Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1919-12-27

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
With the first hard frost and the
fast shortening days comes home
butchering time. Many a city man or
woman, who spent his early days on a
farm. remembers wildly the epicurean
joys that were his when butchering
time came round. After months of a
salt-pork diet, followed in the fall by
a superfuity Of chicken served in ev-
cry conceivable style, the fresh pork
was welcomed as gratefully as the
rain which follows a drought.
It is to be regretted that the home
curing Of meat has fallen somewhat
into disuse; however, since the war
movement has been started to revive
this practice, for the cheapest meat
a farmer can use is the product of his
own farm. This is also true Of the
suburbanite who has enough ground to
enable him to keep one or two hogs
and to fatten them on kitchen and
truck-garden waste.
A Flavor All It's Own.
HOme-cured meat when well cured
is superior to the packlng-hOuse prod
ucts. 1t has a home flavor which the
commercial firms do not give and it
can be produced for much less than
the cost of purchased meat. The
home canning of meats, too, has
proved so successful that the number
of people who are butchering at home
is on the increase.
The first essential in curing is to
make sure the pork is thoroughly
cooled, the bureau of animal industry
states. Meats should meyer be frozen,
either prior to or during the period Of
curing. The proper time to begin
: curing is when the meat is cooled and
still fresh. Twenty-fOur to thirty-six
hours after killing is the opportune
time.
A clean, hardwood, molasses or strip
barrel is a suitable vessel in which
to cure pork. The barrel should be
clean and tight so as to prevent leak
age. A large stone or metal jar is the
best cOntainer in which to cure pork,
but the initial cost is high. If a bar.
rel is used repeatedly for curing pork
it is necessary to scald 1t out thor
oughly before fresh pork is packed
into it.
Salt, sugar or mOlasses, and saltpe-
ter are the principal preservatives
used in curing pork. The use of other
preservatives is prohibited in curing
pork subject to federal meat inspec'
ton.
Ways Of Curing. n
Much diversity of opinion exists as
to the merits of the two ways of cur
ing-brining and dry-curing. Dry
cured meat is handled only once
while brine-cured meat must be
handled several times. The brine
keeps away insects and vermin. Il
directions are followed closely and
pure water is used in making the brine
it will not spoil and should keep fol
a reasonable length of time. If the
brine becomes "ropy" it should be
poured off and boiled or a new brine
should be made. A cool cellar is the
most desirable place for both brine
and dry-curing, although more all
moisture is required for dry-curing
When meat is cured during warn
weather the dry method of curing i
far safer than the brine method.
It is advisable to rub with fine sal
the surface of the meat and allow it IL
drain, flesh side down, for six tt
twelve hours before being put in TIN
cure. This applies to broth brine ant
dry curing.
The following directions are givel
for brine and dry-cured pork:
Brine-cured pork: For each 10t
pounds Of meat, pounds Of salt, ~
pounds of sugar or strip, 2 ounces o
saltpeter, AZ gallons of water. Il
warm weather or 10 pounds Of sal
are preferable. Allow four days cur
for each pound in a ham or shoulde
- and three days for bacon and SINAI
pieces. For example, 15-pOund han
will take go days; piece Of bacol
Weighing 10 pounds 30 days.
The brine should be made the da,
before it is used, so that It will b
cool. All the ingredients are poure
into the water and boiled until thOI
oughly mixed. Place hams on tn
bottom of the container, shoulder
next, bacon sides and smaller cuts o.
top. Pour in the brine and be sur
It covers the meat thoroughly. In fiv
days pour off the brine and chang
the meat, placing the top meat on tn
bottom and the bottom meat on tor
then pour back the brine. Repea
this operation again on the tenth an
eighteenth days.
How 20 Dry-cure Pork.
Dry-cured pork requires more wOr
than brine-cured. tA1ugh e q some