FORE-QUAKTER

1. Rib piece for boiling or corning.

2. Plate piece for corning ; 8 cents fresh.

3. Shank for soup bone, weighs 10 pounds ; 35 cents entire.

4. Lower part of the division are shoulder pieces for stewing and pot roasts ; 10 cents. Upper part used for same purpose, but better pieces of meat ; 12>2 cents. In the upper part of 4, between 4 and 8 is what is called the shoulder joint for soup meat ; 10 cents a piece.

4. In the end of 4 next 1, is the "shoulder clod" which makes No. 1 pot roasts ; 1232 cents.

o. Rib roasts ; first cut and best, 15 cents.

6. Rib roasts ; second cuts 14 cents.

7. Chuck rib roasts first next to rib roast ana best, 14 to 15 cents.

8. Upper part, or next 7 are shoulder roasts generally used for pot- roasts ; 123^ cents.

8. Front part is the neck, good for stews, mince, corning and soup meat ; 8 cents.

9. The brisket, extending under the shank (3). This makes stews, braises, corned beef, etc. ; 8 cents.

The fore leg which is bought for 35 cents, will make ten quarts of very palatable and nutritious soup and ought to be used far more generally for that purpose. The shoulder pieces may be bought for a shilling a pound, make excellent pot roasts, and in many respects preferable to round steak at 15 cenfs. The neck at 8 cents per pound, is the very best for soups, stews and mince meat. An excellent chuck roast may be cut near the neck at a shilling a pound. The price of this meat runs in an ascending scale from the neck to the ribs, but the nutritive value does not.

CUTTING AND tTiaXG MEATS.

A — Loin, best end, for roasting.

B — Loin, chumn end, for roasting.

C — Fillet, for baking or roasting.

D — Knuckle for stewing.

E — Fore-knuckle, for stewing.

F— Neck, best end, for roasting.

G — Neck, scrag end, for stewing.

H — Blade bone.

I — Breast, for stewing.

K — Brisket, for stewing.

A — Back, lean part for roast. B — Loin, for roast. C — Bacon, to be cured. D — Shoulder to be cured. E — Ham, to be cured.

A — Leg, for boiling piece.

B — Loin, for roast.

C — Rump piece, for roast.

D — Chops, frying or broiling.

E — Fore-shoulder for boiling.

F — Neck, for stewing or roasting.

G — Brisket, for stewing.

Curing Meats.

The manner in which salt acts in preserving meat is not difficult to un- derstand. Bv its strong affinity, it, in the first place, extracts the juices from the substance of meat in sufficient quantity to form a saturated solution with the water contained in the juice, and the meat then absorbs the sat- urated brine in place of the juice extracted by' the salt. In this way, mat- ter incapable of putrefaction takes the place of that portion in the meat which is most perishable. Such, however, is not the only office of salt as a means of preserving meat ; it acts also by its astringency in contracting the fibres of the muscles, and so excludes the action of air on the interior of the substance of the meat. The last mentioned operation of salt as an anti8ep_

1038 CUTTING AND CURING MEATS.

tic is evinced by the diminution of the volume of meat to which it is applied. The astringent action of saltpeter on meat is much greater than that of salt, and thereby renders meat to which it is applied very hard ; but in small tiuantities, it considerably assists the antiseptic action of salt, and also pre- vents the destruction of the florid color of meat, which is caused by the ap- plication of salt. Thus, it will be perceived, from the foregoing statement, that the application of salt and saltpeter diminishes, in a considerable de- gree, the nutritive, and, to some extent, the wholesome qualities of meat; and, therefore, in their use, the quantity applied should be as small as pos- sible, consistent with the perfect preservation of the meat. In salting or liiekling beef or pork for family consumption, it not being generally required to be kept for a great length of time, a less quantity of salt and a larger tpiantity of other matters more adapted to retain mellowness in meat, may be employed, which could not be adopted by the curer of immense quantities of meat. Sugar, which is well known to possess the preserving principle in a very great degree, without the pungency and astringency of salt, may be, and is, very generally used in the preserving of meat for family consump- tion. Although it acts without corrugating or contracting the fibres of meat, as is the case in the action of salt, and, therefore, does not impair its mellowness, yet its use in sufficient quantities for preservative effect, with- out the addition of other antiseptics, would impart a flavor not agreeable to the taste of many persons. It may be used, however, together with salt, with the greatest advantage in imparting mildness

