A historical main dish from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Scald the salt pork well with hot water to wash out the briny taste. Make sure to keep the pot closely covered while cooking the dumplings for forty minutes.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Take pieces of ribs of lean salt pork, also a slice or two of the fat of salt pork
Scald it well with hot water so as to wash out the briny taste
Put it into a kettle and cover it with cold water, enough for the required want
Cover it and boil an hour, season with pepper
Add half a dozen potatoes cut into quarters
When it all commences to boil again, drop in dumplings made from this recipe
One pint of sour or buttermilk, two eggs, well beaten, a teaspoonful of salt, a level teaspoonful of soda
Dissolve in a spoonful of water as much flour as will make a very stiff batter
Drop this into the kettle or broth by spoonfuls, and cook forty minutes, closely covered
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Scalding the salt pork removes excess sodium through dilution and draws out water-soluble compounds that contribute to overly briny flavors. The soda (baking soda) in the dumplings reacts with the acidic buttermilk to produce carbon dioxide, creating light, tender dumplings despite the dense batter. Keeping the pot tightly covered during the 40-minute dumpling cooking time traps steam, which provides the moist heat necessary for the dumplings to cook through evenly without drying out or becoming gummy.
The salt pork can be scalded and the broth prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cool completely, refrigerate in the cooking pot, and skim off any solidified fat before reheating. Add potatoes and dumplings only when ready to serve, as both lose quality when reheated.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note that dumplings will absorb liquid and become soggy upon storage. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding water or broth if needed to loosen the consistency.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The salt pork can be scalded and the broth prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cool completely, refrigerate in the cooking pot, and skim off any solidified fat before reheating. Add potatoes and dumplings only when ready to serve, as both lose quality when reheated.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note that dumplings will absorb liquid and become soggy upon storage. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding water or broth if needed to loosen the consistency.
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