Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-12
bat was used more than half century

that was used more than half century
ago.
In regard TO smoking meat; Il has
been practieed IN this country since
time iinmemorial, but l do not deem ii
essential to its preservation. Many
persons like a slight flavor Of smoke;
others do not. Meats cured for the
English market are never smoked, end
have known persons TO hiln-dry their
meat as they would cure tobacco. 1t
IS necessary, however, to have it tho
roughly dried. would not be under
stood as entirely discarding brine. In
some cases it is not only valuable, but
indispensable. The sides, or what is
known as mess pork. being nearly all
fat, possesses neither fibfihe nor albu-
men, and consequently cannot be in
jured either by salt or water, and can
be kept sound and sweat an indefinite
length of time by simply keeping it GOV.
cred with pure brine, or, as the gentle
man from Wheatland suggested at our
last meeting, by keeping it
covered with salt and taking it
to the pump now and then and
filling the cask with cold water. I
would here, however, drop a caution.
All brine requires to be assiduously
watched and kept pure. Itextracts the
juices Of the meat; they being lighter
than the water saturated with salt, rise
to the top, become exposed to the air
and soon decompose, thereby contami-
mating the whole contents of the eask.
The following recipe for making brine,
l think, is the best that has fallen
within my observation:
Six lbs. salt, / pint of molasses, 6
ozs. saltpeter; dissolve them by boiling
in gallons of water. In the pickle,
when perfectly cold, keep any sort of
fresh meat may be sunk and closely
stopped. This pickle may be kept pure
and its strength undiminished for al
most any length of time, by occasional
ly re-boiling it and skimming off the
impurities; but as the old brine is an
excellent fertilizer, and salt is not ex-
pensive, / wouldrecommend that the old
brine be thrown ON the asparagus bedor
compost heap, and freshly made brine
be substituted.
Opinions in relation to ''the best
mode Of preserving meats after they
are cured" are as diversified as they
are in regard to the mode Of curing.
The hams of commerce are, believe,
invariably covered with canvas and
whitewashed. Many persons advocate
packing them in chaf, bran, ashes, etc.
Others, after smoking, immense them
in air-tight barrels. The manner of
keeping is not as essential as the time
which they are put up. And hence the
of not consuming more time
than is necessary in curing. IL they
are not secured before the fly deposits
its eggs upon them, no means whatev-
er will save them, except indeed, keep
ing them in a temperature so low that
the egg cannot hatch, or immersing
them in brine. For any considerable
quantity, prefer the tight barrel sys-
tenn. But for family use, l found a
rough, swinging shelf, the sides and
ends of which are covered with wire
cloth I'm which the pieces are hung
very convenient and secure against
both flies and vermin Of every descrip-
ton.
Now, MIR. President and gentlemen,
f the foregoing premises be correct, l
I'm led to the following conclusions:
l. To have cured meats in perfection,
10 animal should be slaughtered until
t has in some degree at least attained
is natural growth.
2. All meats should be promptly and
thoroughly cooled before being sailed
f in cold weather, by hanging in cold
)lace at least 4S hours and as much
onger as will be consistent with its
Ieeping sound, but under no circum-
tances let it freeze.
3. No more salt should be used and |
10 more time should be consumed in
uring, than is necessary to its safe
-eeping, due regard being had to the |
lie of the pieces, the temperature of |
he weather, etc, and as little water |
hould be used as is consistent with |
cleanliness.
4. They should be thoroughly dried |
'efore slowing away, but smoke is not |
ssential to their preservation.
5. To preserve them after being |
ured,. they should be slowed in a cool |
nd well ventilated apartment before |
he fly can possibly reach them. In |
his climate, [ should say not later
han the middle Of JfabTuarU