Something about Pork.—The Kind to Select, and Best Mode of Curing.
The best quality of pork, as a matter of course, is that fed and slaughtered in the country. Corn, or any kind of grain-fed, or, more especially, milk-fed pork, as every one knows, who is not of the Hebrew faith, which entirely ignores this—when properly prepared, well-flavored, oleaginous production—and is fond of pork, from the succulent sucking pig, the toothsome and fresh spare-rib, unrivalled as a broil, to the broiled or boiled ham, and side-meat bacon of the full-grown porker, is vastly superior to the meat of the slop and garbage-fed animal raised and slaughtered in the city—more especially as the butchering of hogs in San Francisco is at this time entirely monopolized by the Chinese population, who seem to have a warm side, in fact a most devoted affection, for the hog, surpassing even that of the bog-trotters of the "Ould Sod" for the traditional pet-pig that "ates, drinks and slapes wid the ould man, the ould woman, and the childer." Charles Lamb's account of the discovery of the delights of roast pig, and invention of that luxury by the Chinaman whose bamboo hut was burned down, in raking his pig, semi-cremated from the ashes, burned his fingers—which, naturally clapping into his mouth to ease the pain—which was changed to delight, causing John's torture-smitten visage to assume in an instant a broad grin of satisfaction at the discovery—is undoubtedly correct, or at least the love for the pork exhibited by the "Heathen Chinee" cannot reasonably be accounted for in any other way. In order, then, to get the best article of pork—wholesome, toothsome, and, what is most important of all, entirely free from any form of disease or taint, great care should be taken to make selections from the small lots fed and slaughtered in the country, and brought into the city most generally in the fall season, and which are to be procured at the stall or shop of any reputable and reliable dealer. Select a carcass of one hundred, or less, pounds, with flesh hard and white, and thin skin. For salting, cut in pieces six by eight inches, and, after having rubbed thoroughly in salt—neither too fine nor too coarse—take a half-barrel, sprinkle the bottom well with salt, and lay the pieces of pork in tightly; then add salt, and follow with another layer of pork, until the whole is packed, with salt sprinkled on top. Set in a cool place, and, after three or four days, make a brine of boiling water with salt—which, when cool, should be sufficiently strong to float an egg—stir in a half pound of brown sugar, pour over the meat sufficient to cover, and place on top a stone heavy enough to keep the pork weighted down.