24 
BULLETIN 1086, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
SKINNED HAMS. 
In the territory of Fort Worth, Tex., a considerable demand existed for skinned 
hams; consequently, several tests were conducted in order to determine the difference 
in shrinkage, if any, between skinned hams and those not skinned. They were 
selected and divided into lots according to the way they were classed in the cooler, 
as were the regular hams. 
It will be noticed that the oily hams increased 5.41 per cent, soft 4.99 per cent, 
and firm 4.63 per cent. 
The increase in weight, however, in cure, plus the pumping, was reversed, as 
shown by the following percentages of the totals: Oily, 6.62 per cent; soft, 6.85 per 
cent; firm, 9.15 per cent. In other words, the oily gained 1.21 per cent, soft 1.86 
per cent, and firm 4.52 per cent while in cure. 
One of the objections held against oily pork was that it did not take the cure or 
increase in weight as did firm fork, and these figures, as well as the following data, 
show this to be true. 
In the tests with 12 lots of skinned hams the firm meat increased 2.53 per cent 
more than the oily and 2.30 per cent more than the soft, from chilled weight through 
cure. 
Table 8. — Pumping record of pickle-cured shinned hams — Fort Worth. 
Chilled pumped Gain hy pumping. 
Lot fresh weight 
No. weight f , 
(pounds). (Pounds). Pounds _ Per cent . 
Oily. 
655 
682 
628 
602 
718 
659 
638 
2,703 
5.50 
5.28 
4.94 
5.98 
Soft. 
Firm. 
Table 9. — Curing 
record of pickle-cured skinned hams — Fort Worth. 
Lot 
No. 
Weight 
in cure 
Days in 
cure. 
Hours 
meat 
drained. 
Net 
weight 
of 
drained. 
meat 
(pounds). 
Gain from chilled 
weight through cure. 
(pounds). 
Pounds. Per cent. 
Oily 
13 691 
59 
58 
61 
60 
16 
16 
15* 
15% 
695 
723 
675 
644 
40 6. 11 
16 
19 
22 
14 
718 
659 
638 
41 6.01 
47 7. 48 
42 6.98 
2,696 
2,737 | 170 6.62 
Soft 
810 
59 
58 
61 
60 
16 
16 
15* 
15% 
819 
753 
716 
690 
45 5. 81 
17 
20 
23 
739 
699 
678 
48 6. 81 
50 7.51 
48 7. 4S 
2,926 
2,978 
191 6. 85 
15 
18 
21 
24 
717 
613 
792 
680 
59 
58 
61 
60 
16 
16 
15* 
15* 
739 
646 
821 
717 
54 7.88 
62 10. 62 
60 7.88 
69 10. 65 
2,802 
2,923 
