Ans.—We manufacture a preparation known as Freeze-Em-Pickle, which can be used for curing purposes and fully keep within the requirements of all food laws, both state and National, as well as laws of foreign countries. This article can be used in all kinds of sausage, fresh or dried. We guarantee that the use of this article will not in any manner conflict with the pure food laws of your state, and you are perfectly safe in using it. Its uses are so various that it would be impossible for us to give full directions for using it within the limits of these columns, but we take pleasure in sending you a booklet which will give you all necessary instructions and much other valuable information.
KEEPING CURED MEATS IN CELLARS DURING SUMMER.
Query.—We have not enough cooler room to cure meat during the summer time, and we want to know if there is any way we can keep cured meat in our cellar during June weather without it becoming too salty.
Ans.—Even if you cure the meat in the winter and keep the cooler at a proper temperature and then leave the meat in the brine during the summer, the brine will turn sour, or become ropy, or thick, and will spoil the meat. To store meat in brine, it is absolutely necessary to keep it at a very low temperature. In fact, it is necessary to have an ice machine to keep the temperature in the cooler or storage room as low as 30 degrees. You could get it as low as 28 degrees. The meat would not freeze, but by having the temperature so low, the meat would not take on any more salt. You seem to be of the opinion that if the pickle on the meat were reduced you could keep the meat in the brine and keep it in a warm temperature. That would be impossible. Of course, having the brine weaker, it would not cause the meat to become so salty, but nevertheless, the brine would spoil, and it would then spoil the meat. To store meat in brine it is absolutely necessary to have the proper facilities and that means an ice machine. Our advice is that you cure enough meat during the winter according to the Freeze-Em-Pickle process to carry you until the middle or end of May, and then about the first of May begin curing some more meat in your regular cooler where the temperature is low enough so that the meat will cure properly.
STRONG LARD FROM BOARS.
Query.—J. A. S. writes: “I have rendered 100 lbs. of lard made as follows: 75 lbs. from fat barrows, 25 lbs. from fat boars. I find that the lard is strong. Can you give me the cause of it?”
Ans.—The odor from boar fat is so strong that such fat should not be used in first grade lard. Boar fat will only make a second grade of lard. We advise that you always keep it separate and sell it at a discount as a second grade of lard to bakers. The strong boar odor cannot be removed from the lard and the only thing that can be done is to whiten and purify it. In future render your barrow fat and boar fat separately.
TO MAKE HEAD CHEESE AND NEW ENGLAND STYLE HAM SOLID
Answer.—To make Head Cheese sticky and solid without putting hog rinds in it, use Bull-Meat-Brand Sausage Binder, putting from ten to twelve pounds of Bull-Meat-Brand Sausage Binder into 100 pounds of meat. The quantity used must be governed by the percentage proportion amount allowed by your State Pure Food Law. This will make a firm, solid Head Cheese, filling all the holes with a jelly-like mass. Bull-Meat-Brand Sausage Binder is an excellent binder for Head Cheese and other sausage products.
If you desire your New England Style Ham to be more sticky, you must take your pork trimmings and cut them about the size of an egg and mix with every 100 pounds of meat 1 pound of our Freeze-Em-Pickle, but do not put any salt with them whatsoever. Let the meat stand in the cooler for a week and you will find that the juices in the meat will have been thickened like glue and be sticky. Then take the meat out of the cooler; add 1½ pounds of salt to 100 lbs. of meat and season with Zanzibar-Brand Seasoning. Take a small quantity of this meat and grind it very fine and then mix the fine with the coarse pieces and stuff it. Cook it very carefully with slow heat, then put it in the cooler in a press or put boards on it and press it down with stones. Your New England Style Pressed Ham is then finished. Of course, you can use some Zanzibar-Carbon to color the casings. See directions for momentary dipping on [page 117].