How To Cure Hams in Open Barrels. (Copyrighted by B. Heller & Co.; Reprint Forbidden.)
Reading edition
When the tierces or barrels in which these Hams are cured are not to be headed up, but are left open, use half of the Freeze-Em-Pickle, Granulated Sugar and Salt dry by rubbing it over the hams in the following manner:
First:—After mixing all of the Freeze-Em-Pickle, Granulated Sugar and Salt together, sprinkle some of the dry mixture over the bottom of a perfectly clean tierce.
The Sugar used must be Pure Granulated Sugar. Yellow or Brown Sugar must not be used. When adulterated sugar is used, the brine becomes thick in two weeks; but when Pure Granulated Sugar is used it will last quite a while, depending upon the conditions under which the brine is kept.
Second:—Rub each Ham well with some of the mixture of Freeze-Em-Pickle, Granulated Sugar and Salt and pack them nicely in the tierce. Put clean boards over the tops of the hams and weight or fasten these boards down so as to keep them under the brine.
Third:—Take all of the mixed Freeze-Em-Pickle, Granulated Sugar and Salt that is left after the rubbing and use it in making the brine; it will require 14 to 15 gallons of brine, as tierces vary some, for each standard size tierce of Hams. Make the brine by dissolving in about 14 gallons of cold water all of the mixed Freeze-Em-Pickle, Granulated Sugar and Salt that is left after the rubbing. Stir well for a minute, until it is dissolved, then pour this brine over the meat. As tierces vary so much in size, it is always best to dissolve the Freeze-Em-Pickle in a little less quantity of water, say about 14 gallons for a tierce. After this brine is added to the meat, should the tierce hold more, simply add cold water until the tierce is full. The right amount of Salt, etc., has already been added; now simply add sufficient water to well cover the meat.
When curing a less quantity than a full tierce of Hams, cut down the amount of Freeze-Em-Pickle, Granulated Sugar and Salt and the quantity of water, according to the quantity of Hams to be cured, using all materials in the proportions given on page 50.