Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-11-04
CIRCULAR.
ST. LOUIS, October, 1913.
Beef Pork and Lard.


Iowa, and as much OF it comes here badly
cured and badly put up, and. as consequence,
sells for much less price than when in good
condition and good packages, ("in shipping or
der,') | propose to make few remarks, to
which | call the attention Of those who intend
TO pack Beef and pork the present Fall. 1t is
not my purpose to advise the manner in detail,
ho,c they should be cured, as each one has
doubtless his own way OF curing, but to speak
in the general.
Beef is a delicate article to pack, as it is much
more liable 10 spoil than Pork, and should only
be put up by those who fully understand it.
The best cattle 10 pack are those running, from
TO years old-not less than 4-and weighing
from 6 10 900 lbs. and those only that are fat.
Beef should be first rubbed with fine salt, and
stacked for "a hours, in cool weather, and then
sailed with coarse Turks Island salt. The guam.
tity OF coarse salt should not be less than 60 lbs
wei ght TO each 200 lbs. QulI weight of Beef;
and the barrels should be filled with pickle as
strong as can be made, and a small portion OF
saltpetre TO give it color-5 ounces TO every 200
lbs. of meat
Barrel Pork should contain 200 full lbs nett
coarse (Turk's Islandl salt to cure it.
HamS.-Partcular attention should be paid to
the cutting las we'll as the curing) Of Hams;
they will bring three eigbhs to half cent
pound more, well cut than i'll cut. They should
be trimmed round, (no prouberance or end.)
and near to the upper bone and sa,ced off half
an inch abore Gl long shank Hams) the knee
Joint, SO that, in no CASE the shank shall exceed
two inches in length. A lille saltpetre, (6
ounces to every 200 lbs of meat) in curing
makes ham look well in color and retains its
juice, too much produces chemical action, and
destroys the flavor of the meat. Care should be
taken in smokng-too much smoke is better
than too little, and hickory wood or chips make
the best smoke to mpart flavor. The quantity
Of salt to bacon is about Is lbs 10 every 100 lbs
Of meat.
Shoulders should be cut above the knee Joint
Gf long shanked hogs) and in size, about one
third longer than broad and the sides OF the
shoulder should be cut square and even, and
when packed in casks should be placed side by
side and not laid fiat. prefer, however, to
cut shoulders round like ham, taking off all
the side meat.
Sides to sell well and keep well, should be
free Of bone and even trimmed.
Good bacon can only be produced from good
Corn fattened hogs-if fed on any thing else,
from six to eight weeks before killing the meat
will be SOFT Shiny and fobby
Particular attention should be paid TO Lard,
and especially 10 the packages it is put in. The
pure leaf fat should be separated from the gut
and side fat, and rendered separately. Care
should be taken that it is boiled enough--if not,
it will be oily and soon turn rancid in hot
weather; and as much care should be taken that
it is not scorched or burnt, as this will inure
its sale greatly, although it may be pure leaf.
Lard kegs should be made Of good we'll seasoned
wood and as tight as possible and should be
about IL inches broad at the head, and l5b
inches long, with at least six hoops on each end,
closely joined, and the heads should be painted
lead color or white, and neatly branded; and
when pure leaf lard should be branded "Leaf'-
so the barrels. repeat that lard will often sell
for cent pound more when in good, tight,
handsome packages, than in unsightly ones.
Bacon, 10 be in good shipping order, should be
packed in casks, not in boxes; and Hams, Sides
and Shoulders packed separately, and the kind
oil meat branded or marked on each cask, to-
gether with the tare OF the cask.
Beef and Pork barrels, to pass inspection here,
must be made as follows: Make of good seas
oned white oak, free from defect barrel made 10
contain full 200 lbs. meat-to measure IS inches
across the head between the cross, and 20 inche:
long, and have at least 10 good hoops, and BE-
tight to hold pickle.
Beet, TO pass inspection, must be as follows
oil well iatted cattle, and be cut in pieces al
square as may be-not to exceed ~ nor les
than a lbs. in weight. Hess Beef must consist
ol two pieces of the rump, two choice pieces
OF the round, few pieces Of the loin, and thu
remainder OF the barrel with brskits, plates
naval pieces, and the part cut from the shoulder
with the belly part Of the ribs cut off. Prim
must consist Of TWO TANKS, two shoulder clods
two shanks cut of above the knee Joint, anc
half the neck, with the point Of the neck cut of
in each barrel, the upper layer must be goot
side pieces, the remainder 10 be made up, al
near as possible, of great portion Of the should
er, loin and rump.
Cargo.--The barrel must be filled up with
portion Of good pieces, aud not more than one
half OF neck, 'or more than three TANKS, with
portion Of the shanks with the hooks cut of, il
the same manner as Prime. Mess, PINE an.
Cargo all in good tight barrels, and filled will
pickle.
Pork to pass inspection, must be put up al
follows:
Clear Ness none but the side OF good cor.
lat hogs, OF not less than $50 lbs. each nett, will
ribs and back bone taken out, 10 contain 200 lbs
each Dbl.
Ness ork-None but sides of good corn ia
hogs, Of $50 lbs. nett each-200 lbs. each barrel
Prime Pork Hog not to weigh less than l5C
lbs. nett; to contain not more than shoulders,
with legs cut of above the kuce loint--no