Evening star., 1936-07-01
Baking a Ham Is an Art
Which Is Not Difficult
For Beginners to Learn
Differences Between Sweet Pickling, ;" DRY
Sailing" and Smoking" Are Clearly
Explained.

Summer sausages which are dried
after curing will keep for long time
in cool, dry place.
Fresh or cured, however, pork must
always be cooked-and cooked thor
oughly. Corned beef, too, Is cooked.
though dried beef often is not. And
in all cases, cooking of cured meat Is
subject to the same general rule that
governs the cooking of all meat and
all other protein foods. Cook slowly.
Otherwise the meat shrinks.
y
PUT there are certain other re-
quirements in the cooking Of cured
meat-ham for example. Usually ham
that is to be baked should be soaked
beforehand, or else parboiled, to get
rid of the too-salty taste.
Boiled ham properly cooked, how
ever, never Is actually boiled. 1t Is
simmered, in water fully to cover 1t
all the time, and with the lid part
ly on the kettle. The water should
never reach the boiling point. Let it
simmer for IS or 80 minutes to the
pound OF ham, or until the meat Is
tender, and cool the ham in the liquor.
ITO bake ham, use the same rule of
slow cooking. First, however, soak the
ham over night. In the morning wipe
it dry. and place it, rind-side up, on a
rack in an open pan-no water. and
no cover. Keep the oven low (260 de-
grees Fahrenheit). Baking as well as
boiling requires IS to 80 minutes per
pound for a whole ham. For half
hams. proportionately more time is
necessary Shank ends usually require
from 40 to As minutes per pound, and
butts from IS to SIS minutes per pound
to bake when the oven temperature Is
260 degrees Fahrenheit.
"The final touches give q baked ham
an unusually tempting appearance.
When the ham is done, take the rind
on and spread over the fat surface a
mixture Of brown sugar and fine,
soft bread crumbs, with little pre-
pared mustard and cider or vinegar for
moistening. With this paste covering
the ham, stick long -stemmed cloves
an inch or so apart. all over it. Or
else score the fat with a knife, sprinkle
with brown sugar and add thin slices
OF pineapple or orange with occasional
preserved cherries or other decorative
fruit. Then brown the coated ham
in a hot oven 900 degrees F. for
about 10 minutes.
Il X \
" A MEAT thermometer is q great
convenience in cooking ham or
any large piece of meat, because it
insures cooking to the right degree of
doneness without overlooking and
waste of fuel. Thrust slender knife
into the thickest part of the ham
and then insert the thermometer so
the bulb is in the center of the meat.
Leave the thermometer in place
throughout the cooking. When it
registers ITO degrees F. the ham is
done all through.
Pork. fresh or cured, should be
tender, because, as a rule, it comes
from a young animal If it is not
tender when cooked, the reason may
be that 1t was cooked too quickly, or
that it was from an old animal. Hams
from pigs of the usual market age-a
year or less-should always be at least
moderately tender if we'll cooked.
Bacon should be cooked slowly for
two reasons-to avoid toughening the
strips of lean it contains and to avoid
overheating the fat and thereby spoil.
ing its flavor. Corned beef should be
cooked-that is. simmered-in plenty
of water, changing the water, if neces-
sary, to keep the meat from being too
salty.
"Frankfurters, so popular for picnic
ptA.)oSes and so familiar as hot dogs.
are made of beef and pork-often, too
with cereal of some kind as a binder.
Government graded sausages, how
ever, which are nowadays featured by
many dealers, are all meat. Frank
furters are popular hot-simmered in
a little water until thoroughly heated,
or grilled or toasted on a stick over
a picnic fire. Bologna, which also is
made Of beef and pork, though differ
emily seasoned. is usually sliced and
served cold"