Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-03-09
A G. ICULTUES AL.
SUGAR CURING OF BUTTER.

~ - ~ IA ~ ~ " INV NJ Va - ~
Persons who put up key butter for their
own use, or for distant market, usually
salt their butter very high. This high salt
ing necessarily detracts from its quality,
Injuries its ready sale, and reduces its price.
If we can modify this excess Of salt by
using more paIatable substances, of equal
efficacy, as preservatives, it will be an i'm
provement. Chemists tell US that sugar
is one of these substances; and experience
gives US the same information. Who is
not familiar with sugar-cureG hams? II
pork can be cured with sugar, why may
not butter be SO preserved also; is a COM
mon sense inquiry. Experience has shown
that it may. DR.. James Anderson the ce.
LIBERATED agriculturalist, (whose treaties on
the management of the dairy, particularly
with respect TO the making and curing oil
butter, is still the highest and best author
ity on the subject.) found, from some
years trial OF it, that the following COM
positions-the properties of which we be-
Iieve were discovered by his amiable lady
was far preferable to salt alone, as it not
only preserves the butter more efectualIy
from all faint of rancidity, but makes it al
SO look better and taste sweeter, richer,
and more m rrowy, than portions of the
same butter cured with common salt.
Conaposition.-Take of sugar l part,
Of Ditre part, and Of the best Spanish
CRATE salt, (or rock saIL two parts. Beat
the whole into fine powder, mix them
well together, and put them by for use.
The Doctor continues Of this COM
position one ounce should be put to every
sixteen ounces of butter; mix this salt tho
roughly with the butter as soon as it has
been freed from the milk. and put it, with
out loss of time, down into the vessel pre-
pared to receive it, pressing it SO close as
to leave no air holes or any kind of cavities
within it. Smooth the surface, and if
you expect it will be above day or two
before you can add more, cover 1t up close
with piece of clean linen, and above that
piece of wetted parchment, or for want
Of that, fine linen that has been dipped in
melted butter, exactly fitted to the ed ges
OF the vessel all around so as to exclude
air as much as possible, with the assis'
lance Of any watery brine: when more but
ter is to be added, these coverings are tC
be taken off, and the butter applied close
above the former, pressing it down anc
smoothing it as before, and SO on till the
vessel be full. When it is quite full lie
the two covers be spread over it with the
greatest care, and let little melted butter
be poured all round the edges, so as to fill
up every Granny, and efectually exclude
the air. A little salt may then be strew
ed over the whole, and the cover be fxet
down to remain close shut till it be open
ed for use. If all this be carefully done
the butter may be kept perfectly sound il
this climate for many years. How many
years cannot tell; but have seen it two
years old, and in every respect as swee
and as sound as it was when only on
month old.
1T deserves to be remarked, that butte
cured in this manner does not taste wei
till it has stood at least a fortnight after be
ing sailed; but after that period has clap
sed, it eats with a rich, marrowy taste tina
no butter ever acquires; and it tastes so lii
tie of salt, that person who has been &C
customed to eat butter cured with com
mon salt only, would not imagine that
J.. had got one-fourth part of the salt neces
sary to preserve it,
1t is to be hoped that some of our farm
ers, on reading the above, will follow hi
!. directions. The composition mentlone
j. is, we have understood, much used in &c
shen, Orange county, New York, plac
famous for its superb butter. Great car
= should be taken to procure the purest sa
and sugar. That known through tn
}. country as the ground alum is the be;
a salt The sugar should be of the pure:
l. w.,ite-ei,her the loaf or the fallen loaf
= THE HOG.
..lI.. .o~n.Jad &c ar