5eo. 25.] EXCERPTA OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE FOR IIOCSEWms. 405 



gives tlic following directions: " Singe off the hair, and sc-rapo tliorouglily 

 clean ; when cut up, rub the flesh side well with common salt, and pack the 

 pieces on top of each other on a tray with a gutter round it to catch the 

 brine; once every four or five days the salt should be clianged, and the 

 flitches moved, placing those on top at the bottom; five or six weeks of this 

 treatment will eullice to cure the bacon, when it m'ay be hung up to drv, 

 first rubbing over with coai-sc bran, or any kind of sawdust except deal; 

 if smoking lie preferred, hang in a chimney; if not, in a drj-, airy part 

 of the kitchen, not too near the fire. AVe are not acquainted with tlie 

 Limerick mercantile process ; tiie "Wicklow is similar to that given above, 

 and practiced by farmers there." 



An English recipe says: "For four hams, 4ake two ounces of saltpeter, 

 two quarts of molasses, one quarter of a pound of pepper, half an ounce of 

 tochineal, and about three pints of fine salt. If the hams liave been in salt 

 pickle, the salt will not be needed. Pound the saltpeter and cochineal, then 

 ]iut all these ingredients together, and rub the hams thoroughly with the 

 pickle, turning them every day." 



■iiS. \ Good Pickle for ilams. — It depends partly upon how hogs are fed, 

 but more upon the manner of curing than anything else as to the <piality of 

 hams. They can be made almost as delicate as tender cliicken. For curing 

 hams in pickle we have tried and approve the following compound of 

 articles : To 100 lbs. of hams use 8 or 9 lbs. of rock-salt, 2 oz. of saltpeter, 

 2 lbs. of white sugar, 1 quart of best syrup, i oz. of saleratus, and 1 oz. of 

 allspice. 



These materials are boiled and scummed, in ten or twelve gallons of water, 

 and the hams packed in a barrel, and the brine put on cool, adding water 

 if necessary to cover the hams. None but a new oak barrel should lie used. 

 Scald the barrel and cool it before putting in the hams. Let tiiem lie three 

 weeks, and then take them out and air them twenty-four hours; j>ut them 

 back again three weeks, and then take ihem out and dry them thoroughly 

 before smoking, which is done in an airy smoke-house, with cobs uml maple 

 or hickory chips. It is then a most delicious article of food. In smoking, 

 be careful to keep your Lams cool ; never allow fire enough to heat tho 

 meat. 



•149. PreservinR Hams for Family I sc. — To keep hams through tlie summer, 

 hang them in a dry, cool room, and draw a loose cotton bag over them, and 

 tie it tightly around the string tliat holds the meat. This must be done 

 before tlies come in the sjiring, and it will keep them aw.ny. We have kept 

 liams prepared in this way till over three yeai-s old, and tiiey were ub much 

 belter than now ones, as ripe old cheese is better than one a tlay old. Tho 

 best hams that wo have in this country are from hogs fe<l upon beech-nuts; 

 but hams of hogs fatted ujion corn are much better than those frnni what 

 are generally known as ma.-t-fed hogs. 



4.")U. How to Cook a Ham.— Never put n ham into a kettle of cold water, 

 and be equally careful never to jxit one into boiling water. First let tho 