Brine for Corned BeeJ. — To one hundred pounds beef, take eight pounds salt, five of sugar or five pints molasses (Orleans best, but any good will do), two ounces soda, one ounce saltpeter, four gallons soft water, or enough to cover the meat. Mix part of the salt and sugar together, rub each piece and l)lace it in the barrel (oak is best), having covered the bottom v.ith salt. When the meat is all in, put the remainder of salt and sugar in the water. Dissolve the soda and saltpeter in hot water, add it to the l)rine an<l pour oviT the meat ; place board on top of meat, with a weight sufllcient to keep it under the brine. Let the pieces intended for Dried i>ef/ remain in the brine for three weeks, take out, place in a tub, cover with water, let stand Dvernight, string and smoke for a few days, if you like, hang it up to ceiling over the kitchen stove, or on a frame set behind the stove, turn round once a day so as to give all parts an equal exposure, and let remain for three or four weeks. Test, by cutting a piece, which should l>e well dried on the outside and free from rawness to the center. When dried, sprinkle with uround black pepper, put in paper sacks, tie up tightly, and hang in a cool (Irv, (lark ])lace, or put, without sacks in an emptv flour barrel, and cover closelv. Tongue may be pickled with the beef. Aher taking out the pieces for dried beef it is well to boil the brine, skim well and when cold jwur ov«r

CUTTING AND CURING MEATS. lU39

the pieces of corned beef left in barrel. For a Boiled Brine ; to one gallon water take one and a half pounds salt, one-half pound sugar, half ounce each saltpetre and soda. In this ratio the pickle can be increased to any quant- ity desired. Let these be boiled together until all the dirt from the sugar and salt rises to the top and is skimmed off; then place in a tub to cool, and when cold pour over beef. The meat must be well covered with the pickle, and should not be put down for two days after killing, during which time it may be slightly sprinkled with salt. Boil and strain every two months, add- ing three ounces brown sugar and a half pound common salt, always letting ])rine cool before pouring over the meat. Some in placing pieces of beef in barrel slightly sprinkle each layer with salt.

Spiced Corned Beef. — To ten pounds beef, take two cups salt, two cups molasses, one table-spoon saltpeter, one table-spoon ground peper, one table- spoon cloves ; rub well into the beef, turn every day, and rub the mixture in ; will be ready for use in ten days. Some add a table-spoon allspice and piece of mace. To cookboilsix hours. For a SpicedBrine, toone gallon boil- ing water add salt till it bears up an egg, quarter ounce saltpeter, half ounce each mustard seed, cloves, and mace, a cayenne pod, an ounce ginger and a pound brown sugar. Boil, skim and when cold pour over the pieces of beef. For English Spiced Beef, to a round of beef weighing twenty-iive pounds, take (jue ounce cloves, three ounces eachsaltpeter and coarse sugar, half an ounce of allspice, six ounces common salt, one nutmeg. The beef should hang two or three days ; then take out the bone, and if wished cut in two or three pieces, rub the spices and salt thoroughly together, and rub them well into the beef on both sides ; cover the beef, turn and rub it every day for two or tliree weeks. Wlien you wish to use it, dip it in cold water to' remove the loose spice ; bind it closely several times around the sides with a long strip of cotton cloth two inches wide ; put it in a pan with half a pint of water in the l)ottomto j>revent burning; cover the top of the meat with shred suet, and cover the pan with a crust half an inch thick, made of water and Graham or other flour, seeing that it adheres to the edge of the pan. Lay a brown paper over the crust : bake it slowly for five or six hours, and when'cold remove the paste. The gravy, of which there will be a large quantity, may be used in soup, in beef-pie or

Philadelphia Dried Beef. — For every twenty pounds of beef, take one pint salt, one teaspoon saltpeter and a quarter of a pound of brown sugar. Divide the ingredients into three equal parts, and rub them well into the beef on three successive days. The meat is ready to hangup in one week. It makes the beef keep })erfectly without being any too salt. Indeed, a trifle more salt might be added for those who like it quite salt.

