Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-03-07

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hot water, and washing offthe salt brine
and dirt on the pavement, and not into
the tub, lest that become brine, and thus
you would give the meat second salt
ing instead of washing off what was
loosely adhering. This washing pro-
notes the drying of the meat, and fur
Their tends to equalizing the saline fla.
vor through the meat, and should not be
neglected.
1t will be perceived that l have net
the article sugar, so much
esteemed by 'many.-Ten years expert
ence with it, and ten years experience
without it has fully corrected my iudg.
ment on this article. If any person viii
try two parcels, one with and the other
without sugar, he will find the following
result That his bacon cured with su-
gar will be deprived of the fine red CO..
lor two months longer for that addi-
ton; therefore it is certain that it inter-
teres with the saltpetre, and if the salt
pctre IS OF any service the sugar pre-
vents that, and / presume it adds no..
thing to compensate. The fresh mawk-
lsh taste of the saltpetre is admirably
adapted to temper the excessive sapid
flavor of the common salt, whilst the
beautiful red color is highly pleasing to-
the eye. 1t likewise interfercs with the
salt, and prevents too large quantity
from being absorbed, and thus preserves
the meat from that hardness which ba"
con acquires when this article is left
ashes, l am told, answer
nearly all the good purposes of saltpe-
tire. But the care Of making good ba-
con does not end here I'VE must fol-
low it TO the smoke house. Let each
piece be hung up clear of another, and
there hang till quite dry, then kindle
fire 10 smoke it in fire place of the fol-
lowing construction Build chimney
with very low fire place exactly as for
a sitting room, and when the chimney is
carried up four feet close it at top. A
small CRATE made with hoops or small
bars OF an old gridiron, at four ir..h hes
from the hearth, will assist the burning
of the wood. BY having achimney thus
constructed, the blaze of the fire can
never injure either house or meat, and
no pieces can fall into the fire when a
string or nail gives way. Houses have
been burned by pieces OF meat falling ON
the fire, and dispensing it to the wood
work. All these accidents are thus pre-
vented, and whilst the blaze and smoke
ascends the blind chimney, the smoke
must descend again and pour into the
smoke house. A small chimney in
brick houses on corner Of the wall may
be useful to let out the smoke, but no
holes in the wall to admit ray of light.
Some chips and a few billets of hickory
make the best smokc--these will also
keep the house zvarm, which is very inn
portant; for if the smoke house is cold
as will be the case when the smoke is
carried by a flue from lower story or
another house, all our former care Will
be lost "a damp will settle on the ba-
con, and it will have bitter flavor.
A Mr.. A. of Baltimore taught me
never to make a smoke in damp weather,
a practice SO much followed; for, as he:
observed, his meat gained no color, but
got bad taste. | am satisfied he was
correct, and he had large experience, as
he followed smoking for gain.--One
good fire per day will smoke the pieces
exactly in the same times they were salt
ed, viz. hams 4 weeks, shoulders s
weeks, other pieces in 2. When the
bacon is smoked and all returned to the
smoke house, floor, if not laid before
should now be laid on the joist; by this
means rats will be prevented from de-
scending on the bacon, and the heat OF
the sun will be moderated, so that the
bacon will not drip in summer heats.
Darkness and GOODNESS are necessary to
preserve the bacon from flies-it may
there hang in perfect safety till wanted
But prudent housekeeper will inspect:
his meat in May and June, and then he
will see the quality OF. his meat; that
which is not corn-fed will crack and Of
fer places ofdeposit for shippers, which
should be filled up with ashes, and if
any are already deposited, let the ashes
be taken out the hearth as hot as fire and
put in. The meat that is corn-fed will
be close all around the cut. A ham Of
the first kind will shrink in boiling, and
cut but poor figure on the table, whilst
the latter will swell to roundness, and
overlook thetlish will look as PROUD
if not as warlike as Juvenal's lobster
When the sharp carver enters the cover.
the essence will flow i'll, stream and fili
the whole dish,---a most delightful
sauce! Such dish, with boiled poultry
and savoys, though often repeated, never