Before the advent of modern conveniences such as refrigeration or canned food, sailors relied heavily on salted meat preserved in brine and stored in barrels for their long voyages. Over time, as the contents of the barrel were consumed, only the hardened fat and scraps clinging to the sides remained. Yet in times of scarcity, even these unappetizing remnants were too valuable to waste.
The chefs on the ship would literally scrape the sides of the barrel to salvage every last bit, no matter how poor in quality. This practice gave rise to the expression “scraping the barrel,” which today means resorting to the last or worst option when nothing better is left. It conveys a sense of desperation, scarcity, or settling for something far from ideal.
