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"Corning" a cow?
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Feb 17, 2021 10:42:34   #
Najataagihe
 
Anybody know what this means?

My wife is reading a book and one of the characters states that the only thing a particular cow is good for is "corning".

Since said cow is old, toothless, no good for milk or meat, what in the Sam Hill is "corning"?


It isn't corning as in "corned beef", it isn't corning as in "throwing hard corn kernels at cars or animals" and it darned sure isn't corning as in "-ware"!

This is the first time in a half century neither one of us has been able to garner meaning from context.


Any ideas?

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Feb 17, 2021 10:46:40   #
billb800si
 
This may be of some help.
--------------------------------

Corning is a centuries-old method for preserving meat. ... The process for corning beef is pretty simple: Dissolve some salt along with a handful of other ingredients in water, then completely submerge your meat — typically beef brisket — and leave it in the fridge for a few days. When it's done, you have corned beef

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Feb 17, 2021 10:48:28   #
Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley
 
Here is a definition I found using Google.

To preserve (beef, for example) in brine.

will

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Feb 17, 2021 10:50:18   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
The only thing I can think of is corning (verb), as in corned beef.
Curious - How do you know it isn't? As you stated.

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Feb 17, 2021 10:51:01   #
Day.Old.Pizza Loc: Maple Grove, MN
 
Reminds me of Corned Beef Hash with eggs for breakfast.
I’m guessing Corning may be a way of preserving meat without refrigeration, maybe involving salt. If a cow couldn’t produce milk or other cows there was no point in continuing with the expense of feeding it. It would be eaten. Waste not, want not.
Now to check GOOGLE.

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Feb 17, 2021 10:56:12   #
SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA
 
I agree it has to do with preparing the meat. “Only good for corning” would seem to imply it’s old tough meat that wouldn’t be good to eat without the additional processing.

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Feb 17, 2021 11:10:45   #
Najataagihe
 
My first thought was corned beef, too.

The reason I think it does NOT refer to corned beef is that the cow in question is specifically described as having "not enough flesh to eat".


Thus, the conundrum.

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Feb 17, 2021 11:21:20   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Najataagihe wrote:
My first thought was corned beef, too.

The reason I think it does NOT refer to corned beef is that the cow in question is specifically described as having "not enough flesh to eat".


Thus, the conundrum.

I'll guess that just meant that it was a skinny cow, compared to a "fattened" cow.
Possibly simply a snide remark. (Skinnier than ...)

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Feb 17, 2021 11:39:44   #
nobody13579
 
SuperflyTNT wrote:
I agree it has to do with preparing the meat. “Only good for corning” would seem to imply it’s old tough meat that wouldn’t be good to eat without the additional processing.


After 'corning' you boil the heck out of it thus tenderizing it a bit. In addition to the salt one would typically add pickling spices for additional flavor.

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Feb 17, 2021 17:44:15   #
TonyP Loc: New Zealand
 
We used to eat quite a bit of corned beef when young. Say 60 years ago. Usually a cheaper meat from an old beefy or retired milking cow. Served hot, after a long simmer or cold, with the fat removed and delightful with mustard.

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Feb 18, 2021 07:00:38   #
Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana
 
Najataagihe wrote:
Anybody know what this means?

My wife is reading a book and one of the characters states that the only thing a particular cow is good for is "corning".

Since said cow is old, toothless, no good for milk or meat, what in the Sam Hill is "corning"?


It isn't corning as in "corned beef", it isn't corning as in "throwing hard corn kernels at cars or animals" and it darned sure isn't corning as in "-ware"!

This is the first time in a half century neither one of us has been able to garner meaning from context.


Any ideas?
Anybody know what this means? br br My wife is re... (show quote)


Salt cured beef.....

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Feb 18, 2021 08:20:57   #
jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana
 
billb800si wrote:
This may be of some help.
--------------------------------

Corning is a centuries-old method for preserving meat. ... The process for corning beef is pretty simple: Dissolve some salt along with a handful of other ingredients in water, then completely submerge your meat — typically beef brisket — and leave it in the fridge for a few days. When it's done, you have corned beef


Exactly--doing so tenderizes the meat of an old, tough cow, making it more edible.

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Feb 18, 2021 08:58:37   #
f8lee Loc: New Mexico
 
I believe the term "corning" came from the fact that the salt used to do the process was crushed to about the size of corn kernels

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Feb 18, 2021 12:11:01   #
StanMac Loc: Tennessee
 
Don’t know, other than making corned beef. An old cow would probably be tough prepared any other way.

I’m an old softy I guess. If I had fed a cow and it had served me well for its entire life by providing me and my family milk, it would be like one of the family. Put her out to pasture to live out her days. I’d make a terrible farmer, I guess.

Stan

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Feb 18, 2021 13:48:05   #
chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand
 
Najataagihe wrote:
My first thought was corned beef, too.
The reason I think it does NOT refer to corned beef is that the cow in question is specifically described as having "not enough flesh to eat".
Thus, the conundrum.

From your first post "Since said cow is old, toothless, no good for milk or meat, what in the Sam Hill is "corning"?

You may have read it but you didn't state it other than 'no good for meat'.
I think that means it doesn't have steaks and sauages hanging off it but still enough meat to make it worth corning.

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