Friday, April 22, 2005
what's a bung?
Just to pass the time the other night, I said "beef bung" aloud.
And Reen said "Bung? As in bung hole?"
She was (I think) refering to the usage made popular by an episode of Bevis and Butthead where Beavis loudly announces that "I need TP for my bunghole."
I knew the word because it is mentioned in The Good Book as a vessel for some of the larger sausages. But beyond that I really had no idea what a bung actually was. Not acceptable.
So here's the answer:
I found this informative diagram of the different parts of the pig's GI tract which are used as containers for sausage.
Working from snout to tail we have (1) the stomach, (2) small intestine (or rounds) which we are most familiar with, (3) the "cap", (4) large intestine (middles) (5) the "bung" and (6) the bladder.
So what is this "bung" and how would I get one the next time I slaughter a pig? As it turns out...
"After the bungs (terminal end of large intestines, i.e. the ends of the intestinal tract starting from the anus) are pulled free from their setting, they are stripped under a spray of water which washes away the contents. The bungs are soon afterward slimed, inflated for grading and thoroughly salted." ok. good to know.
So I think the answer to Reen's question is no, because technically speaking the bung is "starting from the anus" rather than "starting with the anus". I'm glad to have that cleared up.
Have a nice weekend!
Just to pass the time the other night, I said "beef bung" aloud.
And Reen said "Bung? As in bung hole?"
She was (I think) refering to the usage made popular by an episode of Bevis and Butthead where Beavis loudly announces that "I need TP for my bunghole."
I knew the word because it is mentioned in The Good Book as a vessel for some of the larger sausages. But beyond that I really had no idea what a bung actually was. Not acceptable.
So here's the answer:
I found this informative diagram of the different parts of the pig's GI tract which are used as containers for sausage.
Working from snout to tail we have (1) the stomach, (2) small intestine (or rounds) which we are most familiar with, (3) the "cap", (4) large intestine (middles) (5) the "bung" and (6) the bladder.
So what is this "bung" and how would I get one the next time I slaughter a pig? As it turns out...
"After the bungs (terminal end of large intestines, i.e. the ends of the intestinal tract starting from the anus) are pulled free from their setting, they are stripped under a spray of water which washes away the contents. The bungs are soon afterward slimed, inflated for grading and thoroughly salted." ok. good to know.
So I think the answer to Reen's question is no, because technically speaking the bung is "starting from the anus" rather than "starting with the anus". I'm glad to have that cleared up.
Have a nice weekend!
Comments:
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An argument could be made that the answer to Maureen's question was in fact, yes. Let's assume for the moment that Maureen's intended usage of the term "bung hole" was as you described it refering to the usage made popular by an episode of Bevis and Butthead where Beavis loudly announces that "I need TP for my bunghole." The mere fact that the bung is located further within the GI tract than popularly recognized does not necessarily preclude the need for TP entirely. Given the author of this blog's uncertainity in the accuracy of his intrepretation of Maureen's intended usage (to quote: "she was (I think) refering to..." and "I think the answer to Reen's question is...) the correct response to her query would have been to ask her to qualify her need for the TP as it relates to the bung and its hole.
The true etymology of the term "bung hole" as used as an insult comes from the butcher shops of the Pennsylvania steel belt where master butchers would turn to their young apprentices asking for "some TP for the bung hole" should the bung become clogged in the hydro-cleansing process. It was well undersood that improper or incomlete bung content removal is one of ten factors that can completely ruin an otherwise good sausage. Given that Maureen is from that area, one might well assume that she was familiar with the phrase as used in this context. The butcher's phrase was later shortened to "bung hole!" out of convenience. Since the phrase was only hurled at a youthful protoge from his meat master, it was commonly adopted as a term of insult from a superior to an underling.
Assuming this foreknowledge, the answer to Maureen's question may have in fact been "yes" as she may very well have been referring to the bung in its proper anatomical usage. Again, given the uncertainity of the question and its frame of reference, futher speculation is irrelevant without further input from Maureen on her intentions regarding her bung hole and TP usage.
The true etymology of the term "bung hole" as used as an insult comes from the butcher shops of the Pennsylvania steel belt where master butchers would turn to their young apprentices asking for "some TP for the bung hole" should the bung become clogged in the hydro-cleansing process. It was well undersood that improper or incomlete bung content removal is one of ten factors that can completely ruin an otherwise good sausage. Given that Maureen is from that area, one might well assume that she was familiar with the phrase as used in this context. The butcher's phrase was later shortened to "bung hole!" out of convenience. Since the phrase was only hurled at a youthful protoge from his meat master, it was commonly adopted as a term of insult from a superior to an underling.
Assuming this foreknowledge, the answer to Maureen's question may have in fact been "yes" as she may very well have been referring to the bung in its proper anatomical usage. Again, given the uncertainity of the question and its frame of reference, futher speculation is irrelevant without further input from Maureen on her intentions regarding her bung hole and TP usage.
# posted by 
: 5:51 PM
: 5:51 PM
I was merely asking if my dear, sweet husband had just said "bung". I was shocked that he could be so careless to not notice a lady was in the room? What kind of way to talk is that? As if I'm one of his fraternity cronies! Just dreadful!
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# posted by : 4:58 PM
: 4:58 PM<< Home
