Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-01-16

If You live in the country and
your family likes mutton, but is in
clined TO grow tired Of it before
whole carcass can be utilized why
not cure and smoke the legs and
shoulders? Many farmers hesitate
to kill q sheep or lamb because the
family tires of it, or a part of the
meat spoils before The entire carcass
is consumed.
BY curing ana smoking q part of
the carcass may be used rs fresh
meat and the remainder used at a
later date.
FarIn-killed lamb or mutton is us
ually one OF the cheapest and at the
game time one of this most whole
G0I1e of meats. bat it has never BEEN
served so extensively OIL the coun-
Try table rs in the city. One reason
for this. doubtless, has been Iacl- OF
knowledge of how to preserve, when
cold-stora@e facilities We're unob-
tainG bic. the mutton which could not
be eaten fresh before it spoiled.
Cure Shoulders end legs.
The farmer who sl8u~hters Two
lambs or mature sheep in place Of
one of the hogs that he usually
butchers at home. and who cures the
shoulders and legs, can provide the
family table with meat variety at
little cost and trouble.
Lamb or mutton is as easily cured
and smoked as is porl. and produces
a product similar to ham, according
to specialists in the United States
Department of Agriculture. VINO
have been conducting experiments in
the curing and smoking of these
in any or all of the ways that cured
pork shoulders and hams arc cooked.
and adds variety to the farm table.
How 60 Cure Mutton.
The first essential in curing is to
make sure the meat is thoroughly
cooled. Meat should never be frozen
either prior to or during the period
of curing. The proper time to begin
curing is when the meat is thor
oughly cooled and still fresh Tween.
ty-four to thirty-si:1 hours after
killing is the opportuhe time.
E-ine-Cured Meat.
Many different formulas may be
used for curing mutton by the
brine method, but the, recipe given
below, if followed closely, will give
good results.
For each 100 pounds Of meat use:
pounds salt.
2 IL pound sugar or sirup.
2 ounces saltpeter.
IL gallons water.
Allow three days cure for each
pound in a leg or shoulder, also three
days for small pieces. For example,
a 10-pound leg will take 80 days. The
brine should be made the day be-
fore it is used so that it will be
cool. All the ingredients are poured
into the water and boiled until thor
oughly mixed. Place the legs on the
bottom of the container. shoulders
next; the small cuts should be OF
top. Be sure to weight down with
stone or brick. Iron should not lie
used, as it will rust. Pour in the
brine, and be sure it covers the meat
thoroughly. In one week pour of. the
brine and change the meat, placing
the top meat on the bottom and the
bottom meat on top. then pour back
the, brine. Repeat this operation att
weekly intervals. If the pickle be-
comes ropey, take out all the meat
and wash it and the container thor
oughly. Boil the ropey picl1le--or,
better, mako new pickle. If the old
pickle is boiled, it should be strained
before boiling.
When each piece Of meat has re-
ceived the proper cure take it out of
the pickle, string, and hang in the
smokehouse. The temperature of the
smokehouce should not exceed 1875
degrees, f. Smoke the meat until it
has a good chestnut color. t-
1t has been found more convenient
in preparing meats in this manner to
brine-cure the light pieces and dry
cure all thu larger pieces. The rea-
son for this is; that the smaller
pieces will shrink considerab bly,. and.
if dry~CWred. leave only compare
lively small portion of meat.
Dry-oured Meat.
Dry-cured meat is better for fu-
ture use than the brine-cued and
means less work. Danger from rats
and other vermin is less in the case
of brine-cured meat. Both methods
OF curing will be successful if care
is taken to see that each operation