Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-01-21

simple Instrucllous for Those Deslrous 81
Having Fine Cured Meats.
Tho principal thihet 70 get the hams
lust salt enough 10 Keep them. and not
80 salt a. to iniuro ,he flavor, and cause
them 10 get hard. Hams should be
neatly trimmed. and cut round, to im-
tate, a. closely as possible, the hams
of commerce. Trim closely, so there
hail be no masses Of fat left at the
lower extremity Of the hams. The
shoulders may be cut in shape con-
venient for packing, and they should
be saltcd in separate packages from the
hams. Hams are cured by both dry
sailing and brine. When dry-salting
/ Is employed, the hams are rubbed often
with salt and sugar Between each
rubbing they are punched up on plat
| forms or tables, the surface Of which Is
spread with layer of salt; and each
ham is also covered with salt. When
/ taken up to rub, which Is usually done
! live or six times, shallow box is at
hand in which to do the work. When
brine is used, prepare pickle strong
| enough TO float an egg, and stir into It
sufficient amount of sugar and mo-
lasses to give It a sweetencd taste.
Some add a little saltpeter to color
the meat, while othcrc claim II tends
TO harden the meat. In moderate
quantities It is generally accepted
as beneficial. Cover the hams
with pickle, and place the packages
where the temperature is uniform and
above freezing. For hams Of twelve
pounds, four weeks will he sufficient;
large hams must remain in brine n
longer time In general. three to
seven weeks EN- braces the extremes Of
time required for domestic curing of
ham, varying as to size of hams, tenn
perature and time when they will be
required for use. When il is desired TO
preserve hams through the summer
they must not be removed from the
pickle too soon. Shoulders require
much the same treatment rs do hams,
and both should be carefully smoked.
The preseryative principle Of smoke is
known as creosote. Smoke made by
burning corn-cobs is highly esteemed,
but those engaged in curing meat on a
large scale prefer the smoke obtained
from dry hickory that has been stripped
Of its bark. The smoking process must
not be too much hurried, or the creo-
soto viii not have time TO penetrate
the entire substance of the meat. Ten
days smoking is usually sufficient un-
less the pieces are very large and
thick. A process in ham-curing prac-
ticed by some Of the leading pack
ng-hOuses consists in creating the
smoke in an oven otusido of the smoke
house. and connected with il by under
ground pipes. The smoke, rising from
the floor to the top Of the house, en-
counters two opposite currents Of air,
drawn from the outside. These cur
rents cause the smoke TO form in rap
idly-revolving horizontal column,
which passes among the hams. The
smoke Is not warm, and there is no
heat 10 melt the hams or hot air to
blackcn them. The hams under this
process, are smoked i'm very much less
time then by the old method. While
canvasing hams has nothing 10 do with
their flavor, Il Is n protection from in
sects, and win pay tho farmer for the
extra laOor.- II sbould ho- -deHG before
warm weather. Wrap each ham in
coarse brown paper, and then sew II
up in cotton cloth cut TO suit the size.
following the shape Of the ham. When
covered as described, dip them in a
wash made Of lime water and colored
witt yellow ochcr. Hang mp in a cool
place 10 dry The wash closes the
intersticcs OF the muslin, and the whole
forms q perfect protection against in.
sects. The room in which any kind OF
cured meat is stored should be dry and
cool, and the darker the bctter.-Iopu.
lar Science NcCs.