The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-08
Making Hams.

As thus is about the period OF the year
when most families i1y dO,rn their meat for
winter use, few suggestions on the subject
will be cceptablc to many
PoRK llANs-Whe hen the meat is perfectly
cold, after being killed, it is ready TO be
salted. The salt should be Of the best qua.
lity-solar eyaporated, ground fine, is, per.
GapS the best kind-and to every pound OF
it one ounce of fine white sugar should be
added The hams should be laid upon ia
bic or bench, and every part carefully rub
bed with this salt then they should be laid
IN dry tub until the next day. The same
operation should be repeated every day for
.our d~sS, taking care to turn the hams in
the tub every time they are laid down. AZ
ter this, the operation n,ay be repeated once
every tWO days for a week, when it viii be
found that the meat has absorbed sufficient
salt to preserve it for family use After this
they may be slightly smoked, or hung up to
dry. Hams intended !ur sale should be once
rubbed over with salt, as described, then
placed in strong pickle. This pickle
should be made Of the best ,a,t--l0 lbs. to
to the 100 lbs. Of pork, with one ounce Of
sugar to the pound added, and half an
ounce Of saitpCtcr to the ten pounds Of salt,
all boiled for about fifteen minutes, and the
troth skinned of; it is then set aside TO
cool. When cold, the hams may be placed
in this pickle and left for three weeks They
should then be lifted, hung up for three or
four days to drip, and are then fit to Bc
smoked.
For family usc instead Of smoking the
hams after they are saltcd and drippcd, if
they are simply rubbed over with black per-
per and hung up for few days to dry, the
meat acquires very fine flavor. a mild
smoky taste may be given to hams without
smoking them, by simply smoking the bar
rcls in which they are to be laid down in
pickle. This is good plan, because the
taste Of the smoke-which some persons
l!kc-is given 10 the meat without diScO.0r-
ing it. Sides Of pork should be treated in
the same manner as bans laid in the pickle;
but for home use, during winter, by merely
rubbing the sides with salt every day for
week OF ten days, then hanging them in
moderately cool place to dry for use, the
meat is much swcctcr than that laid down in
pickle. This information we have derived
from one long engaged in curing pork, and
We have satisfied ourselves, practically, Of
its correctness. The amount Of salt for rub.
bing on the meat does not require to be sta.
ted no person can 60 wrong by rubbing on
too great quantity. The sugar is used for
the purpose OF nullifying the bitter taste Of
the saltpeter, and also that Of any bitteri',-
sulphate Of magncsia or sui hate Of soda
that may be in the sat.
BEEF ITANs.-The finest beef hams arc
made by cutting out the entire bone Of the
hinlquartcr, then rubbing in the salt and .
sugar, the same as described for pork hams,
turning them over and rubbing them every
day for one week. After tbs they are hung
up TO drip in cool dry place for three days.
They are now taken down and rubbed all I
over, on a table or bench, with some fine
salt, black pepper, and cloves, all ground
together, About one ounce each OF salt and
pepper and half an ounce of cloves are Su.li.
ccnt for thirty pounds of meat, but the ex-
can 20 wrong If he riibs every part of the {
whole surface Of the ham with some of this .
salt and pepper composition. The ham is
now fit to be rolled. This is accomplishcd,by
roilin. /; into cylindrical form, swiIllng il
round from the narrow to the thickest end,
and hanging It up to dry for about ten days
before it is used. 1t is cut in round slices
for frying by commencing at the butt end. .
y stout cord is used to swill, or tic such
hams, aud it must be looped or turned an
der on both sides along the coils of the
cord, 50 as TO have every coil firmly bound
and held in place when the ham is being cut
IN slices for daily use. Hams made ia this
manner are the finest in the world-a lux
ury.
Smoked beef is to be found in abundance
IN our markets, but it is a poor catablc Of
the meat kind in comparison with beef pre-
pared as described We hope some of our
farmers viii make some such beef hams this .
fall for family use. They will not keep in
summer weather so well Us smoked becf-so
It is said-but Of this we are not certain.