Sugar Curing Hams (English Recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 lb. salt
• 1 lb. saltpetre
• 1 lb. brown sugar
• 1 lb. molasses

Method

1. 1

   Rub the meat thoroughly with salt; repeat this for 4 days, keeping the meat where it can drain.

2. 2

   On the fourth day, rub it with saltpetre and a handful of salt.

3. 3

   Mix brown sugar and molasses; rub it over the ham every day for a fortnight, then smoke with hickory chips or cobs.

As published

This recipe was extracted from The household cook book (1902) by Smiley, James B[ethuel],, page 130. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

1 lb. saltpetre, 4 oz. salprunella, 4 oz. juniper berries; bruise, mix well, boil in 6 quarts of water, cool and skim. Take the hams from the salt, wipe dry, pour over the pickle, and rub well into the meat. Then smoke a little every day for 3 months until completely dry, when they will keep sound and improve in flavor for years. Hams shrink in smoking about 10% in weight, while pickled or salted pork gains about 10%. SUGAR CURING HAMS {English Recipe).— As soon as the meat comes from the butcher's hand rub it thoroughly with salt; repeat this 4 days, keeping the meat where it can drain. The fourth day rub it with saltpetre and a handful of salt, allowing 1 lb. of salt- petre to 70 lbs. of meat. Now mix 1 lb. of brown sugar, and 1 lb. of molasses; rub it over the ham every day for a fortnight, and then smoke with hickory chips or cobs. Hams should be hung highest in meat houses, because there they are less liable to the attacks of insects. TO KEEP CURED HAM — A simple way is by packing closely in a stone jar, (after taking oif the rind and cutting in slices) and then exclude the air by pouring over enough melted lard to cover them; they will keep this way several months. When some is taken out melt the lard and pour on again, to protect the balance. PICKLE FOR CORNED BEEF— (1) Use 1 gal. water, 1| lbs. salt, ^ lb. brown sugar, ^ oz. saltpetre, \ oz. potash; use same propor- tions for any quantity; boil all together in an iron kettle, skim and strain; put into the pickle tub, and when cold put in the meat, hav- ing the pickle cover it, and weighting it down with clean stones. (2) For 100 lbs. of beef use 8 lbs. fine salt, 4 lbs. brown sugar, 4 oz. sal- eratus, 2 oz. saltpetre, and mix well; put a layer of this in the bottom of the barrel and between each layer of meat, removing the large bones. Put a weight on the top layer to hold it down, and the juices of the meat furnish all the brine necessary. Meat thus pickled is ready for drying in six weeks, and does not toughen in the summer. TO CORN BEEF {Pocock Piclcle) .—Take 4 gallons fresh water. 1^ lbs. coarse brown sugar, 2 oz. saltpetre, 7 lbs. common salt; put all in a boiler, take off the scum as it rises, boil well, and then let it get cold. Have sufiicient to cover the meat, lay a cloth over it, and weight down the meat. The same pickle may be used again by re=boiling, and adding a small quantity of each ingredient fresh. SPICED CORN BEEF. — Prepare a mixture of 4 cups molasses, 4 cups of salt, 4 tablespoons of saltpetre, 2 tablespoons cloves, 2 172 CUTTING UP AND CURING MEATS tablespoons ground pepper; each day for 10 days rub this into the beef, turning the meat, and rubbing well in. This is for 20 lbs. of meat. At the end of the 10 days it can be used. HAMBURGH BEEF — Take a piece of meat from some fleshy part; scatter common salt under and over it, and let lie 24 hours to void the blood; then put into a pickle made with 1 gal. water that has been boiled, 1 lb. common salt, 1| lbs. coarse sugar, 2 oz. salt- petre, ^ pint vinegar; simmer until all are melted; place the meat in a deep narrow pan and pour over the liquor, covering it completely; it will be ready for smoking in 3 weeks; dry well with a cloth, and rub pea meal all over it, until it has a good coat on it. If well smoked it will come out a bright yellow, and will keep any length of time. HOME MADE DRIED BEEF— Select a nice round of beef- better from a young animal — divide it into 2 pieces, following the natural line of division very carefully, so as not to make any cuts or gashes for the fly to burrow in. Then for 50 lbs. of meat make a mixture of 2 lbs. fine salt, 1 oz. of powdered saltpetre, 1^ lbs. brown sugar

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