Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-11-20
Curing Meats.


cure meat enough for their own use,
and this can generally be done for
less than it would cost to buy the
years supply of meat, while in nearly
all cases better quality Of meat will
be secured. 1t is certainly not good
economy to sell meat at a low price
on foot in the fall or early winter and
then be obliged to buy again next
spring and summer.
II proper care is taken in doing the
work there is no difficulty in storing
beef and pork away so that it will
keep in a good condition as long as
may be necessary.
Three items of Importance: One is
to see that the blood is thoroughly
drained out, cutting off pieces if nee
essary that are clotted with blood.
Another is to be sure that the animal
heat is cured out before packing away.
The third is to use plenty of salt and
to see that it is thoroughly taken up
by the meat.
While it is not necessary nor best to
wait until the bitterest, coolest days
in winter before butchering, yet at
least moderately cool weather will
be found best. as the danger of loss
will be materially lessened.
With beef it is best to cut the car
cass into quarters after butchering
and skinning, and then hang up to
drain out thoroughly. If there is
blood on any portion wash it off care
fully. After draining and cooling
thoroughly it is best to cut up into
small pieces convenient to handle, us
ing saw for cutting the bones.
A barrel is good vessel to pack
beef, putting in layer of salt and
then a layer of beef, until all is packed
away. A brine made with salt and a
very small quantity of saltpetre can
be placed over this, covering the
meat entirely. The meat should all
be under the brine, and if it will not
stay under put board with weight
on il on the meat in order to keep it
down. In week this brine should
be poured off and fresh brine strong
enough to bear up an egg should be
put put over it. Under ordinary con-
ditions this is all that is necessary.
If desired to smoke some Of it for
summer use after ten days or two
weeks, if the meat is well sailed it can
be be taken up and smoked.
Pork after cleaning and drawing
should be left hanging up few hours
to drain and cool. Then take it down
and cut up. With the farmer the
usual practice is to take out the ribs
and backbone and use them fresh.
The head, tongue and feet are also
usually used fresh, the jowls, hams,
sides and shoulders being sailed down.
Some prefer to pickle and some
to pack dry, while others prefer to
pickle the sides and dry-salt the hams
and shoulders. Ifpickled, the treat
lnent is much the same as for beef,
except that it is not necessary to cut
into small pieces; pack in carefully
and use plenty Of salt. In ten days,
at most, drain Off this water and put
in fresh brine. If desired, after the
meat has properly taken salt, it can
be hung up and smoked, or it can be
left in the brine until needed. If dry
sailed it is important to rub the salt
well into the meat with the hands,
especially the shoulders and hams.
In week it is nearly always best to
60 all over it again and rub salt on.
If the weather turns cold and the
meat freezes this will have to be de-
layed until it thaws out, as frozen
meat will not take salt, and the OBJ
ject in going over it is to have it take
salt as evenly as possible. In moder-
ately cool weather three weeks is us
ually sufficient length of time to salt,
although it is often six or eight weeks
before taking up to smoke.
Some use pepper and sugar in cur
ing the meat, both in making the
pickle and in dry-salting, rubbing it
in with the dry salt after going over
the hams and shoulders several times
in order to have the meat take it up
evenly. This, Of course, improves the
quality, and where it is an item to
have meat of the very best quality it
will be found good plan.
A large number Of dudes collected
10 OF Co