CUBING HANS, TONGUES, AND BACON Pickling Mutton Kams.—First rub the hams with a mixture of 1 pound of salt, 1 ounce of saltpeter, and 1 ounce of sugar. Hang up for 24 or 48 hours to drain. Cover with a so lution of about pound of salt to 2 gallons of water,. and let stand for 9 or 3 weeks. Pack closely in tubs or barrels and for each barrel, or 100 pounds, prepare a pickle by dissolv ing 6 pounds of coarse fine salt, 9 ounces of saltpeter, 9 ounces of soda, 1 pint of molasses, and 1 pound of brown sugar in 6 gallons of pure soft water.
Pickling Tongues. — After trim ming off the roots, with the exception of a little of the fat, rub the cut sur face with a mixture of 1 pound of salt and 1 ounce of saltpeter. Sprin kle with the same and let drain for 48 hours. Now prepare a pickle by dissolving in 1 gallon of soft water ei pounds of bay salt, 9 ounces of saltpeter, and 1 pound of brown sugar. Bring to a boil over a slow fire, skimming constantly, and im merse the tongues in this.
Or mix 1 tablespoonful of salt, 1 tablespoonful of brown sugar and 2 tablespoonfuls of saltpeter to each tongue. Rub this well into the tongues twice a day for a week and let them stand in the brine. At the end of this time, add 1 additional ta blespoonful of salt for each tongue and rub the pickle into them once a day for a week or 10 days.
Curing Pork Hams.— Pork hams may be cured either by dry- or wet salting or pickling. It is then custom ary 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 thor oughly each day with fme 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 mix ture 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 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 wom an's hands are not heavy enough to do this work properly. It is advisable to take out the bone and rub the in side of the ham where the bone is re moved 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 recep tade and add for each bam 2 table spoonfuls 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 bam of 16 or 18 pounds' weight, roix 2 tablespoonfuls of salt peter, and 40 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, pound of com mon salt, and pound of brown sugar. Heat to dryness, and rub well into the fleshy side of the ham. Lay it in a tub, barrd, 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.