Never allow the drippings from refrigerating pipes along the ceiling, or from ice chambers, to drip into open vats containing meats while curing, as they will reduce the strength of the brine and make no end of trouble.
Keep the cooler as dry and as clean as it possibly can be kept. A damp, dirty cooler breeds millions of germs. These germs affect the brine and the curing of the meat.
SWEET PICKLED SPARE RIBS
RECIPE FOR CURING SPARE RIBS.
(Copyrighted; Reprint Forbidden.)
For each 100 pounds of spare ribs make the brine as follows: 5 pounds of common salt, 1 pound of Freeze-Em-Pickle, 2 pounds of best granulated sugar and 5 gallons of cold water.
Cure in this brine from 10 to 12 days. The temperature of the cooler in which the spare ribs are cured can be anywhere from 36 to 43 degrees, but it should not vary from this range of temperature. It is best to leave the spare ribs in the cure from 10 to 12 days, though they will be cured sufficiently in 7 to 8 days.
If the above method is carefully carried out, the result will be a fine, mild, sweet cure and not too salty.
Before placing the spare ribs in the brine they should be handled in the same manner as hams and shoulders. In other words, they should be rubbed in half of the above quantity of salt, Freeze-Em-Pickle and sugar, and the mixed Freeze-Em-Pickle, sugar and salt that is left after rubbing should be used for making the brine.