Note. — In salting or pickling beef or pork for family consumption, it not be-
ing generally required to be kept for a great length of time, less salt and more of
other matters better adapted to retain the mellowness in meat may be used than
could be adopted by those who cure large quantities for shipment. Sugar is well
known to possess the preserving principle to a large degree without the pungency
and stringency of salt. It acts without contracting the fibers of the meat, and
therefore does not impair its mellowness, but when used in sufiiciently large quan-
tities for preserving effect it imparts a flavor not agreeable to many people. It
may be used with salt, however, to great advantage in about the proportion of 1
part by weight of sugar to 4: parts of the mixture, and now that sugar is so much
cheaper than formerly it may be more commonly used.
MEAT PICKLE — Take of moist sugar, 2 lbs., common salt, 4
lbs., saltpetre, ^ lb., fresh ground allspice, 2 oz.; water 6 to 8 quarts.
170 CUTTING UP AND CUKING MEATS
Dissolve. Used to pickle meat, to which it imparts a fine red color,
and a superior flavor.
TO CURE MEAT.— To 1 gallon of water add 1^ lbs. salt, ^ lb. of
sugar, I oz. saltpetre, | oz. potash. Make any quantity desired, pre-
serving these proportions. Boil these together until all the dirt from
the sugar rises to the top and is skimmed off; then throw it into a
tub to cool, and when cold pour it over the beef and pork to remain
the usual time, say 4 or 5 weeks. The meat must be well covered
with pickle and should not be put down for at least 2 days after kill-
ing, during which time it should be slightly sprinkled with salt-
petre, which removes all surface blood, etc., leaving the meat fresh
and clean. If this recipe is tried it will never be abandoned —
nothing surpasses it.
CURING BEEF AND HAM— For beef use 6 lbs. salt, 1 oz. salt-
petre, 4 oz. New Orleans sugar, ^ gallon sorghum molasses, 3^ gal.
water; boil and skim the mixture; when cold, pour it over the meat,
and if the latter is bloody pour ofp the brine, scald it, and when cold
pour over the meat again. If the meat is a ham or shoulder to be
smoked, it should lie in the brine 20 to 30 days, and then be hung up
to smoke. Beef to be dried should be treated in the same way, but
corned beef lies in the brine until it is used up.
HAMS, TO CURE — To each green ham of 18 lbs. use 1 dessert-
spoon of saltpeter, ^ lb. of brown sugar applied to the fleshy side of
the ham and about the hock; cover the fleshy -side with fine salt ^
inch thick, and pack away in tubs; let remain from 3 to 6 weeks, ac-
cording to size. Before smoking, rub off any salt that may remain
on the ham, and cover well with ground pepper, particularly about
the bone and hock, hang up and drain for 2 days; smoke with green
wood for 8 weeks, or until the rind assumes a light chestnut color.
The iDepper is an effectual preventive of the fly. (An extra recipe.) ✪ Curing Beef and Ham
Page 129 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Note. — In salting or pickling beef or pork for family consumption, it not being generally required to be kept for a great length of time, less salt and more of other matters better adapted to retain the mellowness in meat may be used than could be adopted by those who cure large quantities for shipment. Sugar is well known to possess the preserving principle to a large degree without the pungency and stringency of salt. It acts without contracting the fibers of the meat, and therefore does not impair its mellowness, but when used in sufiiciently large quantities for preserving effect it imparts a flavor not agreeable to many people. It may be used with salt, however, to great advantage in about the proportion of 1 part by weight of sugar to 4: parts of the mixture, and now that sugar is so much cheaper than formerly it may be more commonly used.
MEAT PICKLE — Take of moist sugar, 2 lbs., common salt, 4 lbs., saltpetre, ^ lb., fresh ground allspice, 2 oz.; water 6 to 8 quarts.
Dissolve. Used to pickle meat, to which it imparts a fine red color, and a superior flavor.
TO CURE MEAT.— To 1 gallon of water add 1^ lbs. salt, ^ lb. of sugar, I oz. saltpetre, | oz. potash. Make any quantity desired, preserving these proportions. Boil these together until all the dirt from the sugar rises to the top and is skimmed off; then throw it into a tub to cool, and when cold pour it over the beef and pork to remain the usual time, say 4 or 5 weeks. The meat must be well covered with pickle and should not be put down for at least 2 days after killing, during which time it should be slightly sprinkled with saltpetre, which removes all surface blood, etc., leaving the meat fresh and clean. If this recipe is tried it will never be abandoned — nothing surpasses it.
CURING BEEF AND HAM— For beef use 6 lbs. salt, 1 oz. saltpetre, 4 oz. New Orleans sugar, ^ gallon sorghum molasses, 3^ gal. water; boil and skim the mixture; when cold, pour it over the meat, and if the latter is bloody pour off the brine, scald it, and when cold pour over the meat again. If the meat is a ham or shoulder to be smoked, it should lie in the brine 20 to 30 days, and then be hung up to smoke. Beef to be dried should be treated in the same way, but corned beef lies in the brine until it is used up.
HAMS, TO CURE — To each green ham of 18 lbs. use 1 dessertspoon of saltpeter, ^ lb. of brown sugar applied to the fleshy side of the ham and about the hock; cover the fleshy -side with fine salt ^ inch thick, and pack away in tubs; let remain from 3 to 6 weeks, according to size. Before smoking, rub off any salt that may remain on the ham, and cover well with ground pepper, particularly about the bone and hock, hang up and drain for 2 days; smoke with green wood for 8 weeks, or until the rind assumes a light chestnut color. The iDepper is an effectual preventive of the fly. (An extra recipe.)
Records on this page
Meat PickleCuring Beef and Ham