MEATS, 
TO CURE LARD. 
As soon as it is taken from the hog, cut in small pieces, wash clean, 
press out the water, and put in the pot to boil, with one gallon of water 
to a vessel holding four gallons. Boil briskly until nearly done, or until 
the cracklins begin to brown, then cook slowly to prevent burning. The 
cracklins should be of a light brown and crisp, and will sink to the bot¬ 
tom when done. This is leaf lard. 
The fat off the backbone is also very nice, done in the same way, and 
does not require soaking, unless bloody. The fat from the entrails can 
also be made into nice lard by soaking for a day or two in fresh water, 
changing it frequently, and throwing a handful ol salt in the tub of water 
to draw out the blood and impurities. When ready to render, wash in 
warm water twice and boil in more water than you do for leaf lard. The 
cracklins will not become crisp, but remain soft, and will sink to the bot¬ 
tom; they are used for making soap. 
VIRGINIA MODE OF CURING HAMS. 
Put one teaspoonful saltpeter on the fleshy side of each ham. Salt 
(not too heavily) for five weeks; if the weather is freezing cold, six weeks; 
then brush the hams well, and rub them with hickory ashes; let them lie 
for one week, then hang and smoke them for six weeks with green hick¬ 
ory chips. After brushing, pack them in hickory ashes in a bulk. 
TO CURE BACON. 
Pack the meat in salt and allow it to remain five weeks. Then take 
the hams up, wash off, and wipe dry. Have some sacks made of about 
seven-eighths shirting, large enough to hold the hams and tie above the 
hock. Make a pot of sizing of equal portions of flour and corn meal, boil 
until thick, and dip each sack until the outside is well coated with sizing. 
Put the hams in bags, and tie tight with a strong twine and hang by the 
same in the smokehouse. 
TO COOK A HAM. 
Boil the ham three or four hours, according to size; then skin the 
whole and fit it for the table; then set in the oven for half an hour; cover 
it thickly with pounded rusk or bread crumbs, and set back for half an 
hour longer. Boiled ham is always improved by setting it in an oven for 
nearly half an hour, till much of the fat dries out; and it also makes it 
more tender. 
TO COOK A SADDLE OF MUTTON. 
Meats are all better for being kept a day or two before cooking, par¬ 
ticularly mutton. If the mutton be tender, do not boil it, but put it in a 
pan of water, set it on the stove and cook slowly, basting constantly 
with the gravy or water in the pan; with pepper and salt to taste. Just 
before it is done, put some scraped horseradish over it, and garnish the 
dish with the same; add a little ground mustard and grated bread or 
cracker; pour the gravy over it, and grate bread over, and set it aside to 
cool. This is for cold mutton. All meats are better for roasting before 
a fire than in a stove. 
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