Stuffed Spiced Beef. — To twenty pounds of round beef take two and a half pounds of suet, chopped very fine, and mixed with black pepper until it is almost black. Mix with this one handful whole allspice, and one of whole cloves ; punch holes in the meat and stuft^ with suet ; sew up in a bag very tight, and cover well with a brine of four gallons of water, one and a half pounds of sugar, two ounces of pulverized saltpeter, and six pounds of com- mon salt. It is ready for use in three weeks. Boil well, and when cold remove the bag, and slice from the cut end.

To Keep Meat Without Curing. — Hang the piece in a cool place, on the north side of cellar, and if the weather should become rainy rub meat with a

1040 CUTTING AND CURING MEATS.

little salt. Always hang with the cut side up as otherwise the essence of the moat would be wasted. In fall and winter meat may be kept quite a long time in this manner. If for any reason there is danger of tainting rub witli salt as above. Some rub either beef or mutton well with salt and put in a closely covered vessel and keep for months ; always turning the pieces when the cover is removed. Beef-steak for Winter Use, cut the steaks large, and the usual thickness ; have ready a mixture made of salt, sugar and finely powdered saltpeter, mix in the same proportion as for corned beef ; sprinkle the bottom of a large jar with salt, lay in a piece of steak, and sprinkle over it some of the mixture, as much or a little more than you would use to sea- son in cooking, then put in another slice, sprinkle, and so on until the jar is filled, yfith a sprinkle of the mixture on top ; over all put a plate, with a weight on it, and set in a cool, airy place, where it will not freeze. This needs no brine, as it makes a brine of its own. Thirty-five or forty pounds can be kept perfectly sw'eet in this w'a}\ Take out to use as wanted, and broil or fry.

To Keep Meat Fresh in Hot Weather. — For a five-pound piece of meat take a three-gallon stone crock ; have some pans of skimmed milk that is turning sour, just getting thick ; put some of the milk in the crock ; then put in the meat; then put in milk till it covers the meat; now turn an earthen dish or plate bottom-up on the meat to hold it down ; fill the crock with the milk ; tie a cloth over the top, and set in a cool place ; it will keep five or six days in the hottest weather. When wanted for use, wash thoroughly in water, and cook in any manner desired.

To Cure and Dry Beef Tongues. — For one dozen tongues make a brine of a gallon and a half of water (or enough to cover them well), two pints good salt, one of molasses, or one pound brown sugar, and four red peppers ; bring to a boil, skim, and set to cool. Pack the tongues in a large jar, and when the brine is entirely cold, pour it over them, put on a weight, let remain ten or twelve days, take out, drain, and hant; to smoke about two days, then dry moderately, and put away in a flour sack in a dry place. When wanted for use, boil six or eight hours in a pot filled with water, adding more when nec- essary so as to keep well covered all the time until done ; Avhen done, take out and set away to cool, but do not skin until needed for the table. Some add to this a half ounce snlti)cter and many think an ordinary sized tongue should remain in pickle about a month and be turned every day. If they are not <lried, but left in pickle till used, the brine should be boiled, skimmed and cooled once in two weeks. For Philadelphia Cured Tongues, trim and lay six or eight tongues in boiling water for five minutes. After they are cool, rub them with a quarter of an ounce of saltpeter mixed with a quarter of a pound of sugar or a small cup of molasses, and two handsful of common salt, and some add tablespoon ground cloves. Pack them in an earthen or a porcelain vessel, sprinkle each layer with the mixture, and put a wei'xht on top ; turn them every other day, putting top one in bottom, and packinii them very closely. If there is not enough pickle to quite cover them, sprinkle lightly with salt. After two or three weeks hang up, and when dry put away as a- bove. If you do not de

CUTTING AND CURING MEATS. 1041

the tongue is to be dried affix a paper to it with a date ; smoke over a wood tire four days unless wrapped in paper, and then as many weeks will be re- ({uired. As many tongues as wished can be cured as above by increasing amount of mixture.

