In winter, there is no difficulty in keeping a piece of corned beef
a fortnight or more. Some people corn meat by throwing it into their
beef barrel for a few days; but this method does not make it so sweet.
A little salt-petre rubbed in before you apply the common salt, makes
the meat tender; but in summer it is not well to use it, because it
prevents the other salt from impregnating; and the meat does not keep
as well.
If you wish to salt fat pork, scald coarse salt in water and skim it,
till the salt will no longer melt in the water. Pack your pork down
in tight layers; salt every layer; when the brine is cool, cover the
pork with it, and keep a heavy stone on the top to keep the pork under
brine. Look to it once in a while, for the first few weeks, and if the
salt has all melted, throw in more. This brine, scalded and skimmed
every time it is used, will continue good twenty years. The rind of
the pork should be packed towards the edge of the barrel.
It is good economy to salt your own beef as well as pork. Six pounds
of coarse salt, eight ounces of brown sugar, a pint of molasses, and
eight ounces of salt-petre, are enough to boil in four gallons of
water.
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