384 THE HANDBOOK FOR PRACTICAL FARMERS 



larger than six inches square, a longer time may be allowed, 

 according to the size of the pieces. 



Method II. — The formula given under Method II (page 381) 

 for sugar-cured hams and bacons may be used for corned beef 

 also. 



Smoking- meats on the farm. — The smoking of cured meats 

 aids in their preservation because the smoking process closes 

 the pores of the meat or casings, and the creosote is objection- 

 able to some insects. 



Smoking gives a desirable flavor to the meat if the proper 

 kind of fuel is used. Green hickory is best, but other hardwoods 

 or corncobs may be used if hickory is not available. Resinous 

 woods should never be used, as they give an objectionable flavor 

 to the meat. Corncobs are commonly used, but are not so satis- 

 factory as hickory because of the fine ash that is forced upward 

 by the heat settles on the meat, giving it a dirty appearance. 

 Juniper berries and fragrant woods are sometimes added to the 

 fire, to give desired flavors. 



Proprietary smoking preparations are not to be recom- 

 mended, as a whole, because they hasten the curing process and 

 do not give as desirable a flavor as does the ordinary smoking 

 process. Some of these preparations also contain substances 

 that cause digestive disorders when the meat is eaten. This 

 is especially true of the various dips used to take the place of 

 smoking. 



The sinohehouse. — The smokehouse may be of any size or 

 construction to suit the needs of the owner. If the house is to 

 be used only once and only a small amount of meat is to be 

 smoked, a large barrel or a dry goods box may be used. If the 

 house is to be permanent, it is often worth while to build it of 

 brick, concrete, or stone, in order to avoid all risk of loss by 

 fire. A frame house may be used, provided that care is taken 

 to confine the fire to the center of the floor, or to build it in a 

 large iron kettle, so that it will not spread to the house. The 

 safest method of smoking meat, and at the same time of pre- 

 venting the smokehouse from getting too hot, is to dig a small 

 furnace pit in the ground about ten or twelve feet from the 

 smokehouse, and have the smoke carried from this to the house 

 through a galvanized pipe laid on top of the ground and cov- 

 ered so that it will not be crushed. 



The method of construction of the smokehouse should allow 

 ample ventilation, and there should be some means of regulating 

 the draft. This can be done by having the outlet for the smoke 



