Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-01-02
Curing Meat

anu plCAlcu UetI d uue EeOOtSu dpp0df-
ance, is regarded as Objectionable by q
great many. A writer in an old number
of the american Agrieultarist speaks of
having very successfully used sulphate
of potash in place of sa'tpeter. He says:
"A much less quantity of sulphate of
potash will cure and save meat than of
common salt or saltpeter. have used it
in curing hams ard shoulders, and dried
beef and barrelcd beef, picked; and this
sulphate of potash communicates to meat
an admirable flavor. entirely superior to
that which it has when cured by saltpe.
ter. l used nearly the same quantity in
peter, or about one ounce tc twenty-five
pounds OF meat" The writer adds; II
have known the sulphate of potash ap-
piled to the curisg of meat, in
another manner, ever since I can re-
member anything about the curing of
meat. The sulphate of potash abounds
in wood ashes, and is known to potash.
makers BY the name of inter The man
ner in which have kno wn it used was as
follows: Put one peck of wood ashes in
to twenty gallons of water, stir it up
Thoroughly, and then let the ashes settle.
After the water is clear, pour off the
clear, white lye that is made into another
cask, and dissolve in it half bushel O
common salt, stirring it we'll. Let that
settle, then pour off the clear brine and
put it upon as many hams and shoulders
as it will cover, and let them lie in It
three weeks, then hang and smoke them.
If tie hams and shoulders have had su-
gar or molasses rubbed over them, and
ten lain few days before the brine is
put upon them. their flavor will be i'm
proved by it,"
Mr.. John Lewis, of Kentucky, has for
thirty years used another mode of
applying sulphate of potash, which is
contained in wood ashes, to the curing of
hams and shoulders. His mode of cur.
ing is to mix one part wood ashes with
four parts of common salt, and pack the
meat down in this mixture. After letting
the hams, ETC., lie three or four weeks, he
washes them and smokes them. And
Mr.. Lewis says that this mode of curing
makes good, sweet meat. But the surest
and best way for those who can procure
1t will be to use the pure sulphate OF pot
ash. This article is strong salt, and yet
is only gentle purgative. If an ounce
were to be taken, although rather large
dose, it would not iniure any grown per-
son. On the other hand, saltpeter in
large doses irritates and infames the
bowels, and dose of one ounce produces
death. 1t is strong poison. Taken
in small doses Of one or two
grains it diminisbes the heat of
the body extremely, and is used by
physicians for that purpose in fevers. In
healthy persons it produces unnatural
GOODNESS and dyspepsia. When spiritu-
GUS liquors are in constant use by any
one, it may to some extent be useful in
lessening the heat occasloned by the in
diligence of such hurttul appetite. But
now that the cause of temperance 90
generally prevails, there seems to be no
good reason for continuing the use OF
this poisoning drug as a condiment for
curing meat. And when the properties
and hurtful effects of saltpeter become
generally known, it's use, we think, will
be abandoned.
In the use Of pure sulphate of potash
it is to be remembered that this article
will not readily dissolve in water, and
therefore when used for curing meat it
should be pounded fine in a mortar and
dissolved in water before it is put into
the brine along with common salt.-Cin-
cinndti Enquirer.