New England Artisan, And Laboring Man's Repository

HAMS.—Perhaps there is no subject of equal interest among farmers, on which there is such a contrariety of opinion, as on that of curing hams. Almost every farmer who is fond of good ham or wishes to procure a good price for it, has opinions, forms, or receipts, peculiar to himself; and after all, the article is seldom procured in the country much superior in taste or flavour to that of common salt pork.

The plan which I pursue is extremely simple, and I have no hesitation in saying, produces hams equal to any thing of the kind which I have ever tasted, not excepting the celebrated hams of Virginia of England, or the still more famous of Calabria.

The hams, as soon as they are separated from the body of the animal, are to be closely packed in a clean, tight, common sized barrel; and to a full barrel add a pickle made by dissolving eight quarts of Liverpool salt and four ounces of saltpetre, in a sufficient quantity of rain or brook water to cover the whole. In this situation they are to remain until removed to the smoke-house, which should be from eight to twelve weeks.—

The smoking process is to be conducted altogether with the wood of the sugar maple or hickory; the former is preferred. And when sufficiently smoked, those that are intended for immediate use, may be hung up in a dark garret, or if the weather be too cool, in the cellar; as freezing, particularly, if often repeated, is very injurious.

Those that are intended for summer use, are to be well whitewashed with lime, and when dry wrapped in paper and packed away in new dry house-ashes, and then set in a cool place in the cellar. Particular care is requisite to prevent its being heated too much while in the smoke house, as this is very destructive to its fine flavor.