Curing Bacon

When curing bacon, weigh the sides, hams and cheeks. For every 14 lbs of meat, allow 1 lb of salt and 2 ounces of saltpetre. Rub this into the meat thoroughly for two days, and turn the meat. At the end of the second day, pour on it a pickle made as follows:

To every 3 gallons of water, add 5 pounds of common salt, 7 pounds of coarse sugar or treacle, and 3 pounds of bay salt. Boil for one-quarter of an hour, stirring constantly, and remove all scum as it comes to the top.

Pour the brine while it is hot over the meat. Turn the meat daily, and rub. If the meat is small, a fortnight will be long enough to remain in the pickle. Except hams, which should stay a little longer. Hams, sides etc., weighing 30lb a piece, would require at least three weeks for the sides and four for the hams

On taking meat out of the brine, let it drain for a couple of hours. Then cover it with clean dry sawdust and smoke for a fortnight or three weeks.

Boil and skim the pickle, add 2 pounds more salt, and the same for sugar or treacle, and it will keep for months if airtight.

The above is a pretty simplified process.

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