The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-09-10
Curing Meat on the Farm.
Useful Recipes for the Economical and
Satisfactory Preservation Of Beet and

Useful Recipes for the Economical and
Satisfactory Preservation of Beet and
Pork.
The best way to eat meat is to eat it
while fresh, for there is no way OF pre-
serving it that will retain all the nutri :
ton and all the flavor. 1t is, neverthe-
less, frequently desirable to cure meat
at home, and there is no reason why this
can not be done satisfactorily and eco
nomically. Salt, sugar or molasses, bak-
ing soda, and little saltpeter are the
only ingredients necessary.
Ordinarily the curing Of meat should
be begun from "a to Sc hours after the
animal is slaughtered. This allows sutti-
cient time for the animal heat to leave
the meat entirely, but not sufficient to
permit decay to set in. Once the meat
is tainted, no amount of preservatlves
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 impossible 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 mentioned and
clean hardwood barrel, or large stone
lar or crock. In considering these rec
ipes it is we'll to remember that, on the
whole, brine-cured meats are best for
farm use They are less trouble to pre-
pare and the brine affords better protec-
ton against insects and vermln. "A cool,
moist cellar is the best place for BRINE
curing. The cellar should be dark and
tight enough to prevent flies and vermln.
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, Fay or
6 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 make 'choicer
corned beef than that from other ami
mails. When the meat is thoroughly
cooled it should be corned as soon as pos
sible, as any decay in the meat is likely
to spoil the brine during the corning pro,
cess. Under no circumstances should
the meat be brined while it is frozen.
Weigh out the meat and allow pounds
of salt to each 100 pounds; sprinkle a
LAYER of salt one .quarter of an inch IN
depth over the bottom of the barrel;
pack in as closely as possible the cuts OF
meat, making layer 5 or 6 inches in
thickness; then put on 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, 4 pounds OF
sugar, 2 ounces of baking soda, and
ounces of saltpeter dissolved in gallon
of tepid water. Three gallons more of
water should be sufficient to cover this
quantity. In case more or less than 100
bounds of meat is to be corned, make the
brine in the proportion given. A loose
board cover, Weighted down with heavy
stone or piece of iron, should be put on
the meat to keep all of it 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. If the meat
has been corned during the winter and
must be kept into the summer season, 1t
would be we'll to watch the brine closely
during the spring, as 1t is more likely 10
spoil at that time than at any other sea-
son. If the brine appears to be'ropy or
does not drip freely from the finger when
&C. chn no ty1r
off and new brine added, after carefully
washing the meat. The sugar or molas
SEES in the brine has tendency to fer
ment. and, unless the brine is kept in
cool place, there is sometimes trouble
from this source The meat should be
kept in the brine % to 40 days to secure
thorough corning.
Dried beef The round is commonly
used for dried beef, the inside OF the
thigh being considered the choicest piece,
as it is slightly more tender than the
outside of the round. The round should
be cut iengthwise of the grain of the
meat in preparing for dried beef, so that
the muscle fibers may be cut crosswlse
when the dried beef is sliced for table
use. A tight jar or cask is necessary
for curing. The process is as follows:
To each 100 pounds of meat weigh out 5
pounds of salt, pounds of graduated
sugar, and 2 ounces of saltpeter; mix
thoroughly together. Rub the meat on
all surfaces with third OF the mixture
and pack it in the jar as tightly as possi-
BILE. Allow it to remain three days, when
it should be removed and rubbed again
with another third of the mixture. In
repacking put at the bottom the pieces
that were on top the first time. Let
stand for three days, when they should
be removed and rubbed with the remain
ing third of the mixture and allowed to
stand for three days more. The meat is
Their ready to be removed from the
pickle. The liquid forming in the jars
should not be removed, but the meat
should be repacked in the liquid each
time. After being removed from the
pickle the meat should be smoked and
hung in dry attic or near the kitchen
fire where tue water will evaporate from
it. 1t may be used at any time after
smoking, although the longer Il hangs In
the dry atmosphere tn. drier it will get.
The drier the climate, in general, the
the more easily meats can be dried. In
arid regions good dried meat can be
made by exposing it fresh to the air,
with protection from flies
Plain salt pork. Rub each piece OF
meat with fine common salt and pack
closely in a barrel. Let stand over
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