small quantity, so far from preventing, pro- moted putrefaction. From this fact, the saga- cious physician concluded that, as we use salt at table in small quantities only, its use is to help digestion by its septic power, the meat being thus softened and dissolved. It is not a matter of indifference what kind of salt is employed for curing meat and fish. Bay-salt is preferred. This is in large crystals — it is obtained by spontaneous evaporation of salt water. The superiority of Dutch cured herrings has been ascribed to the use of bay- salt. Meat-salters prefer this coarse-grained and evidently impure quality ; and perhaps this very impui'ity adds to its antiseptic power. Different kinds of salt seem also to differ in their degree of saltness, as one sugar is sweeter than another. The crystals of salt which may bo picked from a bottle of real Gorgona ancho- vies is most intensely saline, and the peculiar flavour of this favourite fish seems to be greatly aided by the piquancy of the salt. The fine- grained salt of Cheshire, commonly used in London, penetrates much sooner ; and meat salted in London has more taste of the salt in four days than it acquii-es in Dublin in a week, on account of the coarse grain of the salt manufactured in the latter place. The best mode of salting meat for long- keeping is perhaps the following: — For this purpose the meat ought to be of the best pos- sible quality, for as the natural oifect of the process is to deteriorate the meat, unless it was originally excellent, a sufficiently good quality to render it agreeable will not remain. The main object to be kept in view ought to be to extract as much of the animal moisture as possible with the least possible quantity of salt, and therefore with the least injury to the soft- ness of the fibre. To effect this object with beef, select the meat perfectly free from taint ; let all the kernels be cut out ; sprinMe it all over with fine salt ; lay it on an inclined plane for about six hours, so that its juices, which the salt will separate and. dissolve in, may as much as possible drain off. Let it be be then wiped, well rubbed with bay-salt, and l^laced between two strong boards, with a very heavy weight on the upper one. The combined action of the salt and pressure will cause the extrusion of more juices. In twenty-four hours, let the meat be -wdped and rubbed again, and laid imder the pressing boards. The same wiping, salting, and pressing are to be re- peated in twenty-four hours more. In this way, the weight being added to every day, the meat may bo kept till it is salt enough for the purpose. The time will be shorter or longer, according to the fancy of the consumer ; but if the meat is to be kept for store, it must not bo loft exposed to the air between the boards more than a few days. After being removed from the pressing boards, the pieces must be packed closely in a perfectly tight cask, with salt between and around. Instead of using salt alone, it may be mixed with one-eighth of its weight of saltpetre, to redden the meat. If there be any advantage in sugar for preventing hardness, the quantity ought to be larger than what is usually employed ; for, as already ob- served^a small quantity promotes putrefaction :

AI-modernized reading of the original text

small quantity, so far from preventing, promoted putrefaction. From this fact, the sagacious physician concluded that, as we use salt at table in small quantities only, its use is to help digestion by its septic power, the meat being thus softened and dissolved. It is not a matter of indifference what kind of salt is employed for curing meat and fish. Bay-salt is preferred. This is in large crystals — it is obtained by spontaneous evaporation of salt water. The superiority of Dutch cured herrings has been ascribed to the use of baysalt. Meat-salters prefer this coarse-grained and evidently impure quality ; and perhaps this very impurity adds to its antiseptic power. Different kinds of salt seem also to differ in their degree of saltness, as one sugar is sweeter than another. The crystals of salt which may bo picked from a bottle of real Gorgona anchovies is most intensely saline, and the peculiar flavour of this favourite fish seems to be greatly aided by the piquancy of the salt. The finegrained salt of Cheshire, commonly used in London, penetrates much sooner ; and meat salted in London has more taste of the salt in four days than it acquires in Dublin in a week, on account of the coarse grain of the salt manufactured in the latter place. The best mode of salting meat for longkeeping is perhaps the following: — For this purpose the meat ought to be of the best possible quality, for as the natural oifect of the process is to deteriorate the meat, unless it was originally excellent, a sufficiently good quality to render it agreeable will not remain. The main object to be kept in view ought to be to extract as much of the animal moisture as possible with the least possible quantity of salt, and therefore with the least injury to the softness of the fibre. To effect this object with beef, select the meat perfectly free from taint ; let all the kernels be cut out ; sprinkle it all over with fine salt ; lay it on an inclined plane for about six hours, so that its juices, which the salt will separate and. dissolve in, may as much as possible drain off. Let it be be then wiped, well rubbed with bay-salt, and placed between two strong boards, with a very heavy weight on the upper one. The combined action of the salt and pressure will cause the extrusion of more juices. In twenty-four hours, let the meat be wiped and rubbed again, and laid imder the pressing boards. The same wiping, salting, and pressing are to be repeated in twenty-four hours more. In this way, the weight being added to every day, the meat may be kept till it is salt enough for the purpose. The time will be shorter or longer, according to the fancy of the consumer ; but if the meat is to be kept for store, it must not bo loft exposed to the air between the boards more than a few days. After being removed from the pressing boards, the pieces must be packed closely in a perfectly tight cask, with salt between and around. Instead of using salt alone, it may be mixed with one-eighth of its weight of saltpetre, to redden the meat. If there be any advantage in sugar for preventing hardness, the quantity ought to be larger than what is usually employed ; for, as already observed, a small quantity promotes putrefaction :

Cassell's dictionary of cookery