The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-12-21
Cure Your Own Pork.

The American Farm and Home En-
cyclopedia has some good directions
for curing pork which in the main
may be followed. Skill in curing meat
will come from experience. What any
one wants to learn he can learn and
become an adept in. The directions
for killing and curing we think can be
understood by the average farmer and
will be found valuable on most farms
Shoot the hog, or stun him with an
AK or a large hammer. Turn him
square on the back and stick him, care
being taken that the knife does not
penetrate either shoulder. ASisoon as
the bleeding ceases, dip In the scaldlng
vat. Most farmers use large barrel
or hogshead for scalding, These, how
ever, are very inconvenient,J and any
one who has ever used vat prepared
for this purpose, would never use a
barrel again. The vat or trough
can readily be made of two-inch
plank by any one. A trough
six feet long, thirty inches
wide and two feet deep, is convent
ent size. One end should be sloping SO
that the carcass of the hog may be
easily thrust in and pulled out of the
water. \ wide platform on a level
with the top of the trough should be
constructed at the slOping end of the
trough. The trough.should be nearly
filled with boiling water, and the hog
immersed i'll it, being turned over
several times. When the hair slips"
or is readily removed from the ankles,
draw the carcass out on the platform,
and scrape. This is done with blunt
knives, hoes or sticks. The hind legs
are then split at the hook joint and a
gambrel inserted under the main cords,
with which to hang the hog. In re-
moving the eHtrailS care should be
taken not to cut into any of them.
The carcass should be thoroughly
washed and left hanging until perfect
ly cool. After. the hog is slaughtered
and dressed it should hang in a dry
place, where the air can circulate free
ly, for twenty-four hours before cut
ting, so that all animal heat may es-
cape and the meat become firm. Com
mon salt SHOULD not be used for curing
meat, as it contains too much lime.
What is known as Turks Island salt
is good. Fine dairy is good, but eX-
pensive. -
CUTTING.-The carcass should be
split through the backbone, and the
sides cut up Trim the pieces care
fully. She hams should be cut short,
well rounded at the butt, properly
faced, and cut just above the hook
Joint. The shoulders should be cut as
near as possible to the back part of
the fore arm joint, and butted off
square on top; or, the blade may be
taken out and the corners rounded.
The ribs may be removed before cut
ting the sides or not, as the farmer
Chooses. For making mess pork the
ribs are left in, and in clear pork taken
out. The sides may be cut in long or
short pieces, according to the use to be
made of them.
DRY SALT-CURING.-After the
pieces are trimmed they should be
spread out on floor, without touch
ing each other, to thoroughly cool.
Use no salt or pickle until all animal
heat has disappeared. Shoulders and
sides are usually cured in dry salt.
After cooling, rub the pieces well with
salt and place three or four high,
on Il floor or shelf, where the air
can circulate freely; at the end of
five days take up the meats, roll in
new salt; rub in as much salt as pos
sible; the pieces should then be put
back again as at first sailing. This
time the salt should cover the meats
well, but not heavily. At the end of
twenty days repeat the operation, ap-
plying as much salt as the meats will
take, and allow the salt to cover each
20. Il 81 - !, Of
inch. In siXey days from time of first
sailing, the meats, will be cured ready
to smoke. If sugar-cured shoulders
are wished, cure precisely the same as
sugar-cured hams.
BREAKFAST BACoN-Is made by
taking one-half of the side off the
belly, and curing in sweet pickle, the
same as hams. The remaining half
may be cured in dry salt, and, when
smoked, will be choice bacon; or it
may be cut in pieces five to six inches
square, and in regular mess pork
pickle, making the best of family
mess pork.
SUeAR-CURED MEATS. = Hams,
shoulders and breakfast bacon can be
sugar-cured in a tight or open vessel
L uC ODCu NCccC1 10 OIol- Il an lllC
meats closely in the vessel, and after
preparing the pickle, pour it over the
meats, and if the vessel be open put a
weight on the meat to hold it under
the pickle. If the vessel is tight, turn
it half over every third day for twenty
DAYS. The vessel must be kept full of
pickle.
THE PICKLE-Is made as follows:
For each three hundred pounds of
meat placed in a tierce or hogsheGl,
put in twenty-four pounds of salt,
three quarts of good syrup twelve
ounces of saltpetre, and fill the barrel
with water. If curing in an open
vessel, take the meats out of the vessel
and re-pack as often as you would turn
the vessel if tight. This is to be done
to change the position of the pieces,
that the pickle may reach every part.
1t is best to let the meats remain in
the pickle until taken out to smoke.
The temperature should be kept below