The Pork ought to be packed as tight as possible, and always kept under the brine. Some use a stone for this purpose. In salting down a new supply, take the old brine, boil it down and remove all the scum, and then use it to pour over the Pork.
Mr. H. H.’s Receipt for Curing Hams.
Take an ounce of saltpetre for each ham, and one pint of molasses to every pound of saltpetre.
Then take a quarter of a pound of common salt for every pint of molasses used.
Heat the mixture till it nearly boils, and smear the meat side with it, keeping the mixture hot and rubbing it in well, especially around the bones and recesses.
Let the hams lie after this from four to seven days, according to the size of the hams.
Then place them in a salt pickle, strong enough to bear an egg, for three weeks. Then soak eight hours in fresh water.
Then hang in the kitchen, or other more convenient place, to dry for a fortnight. Then smoke from three to five days, or till well smoked.
Then wrap them up in strong tar paper, tying it close.
Then tie them tight in bags of coarse unbleached cotton, stuffing in shavings, so that no part of the paper touches the cotton. Hang them near the roof in a garret, and they will never give you any trouble.