1903 The still-room by C. Roundell

Pickling Meat

the smoke of a fire of juniper branches over which the ham is hung for three weeks. It was formerly the custom to put a thick coat of mortar over the inside of a cured ham to keep out the air, and to prevent the mildew, or rust," which damp is sure to cause. A better way is to cover the underneath portion of the ham (where the knife has been used), and also the knuckle-end of the bone, with a paste made of flour and water. This paste entirely prevents any " rusting," or, in other words, the minute fungus caused by damp. To cure a Ham weighing from fifteen to eighteen pounds^ Norfolk Recipe, — One pound of treacle, half a pound of coarse brown sugar, half a pound of bay-salt [i,e, sea-salt), one pound of common salt, one ounce of saltpetre, and two ounces of sal prunella [i.e. saltpetre which has been fused, and is sold by chemists). Pound all these together as finely as possible, and rub the ham thoroughly with them. Lay the ham in a tub, covered with the pickle, and let it remain there for a month. It must be turned and basted with the pickle every other day. When taken out of the pickle, let the ham dry for a day or two, standing on end. Then brush it over with Crosse and Blackwell's essence of smoke. This preparation gives to the ham all the flavour of the chimney-smoke in which hams used to be hung. [This recipe was given to me by a friend in whose family it has been used year by year during four generations.] 27