Curing Mbat, Hams, &c
From The cook and housewife's manual (1847).
A historical recipe
The cook and housewife's manual, by C. I. (Christian Isobel) Johnstone (1847).
United Kingdom
Known as a British recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.
From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards. Printed in United Kingdom: that says where the book was made, not where the dish comes from.
- Preserving. Old preserving methods may not make food safe to keep. Use current tested guidance.
- Curing. Old curing amounts and salts may be unsafe. Use current tested guidance.
- Storage. The keeping times and places here are from before refrigeration. Follow current storage guidance.
Ingredients 1 ingredient
Cook safely
Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.
- Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
- Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.
Method
Chef Wood
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- 9tand.
- — Ohs, The meat (and all meat or vegetables salted) must be wholly and constantly covered with the pickle, by occasionally adding fresh supplies as it wastes, and using a sinking-board.
- If the pickle become turbid, and a scum gather on it, either pour it off, and boil and skim it well before returning it, when cold, to the meat ;
- or use a fresh pickle, which may now be afforded cheaply, and is perhaps better, because purer than the original liquor boiled up.
- Meat preserved in this way is never disagreeably salt, and will keep for a long time.
- A little saltpetre boiled with the pickle will tinge the meat.
- If meat is rubbed with salt, and suffered to drain from the blood for ar day and night, it will keep the better.
- If meat is not liked so salt, substitute sugar for one-third of the salt.
- — Ob$.
- Rock salt is usually called Liverpool salt in the northwest of Scotland and in Ireland, because it comes from that port.
- The best of all salt for preserving meat or fish is what is called bay or Lisbon salt.
- To it anchovies partly owe their rich mellowness.
- 1191.
- -4 » excellent general Pickle for Meat^ Hatiu^ Tanpueif^ Sfc, — Take in the proportion of six ounces of salt, and four of sugar to the quart of water, and a quarter-ounce of saltpetre.
- Rub the meat with salt, let it drain for two days, and pack it, and over it pour the pickle, first boiled, skimmed, and cooled.
- Herbs and spices ad libitum* - — Obs^ Various ways of hastening the process of render* ing meat fit for cooking are proposed.
- Some recommend burying in the earth ;
- others hanging the meat or poultry in a fig-tree.
- A high but equal temperature appears the most rational plan.
- Cover the meat with a thin cloth, and leave it as long as is wished for, or convenient, near the kitchen fire, or in a cool ov«n.
- If, however, the temperature be too high, the meat will be rather hardened than improved.
Plating
Cookware for this recipe
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Saucepan
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Chef's knife
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Slotted spoon
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Colander