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Vinegar, Pickles, and Pickling: Pork

Curing Pork Hams. - Pork hams may be cured either by dry- or wetsalting or pickling. It is then customary to smoke them, both to impart a smoky flavor and as a protection against insects. And they may be further protected by wrapping or sealing in cloth or paper cases.

To dry-salt hams for smoking, but without pickle, which is the English method, rub the fleshy parts thoroughly each day with fine table salt and hang up the hams for 3 or 4 days where they can drain. On the fourth day, rub well into the hams, using plenty of "elbow grease," a mixture of 1 pound of common salt, 1 pound of bay salt, 4 ounces of saltpeter, and pound of brown sugar. Lay the hams on a board or shelf, rind side down, and each day apply to the fleshy side with a soft brush, a mixture of 1 pound of brown sugar and 1 pound of molasses. At the end of a fortnight, smoke with hickory wood or corncobs.

Or for each 100 pounds of pork, mix 1½ ounces of saltpeter, 1 ounce of black pepper, 5 ounces of brown sugar and 1 quart of common or bay salt. Add just enough hot water to dissolve. Mix all together and rub thoroughly into the meat. A woman's hands are not heavy enough to do this work properly. It is advisable to take out the bone and rub the inside of the ham where the bone is removed in the same manner. But if this is not done, the bone may be loosened slightly with a knife and the mixture forced into the cut for a few inches. Lay the hams with the fleshy side up and rub them over with this mixture every day for 10 days or 2 weeks, after which smoke them with hickory chips or corncobs.

Or for a wet-salting process, mix 1 pound of common salt, 1 pound of bay salt, 3 ounces of saltpeter, and pound of brown sugar. Dissolve the saltpeter in a little boiling water, using no more than is necessary to dissolve it. Mix the other ingredients and rub the whole thoroughly into the fleshy side of the ham. Place them in a firkin or other tight receptacle and add for each ham 2 tablespoonfuls of pure vinegar. Each day turn the hams, and rub the brine into them thoroughly for a week or 10 days. Then let stand 3 or 4 days in the pickle, basting them occasionally with a large wooden spoon.

Or for each ham of 16 or 18 pounds' weight, mix 2 tablespoonfuls of saltpeter, and 4 ounces of brown sugar and rub it thoroughly into the fleshy side. After which cover the fleshy side with a layer of fine salt inch thick, and lay the hams down in the tubs for 4 or 5 weeks.

Or mix 1 pound of bay salt, pound of saltpeter, 4 pound of common salt, and 4 pound of brown sugar. Heat to dryness, and rub well into the fleshy side of the ham.

Lay it in a tub, barrel, or firkin, the rind side down. Cover the fleshy parts with a layer of this mixture and each day turn the hams, and rub the brine into them for a week or 10 days. Afterwards let stand for a month basting the pickle over them daily with a large wooden spoon.

Hang up to dry for 2 or 3 days and smoke.

Or protect against insects, and store without smoking. A small ham will require about 2 weeks, and a large one 3 to 4 weeks to cure by the above method. A tongue will require about 12 days. They may then be used at once without drying, or may be dried and smoked.

Or if the weather is hot, and the hams show signs of rusting, make a pickle of common salt and water strong enough to float an egg, and pour it over them.

Or to pickle pork hams, first rub them with a mixture of 1 pound of PRESERVATION OF MEAT AND VEGETABLES 699 pure salt and 1 ounce of saltpeter.

Sprinkle with same and let them drain on slats for 48 hours. Rub into each ham a mixture of½ teaspoonful of saltpeter,½ teaspoonful of brown sugar, and 1 salt spoon of Cayenne pepper. Scald a suitable tub or barrel. Cover the bottom with a layer of pure salt. Pack the hams in this, rind side down, sprinkling salt freely over the fleshy side of each, and let stand for a week. Prepare a pickling liquid by dissolving in 6 gallons of soft water 10 pounds of salt, 4 pounds of brown sugar, 4 ounces of saltpeter, and 2 ounces of soda.

Bring to a boil with very gentle heat, skimming constantly. Set aside until cool, and pour into the cask through cheese-cloth strainer. The hams should remain in this pickle from 6 weeks to 3 months, according to their size. a Or for 100 pounds of meat, dissolve in 4 gallons of soft water, 8 pounds of coarse fine salt, 1 ounce of baking soda, 2 ounces of saltpeter, and 2 pounds of brown sugar. Prepare in all respects as above.