Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-12-17
CURING PORK

As this is the season for curing pork,
we give the following instructions from
a Western contemporary, which we think
win be found worthy of attention:
j When the pork has been killed and
hung in a cool place for t~enty-four
hours. it should be sufficiently deprived
of the animal heat to be safely hid down
in salt. If not thoroughly deprived Of
this heat. ii is liable to trouble, even
with the best Of salt, therefore. this is
the first and most important step in the
curing of pork.
Cut il into suitable pieces. and rub
each one separately with salt-hams,
shoulders, chops, bacon and side-meat
and stack it mp So that the blood NAV
drain for forty eight hours. Then pack
the side-meat on its edge. III sweet bar
rcls. as closely as possible, always keep
ing the skin side next the side of the
barrel, and using one half hushcl. by
measure. of coarse salt to each barrel
Whcnthe barrel is fu'', weight the meat
with fiat stone, and pour on sufficient
cold water until bubbles cease to rise,
and the meat is entirely covered, always
rccoliecting that fat meat will not take
u, an excess Of salt. If the barrel is Ia
hc headed up. do this before the water
is put in. and pour it through vent in
the top. II thereafter You keep the
barrels in cool place. as the cellar.
and, upon taking from The barrel, arc
careful to keep the meat submerged,
it will keep one, two or three years per-
fcctly.
For CURING in the best manner. hams,
shoulders, chops and bacon, after the
blood has been drained as previously re-
commended. it should be packed in suit
able cask, pretty tight; make brine Of
two pounds OF salt, one pound of sugar,
aud four ounces saltrctre to each gal
len of water; scald and skim this brine,
and when cold pour over ihc n eat; keep
in cold place. but not so rs t. he fro
zen, for about four weeks. Th.s cured
meat viii not require any refreshing,
and il will retain It's red color admira-
bly,. 1t is most excellent way for
corncd beef, but il Will not keep during
! hot weather. The hams and bacon, how
ever, will be all right, for the smoking
J
Dry sailing is performed by rubbing
the meat with mixture, to b. used
warm, in the following proportions -
Four pounds salt, three ounces saltpe-
tire. and sufficient molasscs to make a
thick paste. II the meat is packed in
casks, and the brine allowed to form
and saturate it, !, is then called wet
sailing For home consumption We
should much prefer that picking pro-
cess previously given. since meat may
safely lie in the brine thoroughly scald-
ed and skinned, with that taken from
the corned beef, and strengthened hy
the addition OF one pound more of salt
20 each gallon. may H. returned Ia the
beef, which VII remain sweet until July
a. least
The Germantown Telegraph has
standing recipe for curing meats, which
We may have published before, but rs
II is now timely, We give it again, in
addition 10 the above recipe:
r" one gallon Of water. take one and
one half pounds Of salt, one half pound
of sugar. one-half ounce Of saltpetre,
onc-half ounce "f potash.
In this ratio the pickle can be in
creased to any quantity desired. Let
these be boi!el together until all the
dirt from the sugar rises to the top and
is skinned of. Then throw it into q
tub to cool, and when cold pour it over
your beef or pork. The meat must be
we'll covered with pickle, and should not
be put down for Mt least two days after
killing. during which time it should be
slightly sprinklad with powdered salt
petre. which removes all the surface
blood. etc, leaving the meat fresh and
clean. Some omit boiling the pickle,
and find :ha: it answcrs well, though
the operation Of boiling Purifies the
pickle by throwing Of the dirt always
TO lie found in salt and sugar If this
recipe is strictly followed i. will require
only single trial to prove its superior
ity over the common way or most ways
o: putting down meat.