Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/267

 sets in very hot, and then it is advisable to examine closely each ham.

That once there is an unpleasant smell it is too late to remedy by more rubbing. The bad part must be cut out completely.

Rub well to be sure of curing every portion, inside and out. Better too salt than going bad, for a little extra soaking before boiling will remedy the first, while for the last there is no remedy.

There is no excuse for ill-cured bacon or hams.

Ingredients: 12 lbs. coarse salt to 150 lbs. of meat; ½ lb. saltpetre; 2 quarts molasses.

Mode: Rub the salt into every part especially the joints. Then pour over the molasses and saltpetre (powdered) and rub it in. Repeat the operation every two days for a fortnight. Then hang up and smoke the meat for another fortnight. More molasses or brown sugar can be used if liked, but the salt is sufficient if well rubbed in at first.



OR hams, the pig should not be killed in either damp or frosty weather, and if not over a year old the hams will be no good. When cut off, let them hang a day—or even two in cold weather—well sprinkled with salt, to dry and harden. Then rub over them thoroughly: ¼ lb. saltpetre, 2 lbs. salt, and 1 lb. of the darkest sugar to be got. Lay the ham rind down in a milk dish, or if you are curing more than one at a time they will need to be in something larger, as each must have every part covered. A wooden tub would do well. Let them lie as flat as possible, rind down, and put the salt, sugar, etc., over the fleshy part, basting frequently with the brine that runs from it, and turn every morning for a week, then every other day. Let it remain for a full month. At the end of that time, drain, and throw some dry bran over it, and it is then ready to be smoked or hung, if the latter, let it be in a cool place—the dairy or meat room. If hung in a hot place it will become hard and dry. A ham should be three months old before it is cut. Watch very closely, and directly any yellow or rancid spots appear, scrape or cut them off, and rub in pepper, salt and flour in equal parts. Directly it shows signs of