Livermush

Quick — how do you tell someone that you’re from western North Carolina without actually saying it? I can do it in one word — livermush !

Just what the heck is livermush anyway ? To an outsider it sounds terrible. To those of us who grew up with it — it’s a delight. Ain’t nothing screams Appalachian like livermush. Actually — livermush is native only to western NC in the mountains and parts of the Piedmont. Most other places in the south have never heard of livermush. It’s very regional at best.

The mountains of NC were pretty remote at one time. The area was settled by Germans and Scots-Irish. Livermush got its start from a German dish called “pon hoss”, a mixture of spiced pork and buckwheat. As the Germans moved into the southern Appalachian mountains, cornmeal became the binder for the ground meat. Livermush became a staple during the Depression in western NC.

The steep terrain of the area precluded many cattle, but hogs were allowed to run rampant because the area suited them. A lot of times the local farmers would simply notch the hog’s ears a certain way to denote ownership and then let the animals free range until Fall. Those who had smaller farms built small wooden split rail fences to pen their hogs until Fall slaughter. In NC, the locals learned to utilize every part of the animal and nothing went to waste. A running joke from those days was that the people would eat every part of the pig, except the squeal. Even the skin was eaten. Ever hear of pork rinds ? What do you think that is ? Strips of dehaired pig skin cooked in a vat of hot grease until it puffs up and turns light and airy.

Hunters brand livermush

What exactly is IN livermush ? Livermush is composed of hog liver, pig head parts such as snouts and ears, cornmeal and seasonings. It’s commonly spiced with pepper and sage. The meat ingredients are all cooked and then ground, after which the cornmeal and seasoning is added. The final mixture is formed into blocks which are then refrigerated. It typically has a low fat content and a high protein content. By NC law — livermush MUST contain no less than 30% liver.

Livermush on the griddle

I myself grew up in western NC, and ran those hills most of my young life. But the backwoods and wilds of Maine called to my baser nature so I’ve been here for 20 years now. NC became too crowded for my liking and I was looking for a remote region similar to where I grew up as a boy.

The mountains here are not as steep, which is just fine for my aging old bones. The lack of throngs of people pushing and shoving to get pictures of the sights are far fewer indeed. On rare occasions I do miss some aspects of life in the Appalachians, and my niece helps me out with that. She ships me an overnight box once in a while with about 10 pounds of livermush. For a short period I can enjoy my hogs from home again.

North Carolina is to hogs what Texas is to cattle.