Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-12-27
CIR 9armsr.
MAKING HAMS.

SPStlUllS Oll Uilt SupjcSb VIII 10 oOoOPt-
able to many.
Pork HAMs-When the meat is
perfectly cold, after being killed. it is
ready to be sailed. The salt should
be of the best quality-solar evapora-
ted. ground fine, is, perhaps the best
kind-and to every pound of it one
ounce of fine white sugar should be
added. The hams should be laid
upon table or bench and every part
carefully rubbed with this salt; then
they should be laid liz dry tub until
the next day. The same operation
should be repeated every day for four
days, taking care, to turn the hams
in the tub every time they are laid
down. After this, the operation may
be repeated once every two days for
a week, when it will 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
for sale should be once rubbed over
with salt, as described, then placed in
strong pickle. This pickle should
be made of the best salt-l0lbs. to
the 1OOlbs. of pork, with one ounce of
sugar to the pound added, and half an
ounce of saltpetre to the ten pounds
of salt, all boiled for about fifteen
minutes, and the froth skinned off;
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 be smoked.
For family use, instead of smok-
ing the hams after they are sailed
and dripped, if they are simply rub
bed over with black pepper, and then
hung up for few days, to dry, the
meatacquires,a very fine flavor. Amid
smoky taste may be given to hams
without smoking them, by simply
smoking the barrels in which they
are, to be laid down in pickle. This
is a good plan, because the taste of
the smoke-which some persons like
is given to the meat without dis
coloring it. Sides of pork should be
treated in the same manner as hams
laid in the pickle; but for home use
during winter, by merely rubbing the
sides with salt every day for week
or ten days, then hanging them in a
moderately cool place to dry for use,
the meat is much sweeter than that
laid down in pickle. This informa-
ton we have derived from one long
engagedin curing pork, and we have
satisfied ourselves practically, OF Its
correctness. The amount of salt
for rubbing on the meat does not
require to be stated; no person can
go wrong by rubbing on too great a
quantity. The sugar is used for the
purpose of multiplying the bitter taste
of the saltpetre, and also that of any
6itterin-sulphate of magnesia or sui
plate fsoda-that may be int the salt.
BEEF HAMs.--The finest beef hams
are made by cutting out the entire
bone of the hind-quarter, then rubbing
in the salt and sugar, the same as
described for pork hams, turning them
over and rubbing them every day
for a week. After this they are
hung up to drip in cool dry place
for three days. They are now taken
down and rubbed all over,ona table OF
bench, with some fine salt, black
pepper, and cloves, all ground to-
gether. About one ounce each OF
salt and pepper, and hail an ounce oil
cloves, and sufficient for thirty pounds
of meat, but the exact quantity can
not be given. No person can go
wrong if he rubs 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 accomplished byrolling it into acyl-
indrical form, swellingit 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. A stout cord is
used to swill or tie such hams, and it
must be Topped or turned under on
both sides along the coils of the cord,
so as to have every coil firmly bound
and held in place when the ham is
being cut in slices for daily use.
Hams made in this manner are the
finest in the world-a luxury.
Smoked beef is to be found in
abundance in our markets, but it is a
poor eatable of the meat kind, in
comparison with beef prepared as