To Clean Tripe. — Empty the pauncn and rinse thoroughly in cold water, being careful not to let any of the contents get on the outside. Make strong cleansed water or white lye and heat a little, too warm to hold hands in, pour over the tripe in a tub and let it stand two or three hours ; then turn inside out, tack it up against a board, and with a knife scrape downwards, taking off the inner skin, or rinse it clean in cold water; sprinkle lime oyer, then scrape with a knife ; if the dark does not all come off easily, sprinkle more lime on, and let it lie for an hour longer, then scrape again, and rinse in cold water and clean. Place in water enough to cover with a large handful of salt and let the tripe remain in the salt water three days and nights, changing the water each day, then take out, cut in pieces about six inches wide and twelve long, lay in buttermilk a few days to whiten ; rinse it clean in cold water, and boil until tender ; it will take from four to ten hours, as it should be done so that it can by mashed with the fingers. After thus prepared it can be cooked as preferred. After turning inside out some sew it up so that the lime cannot get in, and put to soak in limewater of the consistency of thick whitewash ; leave in this twenty minutes, or until the dark skin peels off easily. Rinse several times in clean water and with a dull knife scrape off the dark surface, continue to soak and scrape several times to remove all of- fensive sebstances and smell. Then soak twenty or thirty minutes in hot water, changing two or three times, scraping oA'er each tinie, put in salt and water twelve hours (some have the water hot) and it is ready for cooking- Another wa

How to Cut up Pork.— Split through the spine, cut off each half of head behind the ear, remove the pieces in front of the shoulder, for sausage. Take out leaf which lies around the kidneys, for lard ; cut out the lean meat, ribs, etc , then the ham and shoulder, and remove the loose pieces directly in front of the ham, for lard. Cut off a narrow strip of the belly for sausage'; and cut up the remainder which is clear pork, into five or six strips of about equal width for salting down. Smoke the jowl with hams, and use the upper part of the head for boiling, or baking, or head-cheese. Scorch the feet over the fire until the hoofs remove easily, scrape clean, place in hot water afewmin- utes, wash and scrape thoroughly and they are ready for cooking. All the flabby pieces should be tried up for lard. Remove all fat from intestines, saving that which does not easily come off the larger intestines for soap- grease. The liver, heart, sweet-breads and kidneys are all used for boiling or frying, and the smaller intestines are sometimes used for sausage cases.

To Cure Hams and Shoulders. — Make brine as in the first recipe for Corned Beef with the addition of two pounds more of salt. Take part of the mixture of salt and sugar, rub each piece thoroughly on fleshy side, lay in barrel (having first covered the bottom with salt) skin side down. When all are in make a pickle of the remainder of the mixture, as directed and pour over the meat ; have a round board, a little smaller than the barrel, place on the meat with a weight (a large stone is good, which can be washed clean and laid a- way to be used year after year,) suflicient to keep it under the brine ; let re-

1042 CUTTING AND CURING MEAT?*.

main from four to eight weeks, according to size ; take out and soak in water oirrniyht, as this prevents a white crust from forming upon the sides of the ham when dried and smoked, drain and sprinkle with cayenne pepper, inir- ticularly around the boue. Hang them ready to smoke, let them drain for two days and then smoke with corn cobs or green hickory or maple wood, taking "care to have smoke, but not fire enoughto make heat. Hang up to smoke with liock downwards, as the skin then retains the juices of the meat. After smoking from two to f<jur weeks take down, sprinkle with ground black pep- per, tie tightl}' in whole paper sacks, hang in a dry, dark, cool place, watch- ing clo.sely for fear of mold. Or, wrap in paper, sew in a coarse, cotton bag, whitewash on the outside and hang near the roof in the garret; or, wrap in brown paper, and cover with dry ashes (dry leached ashes are best) ; or, pack without sacks, hock end uppermost, in oats or shelled corn, or in clean, sweet hay, before tiles come. Cover box or barrel closely, and keep in a dry, cool place. If there is any danger from flies, take direct from smoke-house and pack immediatel)'. Brine for Pickled Fork should have all the salt it will dissolve, and a peck or half bushel in bottom of barrel with salt between each layer. If pork is salted in this way it will never spoil, but the strength of the brine makes it necessary to salt the hams and sides separately. Pork when killed should be thoroughly cooled before salting, but should not remain loiager than one or two days. It should never be frozen before salting, as this is as injurious as salting before it is cooled. Large quantities of pork are lost by failing to observe

