Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-10-22
.AgTeulGlTale
"ro lsgRoyE rnE SOLE LEE rmE hIsp. ?
CURING PROVISIONS.


gard to curing provisions for the English mar
ket, which nav be both useful and inter-
esting. lie is IN favor OF dry saltiag, as il is
called, that is rubbing the meat with salt instead
OF putting il into BRINE. This mode, he thinks
Of great importance; for be observes, at takes
away the blood, cures the meat, condenses II,
coagulates the albumen, and renders II not so
liable either TO spoil or 10 become salt Hams
and bacon, it is well known, cured with dry
salt, can be kept perfectly well, though not
one quarter as salt as those prepared in the
brine lub indeed scarcely 10 be considered as
sal. food al all.o
The quality OF salt he deems Of the next
consequence The salt made in ''the States"
he thinks, is too often impure, though he says
the manufacturer might refine il so as TO be as
good as any other.
Cleanliness is another point which he coD-
siders as deserving much attention. lie says,
"washing the meat IN water before finally
packing j, up for sale, should never be ueglec-
ted and care should also be taken TO AVOID all
kinds Of dirt The people of Britain, correct
~ enough, are very particular in this respect;
they like to see the celor oil meat. and 80, par
TALLY, to BE- able 10 judge Of It's quality"
Beef, he SAYS. should be cut IN SIX pound
pieces, and pork into four pound pieces, the
former to be packed in tierces OF 3U0 pounds,
Tue idtltT III UdITtiS VI <OO pbbHuo, tdNA tNu-
tanning flty pieces. 1.-The reason for this, 1t
is said, "is that beefbeing generally served out
TO man al sea in greater quantities than pork,
j, is more convenient to have il IN larger pie
ce., without weighing; pieces Of those slzss
are also more perfectly cured Though than
larger pieces, aud when Of a uniform size they
pack better. The pieces Of beef beng larger
than ,hose ofpork, 1t Is obviously better that
larger casks be employed TO hold them more
conveniently. Even when intended for do
mestc use, uniformly sized pieces are more
Convenient than those Of various dimensions,
requiring to be cut before being used, the piece
left beng thrown back often carelessly into
the cask, and liable to getrusty in consequence"
He is not in favor Of the use of saltpeus.-
Its only value. 10 thinks, IS TO give color TO
the meat. The point, mos, deserving stten-
ton, he sums up as follows:
FIRST, The pieces must consist, for beef,
ak pound pieces, and pork, four pound pieces.
Second, The salt must be good, and but
very little saltpetre must be employed.
Third, The meat mus, be dry rubbed for
three or four days, at least once day, 10 e1-
tTac; certain quantity Of water, and 10 chem
icaly alter the meat.
"Fo,r!h, The mea, must be put 10 pickle,
80 as to cure il sufficiently; ia this it should
remain ten days, or unIili is required to be
packed.
Fifth, /, must be well washed in water if
necessary scraped or cut.
".Sigth, Packed away, if beef, in iierces; if
pork, in barrels, with good coarse salt; the
packages filed Up with clean pickle.
"Eor dried or smoked meats, the dry sailing
alone should be employed they will be found
of perfectly distinct flavor from those cured
alone in pickle; and although slightly sa!ted,
keeping far better than provisions so highly
sailed By The wet process, as TO be scarcely ca
table.
"The use Of sugar or molasses is daily gain
ing favor among packers; as preserving meat
in 4 superior manner, having a finer ia
vor, keeping better, and never becoming rus
~; and however old, never excessively salt
Ii has also bcsn asserted On high medical
authority, that the use Of sugar in curing meat,
would prevent that fearful disease sea scurvy.
Ii has been used in curing hams for long pc
rod, indeed a good favored ham cannot be
prepared without it; but it is Of the greatest
Importance in curing bsef, which is to be kept
for length OF time, or which is required of
Ene favor.
II is used in the first process, along with the
salt, for dried provisions-say one pound SUI
gar. or one pint molasses 10 four pounds salt.
With picked meats, ii IS used IN the last pro-
sess along with salt TO pack up the meat in
The cask, say abouthalf OF each, sugar and salt.
CAS- regards the kinds Of beef TO be packed :;
the best description consist, Of prime mess, the
pieces rejected from mess causing too great a
loss TO the packer. The coarse pieces of The
leg, which are rejected from prime mess, can
be boned, dry sailed, and dried in which way
ihey Weld as good return as the rest.
"Owng 10 the great local demand, the most
desirable description Of pork consists OF mess !:
the rib pieces Of hogs weighing over two hun
drcd pounds should be so packed: The hams
end cheeks, as also the fore part, consisting OF
the neck and shoulder 10 a piece, should be
cured and dried the fashion Of removing the
bones from the latter is worthy of adoption, as
when the bone IS left the meat Is much more
apt 10 spoil, besides being an awkward joint.
Prepared this way, the pieces rejected fetch as
good price as the rest When the pig is too
small lor mess, bu, large enough for prime the
latter should be made. reserving the hams and
cheeks il too heavy for prime, remove some
OF the rib pieces 10 add TO the mess prime
mess neither suItng the British or Canadian
markets whereas prime suits the British and
West India demand better than even mess"
1t is known that provisions are sometimes
preserved by being packed IN ar tight vessels.
In relation 10 this process, the wrterirom which
We quote observes:
Provisions are preserved in many places
without salt, by putting them together with
water into metal cases, putting the cases into
water 10 boil, converting the water in the case
into steam, thus expeiling the air, the metal
case is then sodered down. Provisions thus
put up keep unaltered for any length Of time.
"The only objection is the expense. they
having generally been prepared at places where
provisions are costly and putupin small pack
ages. BY packing where provisions are chea-
per, and Using large canisteTs, | do not see any
reason why they should cost more than if pre-.
pared with salt
but ii has often occurred TO me tina, the
preserving Of animal food might be slmplifed
by filing up the packages with melted fat in
lieu Of water; tina, of the animal to be packed,
being preferably employed, in which case WOO
den casks might be used, and boiling would
not be necessary. The meat should be free
from large bones, and immersed in hot fat long
enough to expel the air, then put in cask
previously saturated, the fat poured Oh as filled.
'For sea use or export 10 the West Indies,
this article would be Invaluable, and would be
cheaper than the usual mode Of curing in in
Il,l.a