Hoover hog

plural Hoover hogs

1. Southern USUSespeciallyAn animal which is eaten by poor people during hard times, especially an armadillo or jackrabbit, but also a possum or squirrel.

   Aunt Cora, Mom's sister, always seemed to have rabbits or squirrels—Hoover hogs, she called them—or a greasy ole' barbecued raccoon for supper.

   2010, Carroll Osburn, The Edge of the Wedge: Recollections of a Reluctant Prodigal, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 23

   5 more examples

   Sometimes living on rabbits and squirrels , they described their fare as Hoover hogs. The President's rigid stand on the relief issue widened the gap between the Old Guard and the insurgents in the Republican party, and his differences with ...

   1971, Richard Brandon Morris, William Greenleaf, Robert H. Ferrell, America: a History of the People

   [It] rises . . . a jackrabbit. A Hoover hog, long-eared, light in the front legs, strong in the rear. The jack stretches his heels and takes the hill in a few bounds. When last seen, he is heading east.

   1984, National Geographic

   "Some folks are lonesome all their life and some are hungry . We ain't ever needed to eat a Hoover hog (an opossum) since we come to the Creek.” With humor , Bernie lamented that the only thing missing in his life was a new pickup truck.

   1993, The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Journal of Florida Literature

   "It's a Hoover hog!" "Give it here," said Simeon Vear. Jimmy started to pick up the entire trap." Just the animal." Jimmy pushed his hand into the trap. "Don't," I said. "Let him," said Simeon Vear. "Got him," said Jimmy. He pulled the nervous rabbit […]

   2003, James David Landis, The Taking

   “[You don't have] to eat anything I fix again if you don't want to,” Jason McTavish spat. “I was surprised as everyone when Howard choked. That steak wasn't tougher than normal — for antelope.” “ If you'd stewed up a Hoover hog instead of that stringy[…]”

   2007, Ken Hodgson, The Man Who Killed Shakespeare, ME: Five Star, →ISBN