CUTTING AND CURING MEATS. 1048

an hour, and rub the bran evenly over it, and by sewing a covering of mosquito netting around the hams and shoulders the outside is kept cleaner. Some use only the mosquito sack without rubbing over with bran. Those who have very tender hams claim it is caused by hanging them two days after killing, then beating with a rolling pin and salting and finishing as above. There are a few other things that must be remembered in order to have the meat of a pleasant taste. The place for salting should, like a dairy, always be cool, but well ventilated; confined air, though cool, w.ill taint meat sooner than the mid-day sun, accompanied by a breeze. With regard to smoking the bacon, two precautions are necessary ; first, to hang the pieces where no rain comes down upon them ; and next, that the smoke must proceed from wood, not peat, turf or coal. As to the time required to smoke it, it depends a good deal upon whether there be a constant fire beneath ; and whether the fire be large or small ; a month will do it the fire be pretty constant and rich, as a farm-house fire usually is ; but over-smoking, or rather too long hanging in the air, makes the bacon rust ; great attention should therefore be paid to the matter. The pieces ought not to be dried up to the hardness of a board, and yet ought to be perfectly dry. For York Hams, mix for each good sized ham, teacup salt, tablespoon molasses, ounce saltpeter ; lay hams in clean dry tub ; heat mixture and rub well into hams, especially around the bones and recesses ; repeat process once or twice, or until mixture is used ; then let hams lie two or three days, when they must be put for three weeks in brine strong enough to bear an egg ; then

Philadelphia Hams. — Lay hams to be cured on a slanting board, and rub with fine salt. Let them lay forty-eight hours ; then wipe oif the salt with a dry towel, and to each ham take a teaspoon of powdered saltpeter and a dessertspoon of coarse brown sugar and rub well to the fleshy parts ; then pack in a tub, skins down ; sprinkle between each layer with a little fine salt. In five days cover them with a pickle made as follows : To one gallon of water take one and a half pounds of coarse sugar. Let them lay five, six or seven weeks, according to size. Hang them up to dry several days before smoking. The pickle should stand and be skimmed, and must be cold.

Virginia Hams. — Smoke the barrel, in which hams are to be pickled, by inverting it over a kettle containing a slow fire of hard wood, for eight days (keeping water on the head to prevent shrinking) ; in this barrel pack hams, and pour over them, after it has cooled, a brine made in proportion of four gallons of M'ater, eight pounds of salt, five pints of molasses, and four ounces saltpeter, boiled and skimmed in the usual manner. They will be cured in eight or nine days, and they may be kept in the pickle for a year without damage.

To Cure Small Hams. — In the fall, about first of November, people in the country generally kill a good-sized pig, to last until "butchering time." To cure hams of such, first rub well, especially around the bone on fleshy side, with one-half of the salt, sugar, cayenne and saltpetre, well pulver- ized (same proportions as for corned-beef), adding a teaspoon of allspice to each ham ; put a layer of salt in bottom of cask, and pack in hams as closely as possible ; let stand three or four days, then make brine of the other half of salt, etc., and pour over meat, putting a good weight on top ; when it has lain three or four weeks it is ready for use. For Hams tvith Vinegar, rub hams well with common salt, and leave them for a day or two to drain ; then rub in well the following proportions of sugar, salt, saltpeter, and vinegar.

1044 CUTTING AND CURING MEATS.

and turn them every other day To a ham from ten to twelve pounds, al- low one pound of coarse sugar, three-fourths pound salt, one ounce saltpeter, lialf teacup vinegar. Keep them in the pickle one month, drain and smoke over a wood fire for three weeks or a month.

To Keep Hams. — For one hundred pounds of meat, take eight pounds of salt, two ounces saltpeter, and four gallons water; put hams in this pickle in the fall, keeping them well under the brine ; in April, take out, drain three or four days, slice as for cooking, trim ofi' rind, fry nearly as much as for table, pack in stone jars, pressing down the slices as fast as they are laid in the jars; when full, put on a weight, and when entirely cold cover with the fat fried out, or ■with melted lard and cover jar closely. Prepared in this way, they retain the ham flavor without being smoked. The gravy left from frying will be found very useful in cooking. When ham is wanted for use, scrape off the lard, remove a layer of meat, and always be particular to melt the lard and return it immediately to the jar. It will keep througTi the season. Any ham may be packed away in this manner at any time and some prefer to soak as for cooking, after slicing, and place in oven and only cook slightly, then pack and cover as above.

