PORK 255 



lasses, 2 ounces of baking soda and 1 ounce of saltpeter 

 dissolved in 5 gallons of soft water. The meat is cut up 

 and packed into the barrel in the usual manner with the 

 skin side down. After the brine has cooled it is poured 

 over the meat and allowed to stand for about six weeks, 

 when it is taken out and smoked, if it is to be smoked, 

 or it may be left in the brine and used as desired. 



Another recipe that has been given some considerable 

 attention and prominence is what is known as the Ashland 

 cure, which gives the famous Ashland hams. In this 3^ 

 pounds of saltpeter are used for every ten hams of mod- 

 erate size. This is rubbed into the meat thoroughly and 

 the meat is packed down in a tight box or barrel for three 

 weeks. The meat is then taken up and repacked in a 

 tight barrel after brushing off most of the cure mixture, 

 covered for two weeks with a brine strong enough to float 

 an egg, after which it is taken out, dried, rubbed with 

 fine salt and hung up to smoke, after which it is care- 

 fully wrapped and treated to hold the moisture. Both 

 of these methods yield cured pork, especially hams, of a 

 very superior sort. The two methods yield a slightly 

 different kind of ham. The first described recipe yields 

 a more juicy ham paler in color, while the latter method 

 gives a ham higher in color, but not quite so juicy. 



Smoking. The smoking process aids in the preserva- 

 tion of pork through the creosote absorbed, which also 

 protects the meat from insects to some extent. The 

 flavor is what is sought after in connection with smoking, 

 hence more attention should be given to this point. The 

 flavor is dependent to a large extent upon the wood or 

 material burned in the smoking. Pines and resinous 

 woods should never be used because of the bad flavor 



