Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/268

 not keeping, it must be put back into the pickle and kept there till wanted, and used as soon as convenient. If the pickle becomes strong and disagreeable, boil it again, or, better still, make fresh pickle. On a farm where pigs are bred for their hams, a proper curing tub should be made for the purpose. I have always found that an oblong-shaped tub is best, as four or even six hams can be cured in it at once. Round tubs are never convenient for the purpose, and they should not be more than eight or nine inches deep; one ham could be cured very well in an ordinaayordinary [sic] milk dish.

To smoke the hams hang them in the chimney, if not too hot, or in the roof of the kitchen. I have done them very well in a cask, hung round the inside, the cask turned upside down, augur holes made in the top for the smoke to escape a little; or, better still, have a cask with both ends knocked out, hang the hams round inside, and throw a bag over the top. It requires a very slow smoulder to smoke. I have always used sawdust for the purpose, but I believe there is something better.

Ingredients: To every 100 lbs. of pork, 8 lbs. of salt; 2 lbs. brown sugar; 2 ozs. of saltpetre; ¼ oz. of potash; 4 gals. of water.

Mode: Salt the hams, thoroughly rubbing them (dry) for three or four days. Then put them into the cask or tub and pour the above pickle over them. Let them remain a week, then take out, hang up to drain for a day or two, and smoke in the chimney or with sawdust.

HIS is an industry of which I have some practical experience, and in case there are any of my readers living by the sea, I will give the whole process:—The mullet is one of the best fish to salt and smoke for sale, because it can be caught in large quantities, and very easily at certain seasons. Like the herrings in other parts of the world they run in huge shoals during the spawning season. On the Queensland coast the season varies from early in May to late in June, and one wants to be constantly on the watch for them. They are soon seen, as they have a very peculiar appearance in the water, all swimming together, often with just the tip of the nose or snout showing above water. After they are caught, the sooner they are cleaned and