As soon as the hog is cleaned, cut off the feet and throw them in a
tub of cold water with a handful of salt; let them remain covered in
water until you are ready to clean them, which should be done as soon
as possible, as they will be much whiter. To get the hoof off, put the
feet in hot water (not above the hoof); as soon as they get hot
enough, slip a knife between the foot and hoof, and slip it off; then
scrape the foot nicely, and throw into a tub of clear water; do this
for several days. When you have scraped and changed the water for a
week, then wash them clean and put them on to boil. First put them in
a clean pot with a thin gruel made of corn meal; boil until half done.
Wash them off, and put on in clear hot water, and boil till done, then
take them up and throw them into a firkin of clean salt and water;
keep closely covered to prevent them from molding. They are now ready
to fry, which should be done by splitting the foot in half and fried
in egg batter.--_Mrs. P. W._
TO CURE LARD.
As soon as it is taken from the hog, cut in small pieces, wash clean,
press out the water, and put in the pot to boil, with one gallon of
water to a vessel holding four gallons. Boil briskly until nearly
done, or until the cracklins begin to brown, then cook slowly to
prevent burning. The cracklins should be of a light brown and crisp,
and will sink to the bottom when done. This is Leaf Lard.
The fat off of the backbone is also very nice, done in the same way,
and does not require soaking, unless bloody. The fat from the entrails
can also be made into nice lard by soaking for a day or two in fresh
water, changing it frequently, and throwing a handful of salt in the
tub of water to draw out the blood and impurities. When ready to
render, wash in warm water twice and boil in more water than you do
for leaf lard. The cracklins will not become crisp, but remain soft,
and will sink to the bottom; they are used for making soap.
VIRGINIA MODE OF CURING HAMS.
Put one teaspoonful saltpetre on the fleshy side of each ham. Salt
_not too heavily_ for five weeks; if the weather is freezing cold, six
weeks; then brush the hams well, and rub them with hickory ashes; let
them lie for one week, then hang and smoke them for six weeks with
green hickory chips. After brushing, pack them in hickory ashes in a
bulk.--_Mrs. P. C. M._
TO CURE BACON.
Pack the meat in salt and allow it to remain five weeks. Then take the
hams up, wash off, and wipe dry. Have some sacks made of about
seven-eighths shirting, large enough to hold the hams and tie above
the hock. Make a pot of sizing of equal portions of flour and corn
meal, boil until thick, and dip each sack until the outside is well
coated with sizing. Put the hams in bags, and tie tight with a strong
twine and hang by the same in the smoke-house.
CURING BACON.
One peck salt to five hundred pounds pork. To five gallons water:
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