370 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



comes down and straightens out every one of these side pieces, be- 

 cause there are bound to be wrinkles running lengthwise on the out- 

 side of that pork carcass from hanging up, and those you want to re- 

 move, but don't get the idea that you can remove wrinkles that run 

 up and down the outside of the hog in that manner. You will find 

 when you have wrinkles running up and down, back of the shoulder, 

 that you cannot get rid of them. You will not only find them on the 

 outside, but when you cut the bacon strip, you will find that there's 

 an unequal distribution of fat and lean and that is the thing that is 

 objectionable. If you want a large amount of bacon, just square up 

 the edges in this manner, take off this lower strip. Now this will all 

 go into the lard and sausage. Here you have the bacon strip neatly 

 trimmed. Leave that in one piece or cut it into two pieces just as 

 you like and put it into the curing vessel. You notice at this end, 

 this flank end, there is not as much lean as there is on this end, con- 

 sequently the choicest portions of the bacon comes from this part 

 from which the ribs have been removed for premium bacon. Take 

 medium weight hogs and cut the bacon short to about there and this 

 goes for salt pork and that gives you premium bacon that will sell 

 for three or four cents a pound more on the market. 



That completes the work of cutting the pork and the beef carcass, 

 and I hope that I have not detained you too long. I don't know what 

 time it is, but I want to thank you for your indulgence and your 

 patience. 



A Member: Say a few words in regard to curing. 



PROF. TOMHAVE: There are a number of different methods of 

 curing and possibly some of you have a better method than I know 

 of. In brief, first of all, your meat should be thoroughly cooled. 

 That is the first essential. 



A Member: It is not desirable to let it freeze? 



PROF. TOMHAVE: No. sir, the freezing of meat and keeping it 

 frozen does not injure it, but don't freeze a pork carcass that is to 

 be put away to be cured unless it is necessary. It won't hurt it if 

 you freeze it and keep it frozen until you cut it up and thaw it out 

 and put it into the curing vessel. It is not the best thing for it, but 

 alternate freezing and thawing of meat breaks down the muscle 

 tissue and causes the meat to become flabby. Cool the carcass as 

 rapidly as possible have it firmly set, trim the pieces of meat up as 

 these are trimmed, and it will be ready for the curing vessel. The 

 recipe that we have so many of us used and have found satisfactory, 

 is one made up, 8 to 10 pounds of salt, 2 pounds of broT^m or granu- 

 lated sugar and 2 ounces of salt peter for 100 pounds of meat. That, 

 dissolved in 4 gallons of boiling water. I will give it again so that 

 if any of you want to take it down, you can do so. Eight to 10 

 pounds of barreled salt ; 2 pounds of sugar, brown or granulated, and 

 2 ounces of salt peter. That is the mixture for 100 pounds of meat. 

 This is to be dissolved in 4 gallons of boiling water. That solution 

 is then set away and allowed to cool. In the meantime, take some 

 salt and rub the outside of your meat. Suppose this is a piece you 

 want to cure; take some salt and thoroughly rub it on the outside, 

 so as to draw out any particles of blood that may be near the surface 

 in this meat. Some of you may wonder why we want to use these 

 various Ingredients. The use of salt is a means of preserving; that 



