Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-01-01
EVENING STAR.
Hams Cured With Dry SMEAR.


A correspondent sends the Scientific Ameri.
subject:
The meat must not be allowed to freeze un-
oer any clrcumstance-freenng desu Dying the
properly In the juices, which prevents any ap-
pneatlon OF sugar, molasses or salt from
nnltng with them and forming the chemical
combination which keeps them from souring.
Separate the night and left hams; spread them
on noor, shelf, or on box. the thick part Of
each ham overlapping the thick part, with the
shanEs. Bearing IN mind, through the whole
process, that the retention of the iuises by
placing the hams in proper position and free
from any kind OF pressure is essential
To cure ham of fifteen lbs weight requires
one 10. of good brown sugar, two OF. refined
and ground saltpetre, half a pound ground sea
the face of the ham with sugar quarter of an
inch thick; on the fifth day rub the skin side
with sugar. Second observation-disclosures and
a mixture OF three parts sugar and one part
salt; on the seventh day rub as before. Third
appication-half sugar and half salt in seven
Gays rub as before. Fourth application
same as last IN seven days rub with half sugar
and salt clean the flesh side of the ham. Fifth
application-very good molases mot sorghum)
as long as the meat will absorb it. Saturate
me nam with sugar as You would in preserving
1rult the salt is only 10 flavor il; for hams in
tended Tor boiling, and which require mere
salt, you may use salt according to your
judgment and give more time. The ham is
now cured. and for purposes of boiling it will
be found delicious.
Hams should always be dried without smoke,
hanging them in domestic sacks, shank down.
II you prefer smoke, hang for two months and
then commence smoking. observing TO have
your meat elevated as many feet from the fire
as practicable. Smoke houses should be con-
sructed so that the smoke Is admitted at the
top OF the building; the meat being near a dry
floor, the smoke settles on the meat after being
cooled. Hot smoke should never touch meat
Smoke very slowly, using green hickory
smotbered with green sawdust from white or
burr oak timber, if you can get it. 1 have
never used anything else, and therefore cannot
speak OF the merits of corn cobs or sassafras;
out as a rule use timber that smokes red, not
Dlack; during the last six hours smoking, throw
red peppers on the fire. il keeps off the skipper
Dug" You may want TO know what are the
advantages gained by curing hams by this ex-
pens1ye process. Well, they are weight and
superior quality; as to their keeping, never
had chance TO ascertain it-hams cured in
tins way being 'gobbled up Immediately when
placed IN the market-their keeping qualities
don't get chance to be tested. Compared with
sweet picked ham, there is Just the supe-
rlorlty in quality, as there is between the sweet
picked and sailed. Try few.
one word more about the special advantage
OF curing with sugar; fat cured with salt is
repulslye TO weak stOmachs; consequently
large portion is trimmed Off hams intended
LOT the American market, that in England is
always retained, for two reasens-economy and
preserving the juices. StOmachs that reject
fat when salted, find it delicious when cured
with sugar.