Pickled Pork. — Some put it up successfully in this way, take a tub, larg- est at the bottom and tapering to the top, large enough to hold the year's supply ; when packed as it should be, the meat will not rise to the top, the slant of the tub holding it down. It should he packed edgewise, in regular layers, as solid as possible. After putting a layer of salt in the bottom of the tub and pounding down the meat with a maul, fill the interstices with salt ; then alternate layers of meat and salt till the tub is full. Fill up with pure water. If the barrel is sweet, the salt pure, the meat sound, there will be no damaged pork, nor will skimming and scalding the brine be necessary to have sweet pork the year round. For putting down a small amount in a stone jar, completely cover the bottom of a large stone jar (one that will hold five or six gallons or more) with salt. Cut side meat in strips four or five inches wide and pack in a jar on the edge placing the skin next the jar ; lay it round close as possible till the bottom of the jar is full, cover this com- pletely with salt, and so ou till the jar is full. Then make a brine strong enough to bear an egg, and pour over the meat till it is covered. Meat if put up this way will keep till late in the fall and taste nearly as nice and sweet as fresh meat. For Western Reserve Pickled Pork, allow the meat to stand until the animal heat is entirely out of it ; cut the sides into strips crosswise ; cover the bottom of g, barrel with salt, and pack in the pork closely edge- wise, with rind next the barrel ; cover each layer with salt, and proceed in like manner until all has been put in. Make a strong brine sutficient to cov

Trying Lard. — AVhen the leaf lard is taken from the hog, it should be placed in a clean tub. If any pieces are bloody they ought to be placed in lukewarm water, letting them remain until thoroughly cleansed, then drain well and use with the other lard. The leaf lard can be cut up in pieces an inch square. Have kettle on fire on stove with a little water, to which add the (nit up lard, letting it heat gradually; stir with a wooden stick (hickory or maple) or a long handled iron spoon*. The fat pieces of meat, which are

CUTTING AND CUEING MEATS. 1045

also used for lard, are cut in same manner, after taking oflF the skin, and added to the leaf lard in kettle. The skins should be laid by themselves to be tried out after the lard is done. "While the lard is trying, as soon as the water is all boiled out, which can be told by the clearness of the fat (when there is water, it has a slightly milky appearance) you can begin dipping off the clear lard and straining it into the vessels ready for its use (stone crocks are best). Some think the quality of the lard is improved by sprinkling over and slowly stirring in one tablespoon of soda to every five gallons of lard, just before removing from the fire. After adding soda, the kettle must be removed from the stove, and Avatched closely, and stirred constantly, as it foams rapidly, and is very likely to run over, and if on stove, is likely to take fire. Do not take out the pieces of meat until well done. Be careful not to let it burn ; it is very easily scorched just at the last ; when finished, the cracklings should be of a light brown color. A good way to strain it is to place a towel over a colander, dip the lard into it, when sufficient is in, two persons, one at each end, can twi«t the towel until all the lard is out. Put the cracklings in a vessel, dip out more lard ; continue this way until all the lard is disposed of. Set the jar in a cool place and stir it frequently with the wooden spoon, so as to insure the cooling of the center as quickly as the outside ; this prevents the lard from becoming frory in the middle ; or set the lard in milk pans to cool. When cold, cut out, place in jars and pour over it melted lard almost cold until it is smooth on top. When

Brawn. — Split and nicely clean a hog's head; take out brains; cutoff ears, and rub a good deal of salt into head ; let drain twenty-four hours ; then lay on it two ounces saltpeter, and salt, for three days ; lay the head and salt into a pan, with just water to cover for two days more. Wash well, and boil until bones will come out; remove them, and chop meat as quickly as possible in pieces an inch long; but first take skin carefully off head and tongue ; cut the latter also in bits. Season with pepper and salt. Put the skin of one side of head into a small long pan ; press chopped head and tongue into it, and lay skin of other side of head over, and press it down. When cold, it will turn out. The head may probably be too fat; in which case, prepare a few bits of lean pork with head. Boil two ounces salt, pint vinegar, and quart of the liquor, and, when cold, pour it over the head. The ears are to be boiled longer than head; cut in thin strips, and add to it. Reboil the pickle often.