Cured Beef

Ingredients

• a teaspoon of powdered saltpetre
• a teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• two pounds of brown sugar
• one pound and a half of sugar to a pint of salt
• five ounces of saltpetre
• two quarts of molasses
• fifty pounds of meat

Method

1. 1

   Rub the outside of each ham with saltpetre and the inside with cayenne pepper.

2. 2

   Mix brown sugar and salt, rub the pork well with it.

3. 3

   Lay the meat in tubs with skin down, adding salt between layers.

4. 4

   After eight days, wipe off salt and wash tubs.

5. 5

   Make a pickle of soft water, salt, molasses, and saltpetre.

6. 6

   Pour over meat, turning frequently.

7. 7

   Hams should remain in pickle for four weeks; bacon for three weeks.

8. 8

   Smoke after washing off the pickle.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Buckeye cookery (1892), page 278. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

a teaspoon of powdered saltpetre, and the inside with a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Hav- ing mixed together two pounds of brown sugar and salt, mixed in the propor- tion-of one pound and a half of sugar to a pint of salt, rub the pork well - with it. This quantity of sugar and salt will be sufficient for fifty pounds of meat. Have ready some large tubs, the bottom sprinkled with salt, and lay the meat in the tubs with the skin downward. Put plenty of salt be- tween each layer of meat. After it has lain eight days, take it out and wipe off the salt, and wash the tubs. Make a pickle of soft water, equal quanti- ties of salt and molasses and a little saltpetre; allowing five ounces of saltpetre to two quarts of molasses

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.