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Show HERE ARE TWO METHODS . OF CURLNG PORK Hog killing time is coming. It is especially important this year that each family cure an abundant supply sup-ply of meat. P. F. Towbridge of the University of Missouri College of Agriculture Ag-riculture offers two methods of curing cur-ing pork. DRY CURE Do not cut up the pork till the carcas is well chilled. Make a mixture of clean fine salt 40 pounds, white or brown sugar 10 pounds, white or black, pepper 4 pounds, red pepper one-half pound. This will make enough cure for about 1000. pounds of pork. If saltpeter salt-peter is desired, use 2 pounds in the above mixture. It will give a red color to the lean meat but has a tendency ten-dency to harden the meat too much. Chili saltpeter may be used instead of the regular saltpeter by taking about 20 per cent less. Rub each piece of meat thoroughly with the cure. Take special care to work the cure around the ends of hams and shoulders. Pack skin down on a table or in a box in a cool airy place. Do not place in direct sunlight or in a damp, musty cellar. After four or five days overhaul the meat, rub thoroughly with the cure and repack; repeat this in about a week. " Hams and shoulders should remain in the cure from 1 to 2 days per pound weight of piece; the latter time is safer for meat that is to be kept during the summer. Bacon Ba-con should be in the cure a shorter time. Ten days will give nice mild cure to a six or eight pound piece. BRINE CURE Make a brine by boiling 7 pounds of clean salt and 2 pounds of white or brown sugar with two gallons of water. If saltpeter Is desired add one-fourth pound. This gives about enough to cover 100 pounds of pork when well packed, i Sprinkle a little cleairfine salt in the I bottom of the barrel, rub each piece !of meat lightly with the salt, sprinkle! ja light layer of salt between eacn i i layer of meat. Put on a board and; j weight down with a rock. Allow to j ! stand over night. Tip barrel on side: and allow the liquor to run out. Cover Cov-er the meat with cold brine and allow al-low to stand in cool place four or ! i five days. Overhaul, repack and j ! cover with the same brine. Repeat I in about a week. Give the meat the! . same length of time for curing as; with the dry cure. ' When the curing is complete wash off the excess cure and hang in the ! smokehouse. Meat kept in the cure i too long should be soaked in ar2 water to remove the excess of the cure. Smoke with hickory, oak, apple, ap-ple, or any non-resinous wood. Avoid all wood of the pine family. With a continuous smudge the smoking can be completed in twenty-four hours. With intermittent smoking longer time is necessary as cold meat "takes the smoke" slowly. Wrap the meat to keep it away from the skippers. If rats or mice get at the meat they open a way for the skippers. In damp weather cured meats will mold. This is not injurious except it is advisable advisa-ble to use up shoulders, as the mold grows in the cracks and calls for excessive ex-cessive trimming. Dade County Advocate Ad-vocate (Mo.) |