The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-09-17
CURING MEAT ON FARM
Useful Recipes for the Economical
and Satisfactory Preservation
of Beef and Pork.

The best way to eat meat is to eat
it while fresh, for there is no way of
preserving it that will retain all the
nutrition and all the flavor. 1t is,
nevertheless, frequently desirable to
cure meat at home, and there is no
reason why this can not be done sat-
isfactorily and economically. Salt, sug-
ar or molasses, baking soda, and a
little saltpeter are the only ingredients
necessary.
Ordinarily the curing of meat should
be begun from "a to SO hours after the
animal is slaughtered. This allows
sufficient time for the animal heat to
leave the meat entirely. but not suffi-
Client to permit decay to set in, Once
the meat is tainted no amount of pre-
servatives will bring back its proper
flavor On the other hand, If salt is
applied too soon, obnoxious gases will
be retained and the meat will possess
an offensive odor. 1t is also impossi-
BILE to obtain good results when the
meat is frozen.
Three useful recipes for popular
forms of cured meat are given below.
The only equipment necessary for
them are the ingredients already men
toned and a clean hardwood barrel,
or large stone jar or crock. In con-
sidering these recipes it is well to
remember that, on the whole, brine
cured meats are best for farm use.
They are less trouble to prepare and
the brine affords better protection
against insects and vermin. A cool,
moist cellar is the best place for brine
curing. The cellar should be dark
and tight enough to prevent flies and
vermin.
RECIPES FOR CURING.
COrned beef.-The pieces commonly
used for corning are the plate, rump,
cross ribs, and brisket, or, in other
words, the cheaper cuts of meat The
loin, ribs, and other fancy cuts are
more often used fresh, and since there
is more or less waste of nutrients in
corning this is well. The pieces for
corning should be cut into convenient
sized joints, say or inches square.
1t should be the aim to cut them all
about the same thickness, so that they
will make an even layer in the barrel.
Meat from fat animals makes choic-
er corned beef than that from poor
animals. When the meat is thorough
ly cooled it should be corned as soon
as possible, as any decay in the meat
is likely to spoil the brine during the
corning process. Under no circum-
stances should the meat be brined
while it is frozen. Weigh out the
meat and allow s pounds of salt to
each 100 pounds; sprinkle layer of
salt one-puarter of an inch IN depth
over the bottom of the barrel; pack
in as closely as possible the cuts of
meat, making layer. or inches in
then put on a layer of salt,
following that with another layer of
meat; repeat until the meat and salt
have all been packed In the barrel,
care being used to reserve salt enough
for good layer over the top After
the package has stood over night add,
for every 100 pounds of meat pounds
of sugar, ounces of baking soda, and
four ounces of saltpeter dissolved in
a gallon of tepid water. Three gallons
more of water should be SUFFICIENT to
cover this quantity. In case more or
less than 100 pounds of meat is to be
corned, make the brine in the proper
ton given. A loose board cover,
weighted down with heavy stone or
piece of iron, should be put on the
meat to keep all of 1t under the brine.
In case any should project, rust would
start and the brine would spoil in
short time.
1t is not necessary to boil the brine
except in warm weather. II the meat
has been corned during the winter
and must be kept into the summer