The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-03-04

functionary. The Judges coach was
no sooner out of sight than the herds
man turned his cattle, and, before
nightfall, they were once more in the
familiar fields of Mr.. Nangle, where
they were reared.
The Chief-Justice felt that he had
been outwitted, but, of course, had no
power of showing his disappointment.
|-Chansber's journal.
Concerning the Curing Of Meat.
A correspondent of the Country
Gentleman. writing on this subject,
says: "In answer to an inquiry in q re-
cent issue concerning the proper kind
of barrel for salt pork, would state
that none but an absolutely clean barrel
should ever be used. It does not pay
to run any risk with pork. A barrel
once used for this purpose can be con-
tinually used if properly cleaned each
time, but in no case should strip or
mOlasses barrel be taken. 1t is Gus
tom in the Far West when packages of
all kinds are scarce and cOoperage
high, to clean kerosene barrels by con-
tinuous soaking for some months, and
they are said when cleaned to answer
the purpose of pork barrels excellcntly
well. find, in extensive travel among
farmers, a lamentable ignorance con-
corning the curing of meats; the terms
pork and bacon being used indiscrimi-
nately; and even whole sections of the
hog-raising country sell their hogs on
foot, and buy hams, shoulders and
bacon from the great packing centers.
The only excuse for this that can
learn is that the curing of meat is un-
certain.
The curing of meat is not more un-
certain in the hands of a practical
farmer than in great packing honse;
indeed, there are many reasons why the
farmer has decidedly the advantage.
The curing of mess pork, or ordinary
salt pork, is simple; but no point must
be overlooked, or the result will be
either entire loss or a damage to the
quality. Except in extraordinary cases,
for family use none but clear or nearly
clear pork should be sailed. After the
hog is killed and hung up, split him
down the center of the backbone: re-
move the lard; cut off the hams and
shoulders; divide the side into two
pieces laterally cutting about midway;
cut out the backbone and spare-ribs to
use first, leaving on the fat portion of
the back as much lean as you desire.
This part of the back of the hog is all
that is suitable for salt pork. Cut it
crosswise in strips of equal size; then
take each piece and rub it over with fine
salt; lay it on a bench on which layer
of fine salt has been spread; pile the
pieces in regular order, and sprinkle
each layer with fine salt, covering the
whole reasonably well.
Let the pork remain a day or two,
and the salt will draw all the blood out
of the meat. Then rinse each piece,
put an inch of salt on the bottom of the
barrel; pack in the meat as carefully
and tightly as possible; over each layer
putting an inch or more of salt, and
when the meat is all in add plenty more
salt. Put clean board over the meat,
add weight to keep it down; then
cover with clean soft water to a depth
of two or more inches over the board,
and put the package in a clean and
cool place. If the salt is good the pork
will keep for years, and always be
sweet. One can easily destroy the flavor
of the whole by allowing small pieces
to float around on top. If Turks Island
salt is used, it will be best to make
brine to cover the meat instead of water;
but in no case neglect the salt as before
directed.
The hams, shoulders and flank or
belly part (the latter makes the break
fast bacon of commerce) of the hog
should be cured in sweet pickle, or
rather, be made into bacon. For this
purpose a strip or molasses barrel is
probably as good as any, and the same
rule given before concerning the pork
barrel applies as well here; for the
same barrel can be used repeatedly as
long as kept clean, but never after hav-
ing been used for any other purpose.
The following recipe is identical, be-
lieve, with one published for many
years by the Germantown, Pa, Iele-
graph. have used it for more than
twenty years, with invariable success
For 100 pounds of meat, take four gal
Ions of water, six pounds best salt; two
and one-haf ounces saltpeter, and one
and one-half pounds New Orleans sugar,
or its equivalent in molasses. Boil and
skim, and apply when cold. 1t is quite
as well to draw the blood from the meat
by a day or two of dry sailing, as de-
scribed for salt pork, but as meat should
never be kept in this pickle long in hot
weather, this is not essential. Keep
the meat in the pickle for at least four
weeks, and if the pork is heavy, at least
six weeks, deducting any time that the
package has been frozen, or in a place
where it was as low as freezing point.
Then dry and smoke to suit taste.
Wrap each piece carefully in paper, en-
close it in muslin bag, and hang in a
dry, cool place, and / will warrant it to
give satisfaction.
In late issue, correspondent adj
vises smoking the barrel before pack
ing the meat. There is a good deal of
fallacy about smoking meat. The
fashion probably came from the fact
that in eye olden time'' twas customa-
ry to hang cured meat at the side of
the kitchen fireplace, and from the
rafters of the kitchen, where the meat
got generous and generally continu-
GUS smoking. All the smoking usually
given to meat nowadays, does not add
fraction to its keeping qualities, and
l do not see any particular advantage to
the flavor. If your meat is well cured
it will keep without smoking. If not, it
will spoil with any quantity Of smoking.
Prob ably the best place to keep hams
and bacon is in nicely constructed
smoke-house; but even then l should
bag it as described above. The great
bulk of cut meats, if not absolutely all,
that are shipped abroad from the great
packing centers, are unsmoked, until
just before they are offered to the con-
sumner at retail. s'
A piece of unsmoked bacon broiled,
after being two-thirds or more cured