Shoulder Meats Pickle.
—Shoulder meats are quite difficult to cure, probably owing to the blood content, etc. The chilling is quite as essential as for ham, and it is customary to use a stronger pickle, as well as to pump the meat somewhat heavily. The pickle for shoulder meats is to add to 1,000 gallons of 85-degree brine, 150 pounds of sugar and 65 pounds of saltpetre.
Bellies.
—Bellies cured in vats are a comparatively easily cured product. The process being to simply put the requisite quantity of meat in the cask and add the pickle. S. P. Bellies can be nicely cured in a pickle of 70-degree strength with 150 pounds of sugar and 65 pounds of saltpetre per 1,000 gallons.
Overhauling Meats.
—Overhauling is the term used in cellars to describe the process of transferring meat from one cask to another to insure its being shifted so that all parts of the meat may be equally exposed to the curing solution. It is a laborious task, but a necessity, and perhaps one of the first processes to be neglected in case of labor shortage. In most establishments its importance is recognized to be of such magnitude that a record is kept of each cask to see that the transaction is carried out. The following table gives the periods at which the meats should be changed:
| Fancy hams | 5, 15 and 30 days. |
| Regular hams | 5, 20 and 40 days. |
| Picnics | 5 and 20 days. |
| Bellies | 4 and 15 days. |
Fancy Bacon.
—This particular part of the animal is cured either in dry salt or sweet pickle, according to the requirements of the trade and the grade or quality of the meat. The highest class bacon used in this country is generally “dry salt,” being specially handled and prepared to make the most attractive appearance. A much sought for point in bacon is to so prepare it that when fried it is of a light color. The only way to obtain this color is to use less sugar in curing, as it causes discoloration in cooking; but at the same time it greatly adds to the flavor, hence curing by the dry salt method adds to the looks. When it is cured in this way it should be dry packed in air-tight boxes lined with galvanized iron, or other material, the meat being put down with a fine salt combination, thoroughly mixed per 100 pounds of meat as follows:
| 2 | .75 | pounds English salt. |
| 1 | .25 | pounds sugar. |
| 3 | ounces saltpetre. |