HOME BACON CURING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 22 May 1915, Page 2

HOME BACON CURING.

An effective curing compound is made by mixing saltpetre,' lib:; black pepper, lib.; brown sugar, 31b.; coarse salt, 201b; Thoroughly rub. the mix- | ture into the sides with a rubbing- < board. This treatment should be carried out daily for from 14 to 21 days. The brine which accumulates in the cask will be found useful for rubbing over the meat after the first two or three dressings of the salt mixture. The sides should be turned each day, so that each may receive an equal share of the liquid. When ready, cover v-ith rough butter muslin, and smoks as follows: Obtain two similar-sized boxes, about 2^ft each way. Remove the bottom from one, and "set it on a mound: of! earth: about 2ft high. Bore^ a number of inch holes in the bottom of the other, the.n fix it on ton of the ( first. In one side of the upper box: make as large a door as possible, opening outwards, and downwards, and' h:nged. at the bottom. Fix bars across, the top, on which to hang the meat. Cover the top, so that rain cannot enter, But tliat smoke can get out. Dig a trench about lft deeo and wide, and Bft long, sloping- upwards, and! opening into the centre of the floor: Cover the trench witli nieces of old sheet-iron, then soil. At the lowerend of the trench have a hole slightly deeper, and partially covered with a, piece of iron. Stand an old bucket or can in this, with holes in. the sides. In this light a fire of chips, sawdust, etc:, and keep it smouldering and smoking for three* or four days and> nights.