Newport daily independent., 1918-01-12
ADVICE 7OFAR|MIIERs 'N ON CURING OF MEAT
More Meats Are Lost By improper Chilling Than From Any
 Other Cause.
By Lawrence Foot, Meat Curing Spe- cialist, Extension Div, U. of A., and U. s. Dept. of Agriculture.

CldIlSt, IlAIcISlOu IlN.t C' OA NA'f and U. s. Dept. of Agriculture
 In order to have the best quality or pork products, for the twelve months home needs and a surplus for the
 market, hogs should be hard finished. Before killing, they should be put 1n a pen or lot where they will be kept
 quiet and fed on water alone for "A hours. A barrel to scald the hog in is good A shovel of wood ashes or some soft soap or tablespoonful of lye should be put in the scalding wa ter to help remove the scurf. Hogs should be killed in cool, but not freezing weather; frozen meat will not cure The carcass must be well chilled, not only to the bone, but through it; more meats are lost by
 not being so chilled than from any other cause These are some of the suggestions made by Major Foot in his recent bulletin on the Home Cur ing of Meats'' This bulletin can be secured by any resident of the state by writing to the Extension Division of the University of Arkansas, at Fay etteville. Major Foot says further, on the curing of meats:
 Curing Meat.
 The pickle should consist of pure water, ordinary good salt (do not use salt that will not make clear brine), and 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 we'll The brine should be boiled, skinned, strained and chilled before putting it on the meats whenever the salt or water contains impurities, but if the water is pure and the salt will make 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- lene or lard), place your hams, pie nics Cor 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
 iil another When all through, place over the meat two or three strips or i plank Gree of nails), and not of pine
 or cedar. as they are apt to spoil the 1 flavor of the meat; then weight
 down with six to eight burned bricks l or stone. Use no iron weight, as the action of the iron and salt will ruin l the pickle. Stir the pickle well and pour same on meat until it is three l 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 l ferent curing periods are necessary | for different weights of meat, for you
 can readily see that the proper period
 to cure 20-pound ham, if used to
 cure ten-pound ham, will make the
 latter too salty The same rule holds
 good for seven-pound piece of bacon and a four pound piece. Therefore,
 the writer gives you the following ta-
 ble:
 For breakfast bacon, 4 to pounds. 1 when cut 6 to inches wide and | IS to Is inches long days
 For breakfast bacon, 5 to 6 pounds. | when cut 6 to inches wide and IS to IS inches long---.------l5 days For breakfast bacon, 6 to. 7 pounds,
 " ho,, S-,' 'c g ipchee v--'7H ara rz 4o 1c src7,a, In, .............1s days r ~ss ,'~.7 7l 2 t2 rotsnds.
 ,-. to inches wida and
 , :o --,' e~ leYg ............2S days I 4 -,,s ~o- TN YN = -rc-7,'fT. 4a-.e