Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-01-16
CURING BACON.
Careful Trimming, Scalding and
Packing In Straw or Hay.

Careful Trimming, scalding ana
Packing In Straw or Hay.
The hog having been properly fatten-
ed and killed and the offal removed, let
the carcass hang until the flesh is firm
enough to cut well. Cut up as usual
The first point of Importance is to care
fully trim each piece, using a sharp
knife. Make the flesh side as smooth
as possible. There is no waste in this,
as all the trimmings go to the lard or
sausage tubs. AS far as possible try
to have the surface of lean meat. Rub
well and pack down. Use an ounce of
saltpeter and three to four pounds of
sugar to fifty pounds of salt. Arrange
for drainage and cover well with salt
When well salted, which will be
within three or four weeks, according
to size of hog, have a kettle of boiling
water and immerse each piece In this
for about one and half minutes. This
will make hard crust on the flesh side
and will also harden the skin. making
1t almost impervious to insects, and
the scalding win destroy all insects
and fermentation germs that may be
on the surface. This I consider the
second point in importance.
Then hang and smoke thoroughly
with hardwood sawdust, Ii such can
be had. Oak of any sort Is excellent,
because it is rich In pyroligneous acid,
which gives to smoke its value as
preservative and also contributes its
characteristic flavor to the meat. When
sufficiently smoked. scald again, rub
with black pepper and pack In boxes
with straw or clean, sweet hay, and
the meat viii keep indefinitely. Hams
and shoulders should be salted sep
arately or, as is usually done, placed
on the top of the pile.
In the southern part Of the state I
would stick q knife straight into the
joints of the hams and shoulders, let
ting out the sinuous fluid and filling
the hole and joint with salt. have
cured as nice breakfast bacon as any
person could wish in the city of Gal
weston and in midsummer by packing
In salt for three days and scalding and
smoking in sugar hogshead. These
sides were. when cured, about two
inches thick. This meat was cured
more by smoke than by salt.
Every farmer is supposed to know
how to both salt and smoke bacon.
The only points l insist upon as i'm
portant are the careful trimming, the
scalding and the storing in straw or
hay The trimming destroys the favor
ite hiding and breeding places of dele
terious germs, whether animal or vege-
table. The scalding destroys all such
germs on or near the surface, and
packing in straw or hay prevents the
entrance of such germs after the cur
Ing process is complete and protects
the bacon from atmospheric influences,
dust and mildew. as well as putrefy-
ing germs and destructive insects.--A.
A. Pittrick, Texas, in Orange Judd
Farmer.
As to Respectabi1ity.
"What said to her was the TRUTH"
she protested.
Admitted" he replied.
"And the truth is always respect
able"
Admitted again"
"And therefore should be welcomed"
"Oh, don't know. Aunt Jane, who
has such peculiar ways, is the very es-
sence of respectability, but don't mo-
tice that she gets an effusive welcome
when she comes to visit us, although
W always speak well of her wen she
is absent."-Chicago Post.