Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-10-19
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
Curing Cornod-Beef, Pork, etc


Mrs. E. F. Haskell, author of the
''Housekeepers' Encyclopedia, contrib
utes the following to the Southern CuL-
tiUatOr:
As this is the season for preparing
corned-beef, pork and hams, for summer
use your readers may find the following
directions useful The part of beef con-
tanning fewest large blood-vessels is the
best for sailing. Salt dissolves fibre, and
consequently reduces the amount of the
fluid in the meat; if too much salt is used
too much fibre will be dissolved, and if
the meat is lean it will be hard and I'M
healthy. Pork will spoil if packed in
beef barrel, no matter how perfectly it is
cleansed; OF if small bit of beef is laid
in a pork barrel, the whole will be
ruined. Use evaporated salt (rock salt
Boiled salt often contains lime, and is
unsafe to use in preserving either meats
or vegetables. Meat preserves best with
out bone. As saltpeter is often adulteTa-
ted with salt, that prepared for druggists
use is best The animal should not be
cut up until quite cold. 1t Injuries beef
materially TO freeze, and about ruins pork
and hamE. For dried beef select the hind
quarter; we prefer il to the fore quarter
always for family use, as it makes nice
pies to slice cold. Hot brine poured over
beef has the same effect as plunging fresh
beef in boiling water, which is to close
the pores, and shut in the natural juices of
the meat
RULE FOE CORNING BEEF. s
For one hundred pounds of beef take
four quarts of coarse rock salt, or its
equal in weight of ground evaporated;
five ounces of pure ssltpetre, and two
pounds of brown sugar. Dissolve these
ingredients in two pals of soft water,
boil and skim well. Pack the beef close
ly in the barrel, place upon it sufficient
weight TO kecpit compact pour the brine
while brOiling hot over the beef, and
cover tight. 1t will be fit to boil in
twenty four hours. This mode of curing
beef is very fine, but will not preserve it
longer than the first of April. For sum-
mer use increase the quantity of salt
about one-hslf. Should the brine no;
cover the beef, make more Immediately,
as after it is once scalded with this brine
it will take no more salt
TO SALT PORK.
Spread over the bottom of the barrel a
layer of rock or solar salt one and half
inches think, pack the pork edgewise as
compactly as possible, cover it with salt
as thick as the bottom layer and so con-
tinue until the whole is packed, finishing
with salt. Put a weight on the pork, and
make sufficient brine as strong as possible
of rock or solar salt, to cover it several
inches
TO OURE HAMS.
Allow for every hundred pounds of
ham two pounds of brown sugar, four
pounds of rock salt, pulverized, and one
fourth of pound of pure saltpetre pull
verified, mix these together and add sGf-
ficient molasses to make a thick batter.
Rub the hams thoroughly with the batter,
and pack them close in barrel, skin
side down. Let them lay five days in a
temperature above freezing, then take
them out rub each ham again,
and repack, putting the top one down,
thus reversing the order of the hams,
laying the skin side down, and let them
lay five days longer. Take ley made of
clean house ashes, strong enough to bear
an egg, but not to float it, SO that the
greater part is above the ley. Add to the
| ley the same quantity of rain-wate, and
| all the rock salt it will dissolve cold. Let
it stand to settle. Then skim it and pour
it over the hams. Medium sized hams in
temperature above freezing will cure in
about twenty days. If difficult to make
ley, use sufficient ssl-soda dissolved
in soft water, 10 make the re.
quisite strength, and add TO il
three-quarters of the quantity of soft
water. When the hams are cured hang
them in a cool place to drain, and when
little dried smoke them. Corn cobs make
the best smoke. Place under the hams
while smoking a piece of birthstone as
large as small hickory NUT on three
successive days, and they will smoke in
that time; the birthstone leaves no taste OF
smell whatever; without the birthstone
| from six TO ten days will be required to
smoke them. Before flies appear, paste
them in strong paper bags and bury then
| IN rood ashes. Use birthstone also in
snokisz dried beef, and to keep it from
/ 4coraine hard Jack it closely in a strong
F,nx ~ AZ and compress it with great
! tsefrfiie