The Glasgow courier., 1916-09-29
HOME-CURED MEAT is BEST
Farm-Satisfactory Method for
General Use.


Curing meats with brine is good
method for farm use. 1t is less
trouble to pack the meat in a barrel
and pour brine over it than to go over
it three or four times and rub in salt,
as in the dry-curing method. The
brine also protects the meat from in
sects and vermin. Brine made of
pure water and according to the dir
ections in the following recipes should
keep a reasonable length of time. Dur
ing warm weather, however, brine
should be watched closely, and if it
becomes "ropy", like syrup, it should
be boiled or new brine made. A cool,
moist cellar is the best place for brine
curing.
Curing should begin as soon as The
meat is cooled and while it is still
fresh. Ordinarily "a to 36 hours af-
ter slaughter are sufficient for cooling.
Frozen meat should not be salted, as
the frost prevents proper penetration
of the salt and uneven curing results
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. The pieces
for corning should be cut into conven-
ient-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 n
the barrel.
Meat from fat animals makes cholc-
er corned beef than from poor animals
When the meat is cooled thoroughly it
should be corned as soon as possible,
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 8 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 a layer or inches
in thickness; then put on layer OF
salt. following hat with another lay
er of meat: repeat until the meat end
salt have all been packed in the bar-
rel, care Icing ls.d to reserve salt
enough for a good layer over the top
After the package has stood overniy'
add. for every 1C0 pounds Of meat
4 hounds cf sugar, and ounces ct
saltpeter dissolved in gallon of tepid
water. Three gallons more Of wat
er should De sufficient to cover this
quantity. In case more or less thar
l0O pounds of meat is to be corned
make the brine in the proportion CIV
en-. A loose board cover, weighte,
down with heavy stone or piece o.
iron, should be put on the meat to keeI
all of it under the brine. In cas'
any should project, rust would star
and the brine would spoil in a shor
time.
1t is not necessary to boil the blln'
except in warm weather If the mca
has been corned during the winte
and must be kept into the summe.' sea
son, it would be we'll to watch tn
brine closely during the spring. as
is more likely to spoil at that tim
than at any other season. If tn
brine appears to be ropy or does no
drip freely from the finger when i'm
m.rsed and lifted it should be TUNE
or and new brine added after care
fully washing the meat. The suga
or molasses in the brine has tenden
cy to ferment and, unless the brine
kept in cool place, there is some
times trouble from this source. TIL
meat should be kept in the brine >
to 40 days to secure thorough cornir&
Dried Beef.-The round commonl
is used for dried beef, the inside Of tn
thigh being considered the choices
piece. as it is slightly more tende
than the outside of the round. Th
round should be cut lengthwise of tt
grain of the meat in preparing fc
dried beef. so that the muscle tibel
may be cut crosswise when the drie
beef is sliced for table use. A tigf
jar or cask is necessary for curin,
The process is as follows: To eac
100 pounds of meat weigh out 5 pounC
of salt. 3 pounds of granulated suga
and ounces of saltpeter; mix tho
oughly together. Rub the meat G
all surfaces with third of the mi,
ture and pack it in the jar as tight
as possible Allow it to remain thre
days, when it should be removed ar
rubbed again with another third