Another.
Beat the ham well on the fleshy side with a rolling pin, then rub into it, on every part, 1 oz. of saltpetre, and let it lie one night. Then take a ½ pint of common salt, and a ¼ pint of bay salt, and 1 lb. of coarse sugar or treacle; mix these ingredients, and make them very hot in a stew-pan, and rub in well for an hour. Then take ½ a pint more of common salt and lay all over the ham, and let it lie on till it melts to brine; keep the ham in the pickle three weeks or a month, till you see it shrink. This is sufficient for a large ham.
Another, said to be equal to the Westphalian.
Rub a large fat ham well, with 2 oz. of pounded saltpetre, 1 oz. of bay salt, and a ¼ lb. of lump sugar: let it lie two days. Prepare a pickle as follows: boil in 2 quarts of stale ale, 1 lb. of bay salt, 2 lb. of common salt,¾ lb. of lump sugar, 2 oz. of salt prunella, 1 oz. of pounded black pepper, and ½ an oz. of cloves; boil this well, and pour it boiling hot over the ham. Rub and turn it every day for three weeks or a month; then smoke it for about a fortnight.
To cure a Mutton Ham.
A hind quarter must be cut into the shape of a ham: rub into it the following mixture: ¼ lb. saltpetre,¼ lb. bay salt, 1 lb. common salt, and ¼ lb. loaf sugar; rub well, every other day, for a fortnight, then take it out, press it under a weight for one day, then hang it to smoke ten or fifteen days. It will require long soaking, if kept any length of time, before it is dressed. Boil very gently, three hours. It is eaten cut in slices, and these broiled for breakfast or lunch.—Or; the ham smoked longer, not boiled, but slices very thinly shaved to eat by way of relish at breakfast.
To pickle Pork.
For a hog of 10 score.—When it is quite cold, and cut up in pieces, have well mixed 2 gallons of common salt, and 1½ lb. of saltpetre; with this, rub well each piece of pork, and as you rub, pack it in a salting tub, and sprinkle salt between each layer. Put a heavy weight on the top of the cover, to prevent the meat's swimming. If kept close and tight in this way, it will keep for a year or two.
Leg of Pork.
Proceed as above, salt in proportion, but leave out the saltpetre if you choose. The hand and spring also, in the same way—and a week sufficient for either. Rub and turn them every day.
Pig's Head in the same way, but it will require two weeks.
To pickle a Tongue.
Rub the tongue over with common salt; and cut a slit in the root, so that the salt may penetrate. Drain the tongue next day, and rub it over with 2 oz. of bay salt, 2 oz. of saltpetre, and 2 oz. of lump or coarse sugar, all mixed together. This pickle should be poured over the tongue, with a spoon, every day, as there will not be sufficient liquor to cover it. It will be ready to dress in three weeks or a month.
To salt Beef.
Be sure to take out the kernels, and also be sure to fill up the holes with salt, as well as those which the butcher's skewers have made. In frosty weather, take care that the meat be not frozen; also, to warm the salt before the fire, or in a frying pan.
For a piece of 20 lb. weight.—Sprinkle the meat with salt, and let it lie twenty-four hours; then hang it up to drain. Take 1 oz. of saltpetre, a ½ oz. of salt prunella, a ¼ lb. of very coarse sugar, 6 oz. of common salt, all finely powdered, and rub it well into the beef. Rub and turn it every day. It will be ready to dress in ten days, but may be kept longer.
To salt a Round of Beef.
For one of 30 lb. weight.—Rub common salt well into it all over and in every part, cover it well with salt: rub it well next day, pouring the brine over the meat. Repeat this every day for a fortnight, when it will be ready. Let it drain for 15 minutes, when you are going to cook it. You may, if you wish it to look red, add 4 oz. salt prunel, and 1 lb. saltpetre to the pickle.
An Edge Bone.
To one of 10 or 12 lb. weight allow ¾ lb. of salt, and 1 oz. of moist sugar. Rub these well into the meat. Repeat the rubbing every day, turning the meat also, and it will be ready to dress in four or five days.
Tongue Beef.
After the tongues are taken out of the pickle, wash and wipe dry a piece of flank or brisket of beef; sprinkle with salt, and let it lie a night; then hang it to drain, rub in a little fresh salt, and put the beef into the pickle; rub and turn it every day for three or four days, and it will be ready to dress, and if the pickle have been previously well prepared, will be found to have a very fine flavour.
To smoke Beef.
Cut a round into pieces of 5 lb. weight each, and salt them very well; when sufficiently salted, hang the pieces in a wood-smoke chimney to dry, and let them hang three or four weeks. This may be grated, for breakfast or luncheon. Another.—Cut a leg of beef like a ham, and to one of 14 lb. make a pickle of 1 lb. salt, 1 lb. brown sugar, 1 oz. saltpetre, and 1 oz. bay salt. Rub and turn the ham every day for a month, then roll it in bran and smoke it. Hang it in a dry place. Broil it in slices.
To make pickle for Brawn.
To rather more than a sufficient quantity of water to cover it, put 7 or 8 handsful of bran, a few bay leaves, also salt enough to give a strong relish; boil this an hour and a half, then strain it. When cold, pour the pickle from the sediment into a pan, and put the meat into it.
Any of these pickles may be used again. First boil it up and take off all the scum.
THE SEASONS FOR MEAT, POULTRY, GAME, AND VEGETABLES.
It is always the best plan to deal with a respectable butcher, and to keep to the same one. He will find his interest in providing his regular customers with good meat, and the best is always the cheapest, even though it may cost a little more money.
Beef is best and cheapest from Michaelmas to Midsummer.
Veal is best and cheapest from March to July.
Mutton is best from Christmas to Midsummer.
Grass Lamb is best from Easter to June.
House Lamb comes in in February.
Poultry is in the greatest perfection, when it is in the greatest plenty, which it is about September.
Chickens come in the beginning of April, but they may be had all the year round.
Fowls are dearest in April, May, and June, but they may be had all the year round, and are cheapest in September, October, and November.
Capons are finest at Christmas.
Poulards, with eggs, come in in March.
Green Geese come in in March, and continue till September.
Geese are in full season in September, and continue till February.
Turkey Poults come in in April, and continue till June.
Turkeys are in season from September till March, and are cheapest in October and November.
Ducks are in season from June till February.
Wild Ducks, Widgeons, Teal, Plovers, Pintails, Larks, Snipes, Woodcocks, from the end of October till the end of March.
Tame Pigeons are in season all the year, Wild Pigeons from March till September.
Pea-Fowl (young ones) from January till June.
Partridges from 1st September till January.
Pheasants from 1st October till January.
Grouse from the 12th of August till Christmas, also