HOME-CURED BACON.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 7

HOME-CURED BACON.

Mr W. Smith, the pig expert of the Victorian Department of Agriculture, gives some useful hints on the homecuring of bacon. In killing the pig, he says, throw him on his right side L\ taking hold of the near oi left fore-leg, still holding the leg with the left hand. Take the knife in the right hand, and cut the neck in a direct line with the chin, but not too near the shoulder. When making tho cut always draw the knife after insertion back towards the chin; by doing so there will be less likelihood of shouldering. Two buckets of boiling water to one of cold makes a very good scald (140 deg Fahr.). As socn ad the hair will come off the ears clean them well. Then turn tho pig over in the tub with back V(0, take all the hair from back and belly, leaving the head and feet until last. Clean the skin well in hot watea- before putting cold water over the pig. Hang up as 6oon as possible, shave off all loose hairs, and sorub well with scrubbing 'brush. Open the pig down the belly and through the breast bone, clean out the inside well, lift the flares or leaf lard while the carcase is hot, so as to let the latter cool properly. Leave the pig hanging in a cool place until the following morning. Tho cutting up should be as follows: If into sides, chop the pig down the backbone while hanging, then place each side on its back on a, table, and remove the head. Take the breast bone off with one rib, then saw the backbone off towards the ham. take the blade bone cut, and trim off all loose fat. Place the sides in a cool (place, shake a littlt salt and saltpetre over them. Let them remain for three or four hours in order to drain, and then place the pork on a board or table slightly tilted, so that the drip will run into a dish. For every hundred pounds of pork, 101 b of coarse salt, 3oz saltpetre. 21b brown sugar, and 3oz allspice are used. Rub the ingredients well on the flesh side, placing one side on top of the other for 24 hours; then turn sides upside down, rub well on skin side, ueintr liquor in dish, and leave them lying flesh downwards, the top side on the bottom. Repeat; this treatment every morning for eicjht days, carefully saving the liquor,

and pouring it, over foe pork as the salt is rubbed in. Then leave it for three days. Continue this process every third day for 21 days., and then brush the salt off and soak in cold water for 16 hours. After this wash out in hot water, clean well, and Hang- up and dry with clean cloth. When thoroughly dry rub some olive oil on- the outside skin, and smoke with kauri pine saw-dust (dry) for 24 hours. If it is necessary to keep the 'bacon; fen -any length of time, hang it up inside a freshly emptied flour sack securely tied at the neck. This will allow the bacon to mature, and keep it from the flies. The hams and shoulders can be cut off after the curing is complete.