The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1883-01-19
UNION c. H., SOUTH cAj

CO HAMS 1.-THE principal thing
in CD hams Is 10 get them just salt
euou8 kesp them and not so salt AS to
injure iavor aud cause thom to get
hard pis should be noatly trimmed and
cut ro 4lug, to initiate as close as possible
tho h< of commerce.
ST loosely, SO there shall be no mas
ses Of eit at the lowest extremity of the
hama p shoulders may be cut in shape
convs for packing, aud they should be
saltcd parates packages from the hams
II re cussd by both dry sailing and
brine AeRs ssltins is empolyel the
hams pbl p{{Sn with salt and sugar.
BetWesf zach rubbing they arc Buaohed. dip
on platforms or tables, the surface of which
is spread with a layer of salt, and each ham
is also covered with salt. When taken up
to rub, which is usually done five or six
times, shallow box is a, hand in which to
do the work.
"When brine is used, prepare a pickle
strong enough to float an egg and stir into
1t sufficient amount cf sugar aud molasses
to give it swectencd taste Some add
little saltpetre to color the meat, while others
claim it tends to harden the meat. In mod.
crate quantities, it is generally accepted as
beneficial Cover the hams with pickle aud
place the packages where the temperature
is uniform and above freezing For hams
oftwelvc pounds four weeks will be suffi~
cient; large hams must remain in brine
longer timc. In general, three to seven
weeks embraces the extremes of time re-
quired for domestic curing of fhams, varying
as to size of hams, temperature and time
when they will be required for use. When
it is designed to preserve hams through the
summer they must not be removed from the
pickle too soon.
"Shoulders require much the same treat
ment as do hams, and both should be care
fully smoked. The prcscrvative principle
of smoke is known as creosote. Smoke
made by burning corn cobs is highly es-
teemed, but those engaged in curing meat
on large scale prefer the smoke obtained
from dry hickory that has been stripped of
its bark. The smoking process mus. not be
too much hurried or the creosote will not
have time to penetrate the entire substance
tho meat. Ten days smoking is usu-
ally sufficient, unless the pieces are very
~ e<p6l s;ssasl sSv rssss-',ss
process in ham-curing, practiced by
some of the leading packing houses, consists
in creating the smoke in an oven outside Of
the smoke house and passed through under>
ground pipes into it. The smoke, rising
from tho floor to the top Of the house, en-
COUNTERS two opposite currents Of air drawn
from tho outside. These currents cause the
smoke to form into rapidly revolving hori-
zontal column which passes amo Ig the hams.
The smoke is cot warm, and there is no
heat to melt the hams or hot air to blacken
them. The hams under this process arc
smoked in very much less time than by the
old method.
while canvassing hams has nothing to
do with their flavor it is protection from
insects, and will pay the farmer for the extra
labor. It should be done before warm
weather. Wrap each ham in coarse brown
paper and then sew it up in cotton cloth, cut
to suit the size, following the shape of the
h"m, When covered as described, dip then,
in wash made of lime water and colored
with yellow ochre. Hang up in cool place
to dry. The wash closes the interstces OF
the muslin, and the whole forms perfect
protection against insects. The room in
which any kind of cured meat is stored
should be dry and cool, and the darker the
better-N. y World