The Democratic advocate., 1874-12-05
dhe Sarlller.
Caring pork.

As this is the season for curing pork,
We give the following instructions from a
Western contemporary, which We think
viii be found worthy Of attention:
When the pork has been killed and hung
in cool place for twenty-four hours, it
should be sufficiently deprived Of the ami
NAL heat to be safely laid down in salt.
If not thoroughly deprived of this heat, it
Is liable to trouble, even with the best Of
salt, therefore, this Is the first aud most
important step in the curing of pork.
Cut it into suitable pieces, and rub each
one separately with salt-hams shoulders,
chops, bacon and side-meat-and stack it
up so that the blood may drain for forty
eight hours. Then pack the side-meat on
its edge, in sweet barrels, as closely as
possible, always keeping the skin side
next the side Of the barrel, and using one
half bushel, by measure, of coarse salt to
each barrel. When the barrel is full
weight the meat with fat stone, and pour
on sufficient cold water until bubbles cease
to rise, and the meat is entirely covered,
always recollecting that fat meat will not
take up an excess of salt If the barrel
is to be headed up, do this before the wa
ter is put in, and pour it through won't
in the top. If thereafter you keep the
barrels in a cool place, as the cellar, and,
upon taking from the barrel, are careful
to keep the meat submerged, it win keep
one, two or three years perfectly,
For curing in the best manner, hams,
shoulders, chops and bacon, after the blood
has been drained as previously recommen-
ded, should be packed in suitable cask,
pretty tight; make brine of two pounds
Of salt, one pound sugar, and four ounces
saltpetre to each gallon of water; scald
and skim this brine, and when cold pour
over the meat; keep in cold place, but
not so as to be frozen, for about four weeks.
Thus cured meat will not require any re-
freshing, and it will retain its red color
admirably. 1t is most excellent way for
corned beef, but it will not keep during
hot weather. The hams and bacon, how
ever, will be all right, for the smoking will
tend to preserve them.
Dry sailing is performed by rubbing the
meat with a mixture, to be used warm, in
the following proportions: -Four pounds
salt, three ounces saltpetre, and sufficient
molasses to make thick paste. If the
meat is packed in casks, and the brine al,
lowed to form and saturate it, it is then
called wet sailing For home consump-
ton we should much prefer that picking
process previously given, since meat may
safely lie in the brine, thoroughly scalded
and skinned, with that taken from the
corned beef, and strengthened by the ad
dition of one pound more of salt to eacl
gallon, may be returned TO the beef, whicl
will remain sweet until July at least,
The Germantown Telegraph has stand
ing recipe for curing meats, which we ma,
have published before, but as it is nov
timely, we give it again, in addition to th'
above recipe:
To one gallon Of water, take one ant
one-half pounds of salt, one-half pound O.
sugar, one-half ounce Of saltpetre, one
half ounce Of potash.
In this ratio the pickle can be increased
to any quantity desired. Let these be
boiled together until all the dirt from the
sugar rises to the top and is skinned off
Then throw it into tub to cool and when
cold pour it over your beef or pork The
meat must be well covered with pickle
and should not be put down for at least
two days after killing, during which time
it should be slightly sprinkled with pow.
dered saltpetre, which removes all the sur
face blood, ETC., leaving the meat fresh and
clean. Some omit boiling the pickle, and
find that ii answers well, though the ope.
ration of boiling purifes the pickle by
throwing off the dirt always to be found
in salt and sugar. If this recipe is strictly
followed it will require only single trial
to prove its superiority over the common
way or most ways of putting down meat.