THE CURING OF MEAT.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2072, 14 October 1880, Page 4

THE CURING OF MEAT.

A correspondent of the “ Country Gentleman ” (Albany, N.V.) writes the following letter on this subject, which is well worth the attention of our readers : In answer to an inquiry in a recent issue concerning the proper kind of a barrel for ■alt pork, I would state that none but an absolutely clean barrel should ever be used. It does not pay to run any risk with pork. A barrel once used for this purpose can he con tinnally used if properly cleaned each time, hut in no case should a syrup or molasses barrel ba taken. I find, in extensive travel among farmers, a lamentable ignorance concerning the curing of im a s, the terms pork and bacon being used indiscriminately ; and even whole sections of the hog-raising country ■ell their hogs on foot, and buy hams, shoulders and bacon from the great packing centres. The only excuse for this that I can learn is that the curing of moat is The curing of meat is not more uncertain in the hands of a practical farmer than in a great packing-house; indeed, there are many reasons why the farmer has decidedly the advantage. The curing of mess pork, or ordinary salt pork, is simple ; but no point must be overlooked, or the result will be either entire loss or a damage to the quality. Except in extraordinary family use none but clear or nearly clear pork should be salted. After the hog is killed and hung up, split him down the centre of the backbone, remove the lard, cut off the hams and shoulders, divide the side into two pieces laterally, cutting about midway, out out the backbone and spare ribs to use first, leaving on the fat portion of the back as much loan neat as you desire. This part of the back ol the hog is all that is suitable for salt pork. Cut it crosswise in stripes of equal size; then take each piece and rub it over with fine salt; lay it on a bench on which a layer of fine salt has been spread; pile the pieces in regular order, and sprinkle each layer with fine salt, covering the whole reasonably well. Let the pork remain a day or two, and the ■alt will draw all the blood out of the meat. Then rinse each piece, put an inch of salt in the bottom of the barrel; pack the meat in as carefully and as tightly as possible; over each layer putting an inch or more of salt, and when tne meat is all in, add plenty more salt. Put a clean board over the meat, and a weight to keep it down; then cover with clean soft water to a depth of two or more inches over the board, and put the package in a clean and cool place. If the salt is good the pork will keep for years, and always be sweet. One can easily destroy the flavor of the whole by allowing small pieces to float around on top. If Turk’s Island salt is used, it will bo best to make a brine to cover the meat instead of water; but in no case neglect the salt as before directed. The hams, shoulders, and flank or belly part (the latter makes the breakfast bacdn of commerce) of the hog should be cured in sweet pickle, or rather bo made into bacon. For this purpose a syrup or molasses barrel is probably as good as any, and the same rule given before concerning the pork barrel applies os well here, for the same barrel can be used repeatedly as long as kept clean, but never after having been used for any other purpose. The following receipt is identical, I believe, with one published for many years by the " Germantown Telegraph ” (Pennsylvania). I lave used it for more than twenty years, with invariable success. For lOOlbs. of meat take 4 gals, of water, 6lbs. best salt, 2Joz. saltpetre, and IJlb. New Orleans sugar, or its equivalent in molasses. Boil and skim, and apply when cold. It is quite as well to draw the blood from the meat by a day or two of dry salting, u described for salt pork, but as meat ■hould never be kept in this pickle long in hot weather, this is not essential. Keep the meat in the pickle for at least four weeks, and if the pork is heavy, at least six weeks, deducting any time that the package has been frozen, or in a place where it was as low as freezing point. Then dry and smoke to suit taste. Wrap each piece carefully in paper, enclose it in a muslin bag, and bang in a dry, cool place, and I will warrant it to give satisfaction.

A correspondent advises smoking the barrel before packing the meat. There is a good -deal of fallacy about smoking meat. All the ■moking usually given to meat now-a-days does not add a fraction to its keeping qualities, and I do not see any particular advantage to the flavour. If your meat is well cured it will keep without smoking. If not, it will spoil with any quantity of smoking. Probably the best place to keep hams and bacon is in a nicely constructed smoke bouse, but even then I should bag it as described above. The great bulk of cut meats, if not ■absolutely all, that are shipped abroad from the great packing centres, are unsmoked until just before they are offered to the consumer at retail.

A piece of nnsmoked bacon broiled, after being two-thirds or more cured after the above receipt, will commend itself to any of your readers who will try it. The aweet pickle receipt, given for hams and bacon, is the best 1 know of for curing beef, but is not strong enough to keep beef sweet daring the hot months, and beef that is cured so that it will keep is not usually relished.

In closing this answer to your correspondent, let me advise him to take a new barrel for his salt pork; a good molasses barrel for Ms bacon, and the same for bis beef, and in order to be sure that he makes no mistake, let him paint the words corresponding with the use plainly on each package.