Corning Beef and Meat

New Zealand Listener, Volume 15, Issue 389, 6 December 1946, Page 27

Corning Beef and Meat

Dear Aunt Daisy, Could you publish in The Listener a recipe for corning a small piece (say about 2lbs.) of beef, pork, etc. I remember something about a dry rub with salt, brown sugar and saltpetre, the meat being turned every day; but I do not know the quantities, or how long it takes to corn. Every cookery book seems to deal in such large quantities that I can’t work out the amount of saltpetre, etc. With thanks. Old New Plymouth-ite. Well, we have a couple of Old English methods which are almost identical, and they are for hams, tongues, lamb and mutton, and any meat, really. It is not a dry rub, however-those methods are all given for very large sides, or whole pigs. So try this OLD ENGLISH CURING: One gallon of water; 1lb. of coarse sugar; 11%4lbs. of common salt; ilb. of butcher’s salt; and loz. of saltpetre. Boil all together for 20 minutes, skimming carefully. When cool it is ready for use. A large ham should be in pickle for 21 days; a’ small one for 14 days, and an ox tongue for 12 days. Lamb and young mutton are ready after 10 days. ’ There is also a good recipe for SPICED SHOULDER OF MUTTON: Three ounces of salt; h dessertspoon of powdered cloves; 1 saltspoon of ground ginger; 4oz. of coarse brown sugar; 1 teaspoon ground mace, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Mix all but the salt, and rub into the shoulder. Next day rub in the salt. Turn twice a day, and rub occasionally with the pickle for 8 or 2 days. Then roll it up. It may be boiled or cooked in rashers. And here is another variation, ‘called SPICED PRESSED MUTTON: Make a brine of salt and water, strong enough to float an egg. Add about a tablespoon of saltpetre boiled in some water with

a cup of sugar. Leave the brine fill quite cold. Now put in the flanks from the mutton, the tongues, and any odd pieces not used as joints. Leave for a week or ten days. Then take out the pieces, and boil till the bones will come out easily. In a round cake tin put a layer of mutton, sprinkle with spice and a little nutmeg, then add slices of tongue, and continue the layets until the tin is full. Dissolve gelatine in some of the water in which the mutton was boiled-a dessertspoon of gelatine will set a breakfast cup of liquid. Pour into the tin so that the meat will be set in jelly. Cover with a plate, and press with weights. Leave about 24 hours.