SALTING AND PICKLING MEAT Curing Meat. —Among the various methods of preserving beef, pork, mutton, and other meats for consid erable periods of time, are drying, canning, pickling, 0.nd smoking. Dry ing meat is practiced chiefly in hot climates and in localities where the air is free from moisture. It is ac complished by cutting the meat into convenient pieces and exposing it to direct sunlight on suitable drying forms so arranged as to admit of a free circulation of air. The canning of meat is shnilar in principle to the process of canning fruit and vegeta bles. It consists in cooking the meat until tender, placing it while at the boiling point in sterilized jars, and sealing while hot so as to exclude the air. In addition, it is customary to pour over the meat the gravy or meat jelly in which it has been cooked, in the same manner that sirup is poured over canned fruits. Pickling consists in immersing the meat in a solution of antiseptics, usually salt, sugar, and saltpeter with soda or potash. Smok ing is accomplished by suspending the meat in a suitable chamber, ex posed to the fumes of smoldering corncobs, hickory or beech chips, saw dust, or other substances. The anti septic effect of smoking is due to impregnation with pyroligneous acid, an impure acetic acid which, together with tarry matter is contained in the smoke. The effect of smoking is therefore similar to that of rubbing fresh meat with vinegar, except that the admixture of tarry matter pre vents the acetic acid from escaping by evaporation.
Pickling Meat—The points to be observed in pickling are cleanliness and sterilization. That is, all foreign matter, as blood, dirt, and the like, should be removed from the meat, and the tubs or casks in which it is packed should be sterilized. In addi tion, of course, the pickle must be sufficiently strong, and the meat fully covered with it and heavily weighted. If these precautions are observed, there is no reason why meat cannot be kept sweet the year round.
Preparation of Neat for Pickling. —The beef, pork, or mutton carcass to be pickled sbould be carefully cut into strips of equal thickness, so that it can be packed tightly in tubs or casks in tudform layers. The carcass should be cut up as soon as the ani mal heat is out of it, and the pieces to be pickled rubbed thoroughly with fine salt or powdered saltpeter or a mixture of these dried in a slow oven. After the salt and saltpeter have been well rubbed over the surface of the meat, sprinkle the pieces lightly with the same, and lay them on slats or boards slanted so that the blood will drain off, and let them stand from 24 to 48 hours. This will re move all the surface blood and leave the meat fresh and clean. When the necessary tubs or casks and pickling liquid are in readiness, rinse off the meat by dashing cold water over it from a dipper or pail. Wipe dry with a clean cloth. It will then be perfectly clean and ready to pack.
Pickling Liquid for Neat.—A full barrel, if properly packed, will con tain about 200 pounds of meat and will require from 6 to 8 gallons of pickle. The proportions of salt, salt peter, and sugar recommended are about as numerous as the various au thorities. But as these antiseptics do their work separately, the proportion is not essential, provided the pickle is strong enough. To prepare a stand ard pickling liquid, place in a large kettle 8 gallons of pure soft cold water, to which add 14 to 16 pounds of pure salt, 4 to 6 ounces of saltpe ter, about 6 pounds of good brown sugar, or about 3 pounds of the sugar and an equal bulk of good New Or leans molasses. To which may be added 2 to 6 ounces of pure baking soda. Place the whole over a slow fire and bring to a boil with very gen tle heat, removing the scum as it rises so as to have the liquid clear before it boils. After the pickle has been clarified, remove from the fire. Cover to keep out the dust and let stand until it becomes cold.