The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-01-26
AsbIaIio On. farmer
nnyDEnIrG L.eD ron. FamIEY USE.

De HING LARD ron fAmiEY USE
James MoHenry & Co., of Liverpool, Eng
dealers in American Provisions, have publish,
ed q pamphlet, giving directions for the prep.
aration of meats, lard, ETC., from which we
have arranged the following Suggestions, which
viii be beneficial to farmers wives at this sea.
son:
The melting Of lard preserves il, without
using sab. or any other a~ntiseptie, simply be
cause the pure lard is icontained in very minute
meshes or cells, something like honey in a
honey-comb, and the cells Cellular membrane)
being the parts that putrify, any process which
will destroy, or burst them while they are yet
sweet, so that the lard may be collected sepa-
rately, is all that is necessary for its curing, or
preservation .aa.1 50 aaf
aThsiapplication of heat has been found tho
simplest and most effective mode of bursting
these cells. Melting in a c~ast-iron pan is the
usual way; but in consequence of the liability
TO scorch or singc, melting by steam has been
lately, introduced, but steamed lard is not so
certain to keep sweet, owing, no doubt, to the
cells being simperfectly burst: the heat of the
steam not being intense enough for the pur-
pose. - w-rzI -
Fire melting can be managed with entire
safety under a proper system. The first and
most importent step, is to have the lard pan
we'll set, so that it will become evenly heated
all over; for if the fire strikes with much force
against one side of the pan, the lard will be
scorched there, while the other part has not
commenced boiling. 1t is desirable that the
size of the pan should be fitted to the work to
be done, as a small quantity inthe bottom of a
large pan will never turn out fine lard. 1t is
necessary that the regulation of the heat
should be completely under the ~controle of the
operator, and it will not do to depend on a
damper in the chimney; indeed, the first efect
of a damper is to increase the heat by prevent
ing that already generated from escaping up
the chimneyIThere are three ways ofseheck-
ing a burst of heat more or less quicklyj the
most gradual is, to open the furnace door, the
next is to throw some ashes or slack on the
fire, but the most prompt is to throw a pailful
of cold lard into the pan. AS&zF
Commence by securing the pan with sand,
and washing it clean with soft soap; cut the
lard in small pieces, and use a slow fire; do not
hurry in the lard, so that it will lay dry in the
bottom but try to have sufficient liquid lard to
keep it swimming; continue to fill steadily, never
allowing the boiling to exceed a simmer. The
boiling and stirring must be continued until
every piece of fat has swelled and melted, so
that they all float to the top of the pan; any
pieces laying in the bottom are readily felt by
the lard stirrer. When all are swimming,
withdraw the fire, and leave the job for the
night. During the night the melting goes on
and the pieces that were floating on the top
are all, fallen to the bottom in the morning,
leaving the pure lard quite clear.
The lard is now strained through a seive,
being careful not to disturb the sediment in
the pan; no matter how close the seive may be,
considerable sediment will be deposited by
precipitation.
The rough lard which remained in the pan
has to be converted into fine lard, if possible;
it consists of about twothirds lard md one
third skins and jelly, which must be boiled
very slowly in a smaller pan. AS it is at this
point that most mistakes are made, it will be
we'll to describe the process more infinitely. ;
There is but little danger of scorching at the
commencement of the boiling, as the upheav-
ing of the mass acts the part of stirring, but
when the fire is applied to warming up hall
melted lard, great care is necessary, the stir.
ring must. be constant, until the boiling com.
mences, and again when the boiling ceases it
must be necessarily stirred till the fire is very
low.
There are two ways of heating the residuum
lard-one is, to boil slowly for an hour; a little
cold lard is then thrown in to settle, and as
much liquid lard aspossible is taken of. The
remnants in the pan are now partly jelly
which must be destroyed by the action of tho
fire, requiring long and severe boiling ano
stirring, until the skins are reduced to a sandy
matter, the fire destroying that is glutinous
the whole is then to be put into a press, wher
the lard is at once separated.
But as it is SO likely that this burning away
of the jelly must injure the color of the lard
uniting it for eating purposes, an improve
ment has lately been adopted, which is, to boi
very slowly till the pieces are reduced as much
as possible, without burning the jelly; tn.
whole are then put into a powerful press
which expels both lard and jelly; by throwing
these into cold water, the jelly is preeipitated:
and the lard floats and congeal.s
FARMERS SHOULD KEEP ACCOUNTS.
ONE of our best practical farmers-one wht
began with nothing but a "sound mind in
sound body" and who has proved that farm
ing can be made profitable by his own practice
writes US as follows:
- heliere 1t would he an excellent nrn nfio.