476 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



COOKING. 



As Dr. Magruder states, "after the ham is cured one of the most im- 

 portant operations mvst be gone through with before it is ready for 

 the table — that is, the cooking." 



The bog may have been raised right, fattened properly, killed at the 

 right time, and cured as it should be, but if it is net cooked properly the 

 previous work is all in vain and the ham is net good. * * * x 

 large ham— say 18 pounds — is much better flavored, sweeter, and more 

 juicy than a small one — say under 8 pounds. 



Wash the ham thoroughly, then soak in cold water several hours, 

 the time varying with the size of the ham. This soaking is to dissolve 

 out the excess of salt. The ham is then put in the boiler full of boiling 

 water. The temperature should then be lowered sl'ghtly and the bciler 

 jrst kept simmering. Keep the water just barely bciling for 41/^ hours 

 for an 18-pcund ham; that is, a quarter of an hour for each* pound of 

 ham. If the hams are larger or smaller, vary the time to suit the 

 weight. As the water boils out, add fresh boiUng water, and always 

 keep the boiler full. For very large hams it is advisable to cook in 

 two waters. Why should the ham be put in bo'ling water? Portions of 

 the lean meat, the albumin, and some of the juices and flavors are sol- 

 uble in warm water, while boiling water coagulates the albumin just 

 as it dees the white of an egg. So, if put in cold water and heated to 

 the boiling point, some albumin and much of the delicate flavors which 

 are so sought after in hams would be dissolved out by the water as it 

 warmed up to the boiling point; but if put into boiling water, the albu- 

 min is coagulated at once on the surface and all the juices and flavors 

 sealed in and kept there till eaten. While cooking, the ham is just kept 

 at the boiling point of water, which is suffcient heat to cook it thor- 

 oughly without separating the fibers or "boiling it to pieces," as a rapid 

 or hard boiling would do. 



POULTRY AS A SIDE ISSUE ON THE FARM— HOW A CHANGE FROM 



GRADES TO PURE BREDS IN POULTRY RAISING INCREASED 



THE PROFITS AND MULTIPLIED THE PLEASURES 



INCIDENTAL TO BUSINESS. 



BY B. B. RUSHING, 



(In The Homestead.) 



There is hardly a farm to be found anywhere but what keeps a few 

 chickens as a side issue, but I am led to believe from my own ex- 

 perience and much observation that there are few farmers that deveolp 

 that side issue as it should and, in nearly every case, could be developed. 

 In passing the farm you will see some chickens, and, by the way, often 

 nowhere for them to spend these cold, rough days when the ground Is 

 covered with snow and sleet. 



I know an Illinois farmer who is developing this branch of his farm- 

 ing, I believe, as well or better than I ever saw it developed and worked 



