Sharp County record., 1918-01-11
ADVICE TO FARMERS
ON CURING Of MEAT.
Nore Meats Are Lost BY Improper
Chilling Than From Any
Other Cause.
~ Lawrence Foot, Meat Curing spe-
cialist, Extension Div, U. OF A.
and U. S. Dept. of Agriculture.

" Lawrence Foot, Meat Curing spe-
cialist, Extension Div, U. OF A,
and U. S. Dept of Agriculture.
In order to have the best quality OF
Jork products, for the twelve months
ZONE needs and a surplus for the
market, hogs should be hard finished.
Before killing, they should be put in
pen or lot where they will be kept
Iuiet and fed on water alone for "a
lours. A barrel to scald the hog In
s good. A shovel Of wood ashes or
,ome soft soap OF tablespoonful OF
ye should be put in the scalding wa
er to help remove the scurf. Hogs
;hould be killed in cool, but not
reezing weather; frozen meat will
lot cure. The carcass must be well
,hilled, not only to the bone, odt
Trough It; more meats are lost by
lot being so chilled than from any
1ther cause. These are some OF the
yuggestions made by Major Foot IN
lis recent bulletin on the Home Cur
ng of Meats" This bulletin can be
secured by any resident Of the state
ny writing to the Extension Division
If the University Of Arkansas, at Fay
otteville. Major Foot says further,
IN the curing of meats:
Curing Meat.
The pickle should consist of pure
water ordinary good salt (do not use
alt that Will not make clear brine),
md sugar (granulated cane sugar Is
best). To every five gallons Of cold
water add ten and one-half pounds Of
salt and two and one-half pounds of
sugar (no saltpeter); mix well. The
brine should be boiled, skinned,
strained and chilled before putting 1t
on the meats whenever the salt or
water contains impurities, but II the
water is pure and the salt will make a
clear brine, boiling is unnecessary.
Five gallons will cover and cure 100
pounds OF meat. Then in a barrel or
other vessel, which has been we'll
cleaned with hot water (and only use
those barrels that are new or have
held only vinegar, molasses, cotto-
ene or lard), place your hams, pic
MICS (or shoulders) and sides with the
skin side down, except the top layer,
which should be skin side up. Per
haps It may be more convenient for
you to put the hams and shoulders
in one vessel or barrel and the sides
in another. When all through, place
over the meat two or three strips OF
plank free Of nails), and not Of pine
or cedar, as they are apt to spoil the
favor of the meat; then weight
down with six to eight burned bricks
or stone. Use no iron weight, as the
action OF the iron and salt will ruin
the pickle. Stir the pickle well and
pour same on meat until II is three
TO four inches above the meat, this
will allow for loss Endeavor always
to have the temperature Of the meat
and brine the same when packed. Diff
ferent curing periods are necessary
FOR different weights Of meat, for you
can readily see that the proper period
to cure q 20-pound ham, II used to
cure a pound ham, will mako the
latter too salty. The same rule holds
good for a seven.pound piece Of bacon
and O four.pound piece, Therefore
The writer gives you the following IT,
BILE:
For breakfast bacon, 4 to 8 pounds
when cut 6 to inches wide and
Is to IS inches long,..,",..."".la days
For breakfast bacon, 5 to 8 pounds
when cut 10 s inches wide and
Is to 1S inches long""".."""l5 dhys
For breakfast bacon, 9 10 7 pounds
when cut 6 to inches wide and
Is to 18 inches long."o""""mlS days
For medium bacon, 10 to IL pounds
when cut 6 to s inches wide and
Is to 18 inches long..."n.."""23 days
| For medium bacon, IL to Is pounds
when cut 6 to 8 inches wide and
Is to 18 inches long,,"",""m26 day'
For hams and plenics, to 7 pounds
u"Sa
For hams and plenies, 8 TO 10 pounds
days
For hams and plcnics, 10 to II pounds
uUyr
For hams, 10 to IS poundg,,,u,,4b days
For hams, IS to 20 pounds"u,b5 days