10 Oct., 1916.] Meat Preservation on the Farm. 597 



The balance of the carcass must be freed from bone and superfluous 

 fat. Absolute cleanliness with hands, utensils, tools, and benches is 

 imperative in the process, and according to the quantity of meat required 

 it may be preserved. If the amount is small, say, enough for two or 

 three days' supply, the simplest method is the sterilization process. 

 This method will be explained later in process No. 3. Meats which 

 cannot be utilized at time of, or soon after, slaughter, must be preserved 

 until time of consumption. 



There are various methods in vogue for the preservation of meats, 

 and they may be grouped as follows : — 



1. — Curing by salting or pickling. 

 2. — Treatment with chemicals. 

 3. — Sterilization by heat. 

 4. — Preservation by drying. 



Curing by pickling methods has been practised from the earliest times, 

 and the chief ingredients employed are salt, sugar, saltpetre, and wood 

 smoke. With the necessary skill and knowledge, meat can be preserved 

 by this means, and flavours retained and developed which are, as a 

 general rule, palatable and in some cases give an additional value 

 thereto. The nutritive value of the meat is slightly, if at all, diminished 

 by the use of the preservative agents employed. Salting has a dehydrat- 

 ing effect, and to some extent hardens the meat tissues without inter- 

 fering with the mellowing process, and it also prevents the development 

 of putrefactive organisms. Saltpetre in small quantities gives the 

 necessary pink colour, without being injurious; its preservative action 

 is small, but it has the effect, however, of lowering the temperature of 

 the brine somewhat. 



Sugar is not a necessity in the meat pickling process, and is only 

 used in conjunction with salt for meat preservation. It breaks down 

 any hardness that may be caused by the salt and saltpetre, and develops 

 in the meat a pleasant flavour. To pickled pork and ham it imparts a 

 flavour appreciated by many. 



"Wood smoke has a preservative action on meat, and meat products, 

 by its dehydrating and drying effect, also by the action of its volatile 

 acids permeating to some extent the meat subjected to its influence. In 

 some wood smokes, creosote, carbolic, ])yroligiieoiis and otlier pi-eservative 

 acids impart to the meat special flavours as Avell as acting as preserva- 

 tive agents. The maximum of smoke with the minimum of heat is the 

 best mode of application. A large barrel, or even the large chimney of 

 t]ir farm kitchen, does in the absence of a smoke-house for the purpose. 



1. — Salting oh PicKi.ixf;. 



The most common method, and if properly conducted the most 

 successful for farm use, is that known as salting or pickling (wet 

 process). 



Make a biine in a wooden vat or tub, after seeing that it is perfectly 

 clean, in the following manner. ^lix sufficient salt with the required 

 amount of water until it will float an vixf^ or potato. Poil the wliole, and 

 when cold add I lb. saltpetre to every 30 gallons of brine. The meat 

 to })e r-nred in this way should be, in the hot weather, cut down to rather 



