MEAT CURING BY INFILTRATION.

Southland Times, Issue 759, 4 December 1867, Page 2

MEAT CURING BY INFILTRATION.

The editor of the Corpus Christi (Texas) Advertiser, gives a long and interesting account of the new process of curing beef by infiltration, as seen under his own eyes. If this new method succeeds — and the men who have taken hold of it never fail in anything they undertake — the result will be of immense benefit to the stock raising interests of theNueoes reigon, and to the whole State of Texas for that matter. ~W"e copy the account of the first day's work entire : — Per invitation of Mr Turner, we were "in at the j death" of the first beef at the Nueoea beef-packing establishment, on "Wednes- j day morning last. Quite a crowd ofj visitors, attracted by curiosity, were present to witness the novel operation of curing beef by infiltration. A fine fat bullock had been selected, and when we arrived the workmen had already performed the knock-down operation. The beef was upon his back, and a saw was cutting its way through the brisket, to enable the operator to get at the heart. This done, an incision was then made in the right ventricle of the heart, and a small hose pipe inserted. It may be necessary to state that to the pipe was attached a rubber hose, and by tracing the hose about ten feet in the direction of the building, it terminated in the bottom of a barrel of brino, hoisted there by means of a windlass. The pipe was inserted full length, entering the jugular vein, and then secured by a strong cord. The brine was then turned on, and the process of infiltration then commenced. The first incision in the right ventricle of t'^e heart was closed by a clamp. We watched patiently to see the effect. Soon the carcase became stiff, rigid, and cooled rapidly. Mr Turner, by a dexterous and skilful operation, amputated about an inch of tail. Instead of blood, brine spirted out with force. All took a taste and " acknowledged the corn." In ten minutes the brine that had been through the veins was as cool as when it came from the tank. Incisions were made in. different parts of the carcase, and from each jets of brine would squirt to the distance of three or four feet. The carcase was again rolled upon its side, the clamp taken off the incision on the right ventricle, and out came the brine that had gone in at the ventricle and had travelled through every artery and vein where blood circulates. By continuing to force in the brine the blood was forced out, so that in fifteen or twenty minutes the escaping brine was slightly colored with blood. By this time the carcase was cold and stiff, ready to skin, cut up, pack, and ship to any part of the world.