The household cook book

A Southern Rule for Curing Meat — For 250 lbs. of beef or hams and shoulders, use 16 lbs. salt, 8 gal. water, 4 oz. saltpetre, 2 quarts molasses, 1 tablespoon soda; mix and dissolve. For salting beef, first cut it into suitable pieces and pack in a clean barrel as closely as can be pressed in by the hand; put it in even layers. When all the meat is packed place on top 4 sticks crossed, and lay on them a clean stone heavy enough to keep the meat under the brine. Pack hams the same way, and after 30 days remove from the brine and smoke. WESTPHALIAN HAMS— The famous Westphalian hams are cured thus: First rub with dry salt, and then drain 24 hours. Take 4 quarts salt, 3 lbs. brown sugar, 1 lb. saltpetre, 4 oz. salpeter, 4 oz. juniper berries; bruise, mix well, boil in 6 quarts of water, cool and skim. Take the hams from the salt, wipe dry, pour over the pickle, and rub well into the meat. Then smoke a little every day for 3 months until completely dry, when they will keep sound and improve in flavor for years. Hams shrink in smoking about 10% in weight, while pickled or salted pork gains about 10%. SUGAR CURING HAMS {English Recipe).— As soon as the meat comes from the butcher's hand rub it thoroughly with salt; repeat this 4 days, keeping the meat where it can drain. The fourth day rub it with saltpetre and a handful of salt, allowing 1 lb. of saltpetre to 70 lbs. of meat. Now mix 1 lb. of brown sugar, and 1 lb. of molasses; rub it over the ham every day for a fortnight, and then smoke with hickory chips or cobs. Hams should be hung highest in meat houses, because there they are less liable to the attacks of insects. TO KEEP CURED HAM — A simple way is by packing closely in a stone jar, (after taking oif the rind and cutting in slices) and then exclude the air by pouring over enough melted lard to cover them; they will keep this way several months. When some is taken out melt the lard and pour on again, to protect the balance. PICKLE FOR CORNED BEEF— (1) Use 1 gal. water, 1| lbs. salt, ^ lb. brown sugar, ^ oz. saltpetre, \ oz. potash; use same proportions for any quantity; boil all together in an iron kettle, skim and strain; put into the pickle tub, and when cold put in the meat, having the pickle cover it, and weighting it down with clean stones. (2) For 100 lbs. of beef use 8 lbs. fine salt, 4 lbs. brown sugar, 4 oz. saleratus, 2 oz. saltpetre, and mix well; put a layer of this in the bottom of the barrel and between each layer of meat, removing the large bones. Put a weight on the top layer to hold it down, and the juices of the meat furnish all the brine necessary. Meat thus pickled is ready for drying in six weeks, and does not toughen in the summer. TO CORN BEEF {Pocock Piclcle) .—Take 4 gallons fresh water. 1^ lbs. coarse brown sugar, 2 oz. saltpetre, 7 lbs. common salt; put all in a boiler, take off the scum as it rises, boil well, and then let it get cold. Have sufiicient to cover the meat, lay a cloth over it, and weight down the meat. The same pickle may be used again by re-boiling, and adding a small quantity of each ingredient fresh. SPICED CORN BEEF. — Prepare a mixture of 4 cups molasses, 4 cups of salt, 4 tablespoons of saltpetre, 2 tablespoons cloves, 2