GREASE YOUR MOUTH & DRAW NIGH: Stone’s Famous Barbecue Sauce

Scrounging around the library in Fairhope, Alabama, this week, I came across a book called Baldwin County Bench and Bar, a collection of local “Courtroom Tales and History” published in 1985 by Samuel Crosby, a lawyer.

Among other things, the book includes this recipe for “Stone’s Famous Barbecue Sauce,” created by Frank Singleton Stone, Jr., a self-proclaimed “Country Lawyer & First Class Cook” from Bay Minette, Alabama. Stone was born in 1863 (his father, Frank Sr., was a steamboat captain and noted horticulturist) and was practicing law by the mid-1890s. His recipe gets especially interesting after the pig is cooked.

Here’s the recipe. Try it out sometime.

STONE’S FAMOUS BARBECUE SAUCE

Following proportions for medium size hog (preferably a RAZOR BACK SHOAT)

VINEGAR                                 One Pint.
BUTTER                                   1 Pound.
PARPRIKA                               2 Tablespoonsful.
CURRY                                      2 Tablespoonsful.
TABASCO                                 1 Teaspoonful.
WORCHESTER SAUCE           Half Pint bottle.
TOMATO CATSUP                   One pint bottle.
GARLIC                                     4 Pods mashed.
ONIONS                                   6 Medium sized ones chopped fine.
LEMONS                                  Juice of Six.
MUSTARD POWDER              Half Teacupful.
SALT & PEPPER                      To suit taste.

Melt butter, add onions and garlic, simmer slowly don’t boil, stir in vinegar and lemon juice, add the other ingredients, paprika and curry last. Make mop of clean cheesecloth and baste carcass often, catching drippings, add to sauce. Cook shoat to golden brown.

AND THEN

WASH YOUR FACE**ASK THE BLESSING WITH DUE REVERENCE**GREASE YOUR MOUTH**DRAW NIGH**TAKE BIG MOUTHFULS**FILL UP TO REPLETION**SING A SONG IN LONG METER**REST FIVE MINUTES**

Smoke Corn Cob Pipe filled with cut plug***seek a cool sequestered spot, go to sleep and dream of sweet things. The above treatment will positively cure hunger, starvation, dyspepsia, corns, ingrowing toenails, baldness and inflammatory rheumatism.

IF NOT RELIEVED CONTINUE TREATMENT

The above Barbecue is best served WAY DOWN IN BALDWIN ON THE BANKS OF BON SECOUR AT FRANK STONE’S CAMP.

P. S. Vacant space after eating the above can be filled with Bon Secour plants and broiled trout.

THIS IS A GREAT LIFE IF YOU DON’T WEAKEN.

[signed] Frank S. Stone
Country Lawyer & First Class Cook.

*

By the way:

If you’re into barbecue, be sure to check out The Lost Child‘s barbecue special, streamable anytime here.

If you’re in / around Fairhope, or if you know anyone who is, spread the word — I’ll be at the Page & Palette bookstore tomorrow (Saturday, 7/20) at 3:00, reading from and talking about my book Doc.

The above illustration of a pig is from The Rural Alabamian: A Southern Magazine of Progressive Agriculture and Improved Industry, Vol. I (1872), published in Mobile by C. C. Langdon & Co.

Thanks for reading. See you soon.