CUTTING AND CURING PORK
(Page 9 of 12)
While the pickle is being injected, the meat around the
needle bulges a little, which is all right, but always use
a slow even stroke when injecting the pickle.
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For hams and shoulders that weigh 10 to 15 lbs. use 3 to 4
pumpfuls of pickle, which will be 12 to 16 oz. For hams and
shoulders that weigh 15 to 25 lbs. Use 5 to 6 pumpfuls,
which would be 20 to 24 oz. Always have the meat pump full
of pickle to prevent air pockets.
The X-ray diagrarns of a ham and shoulder show the bone
structure and the lines show how and where the needle of
the meat pump should be inserted for making the five
different pumping strokes for large hams and shoulders. For
small hams or shoulders eliminates strokes Nos. 4 and 5.
For pumping bacon insert the needle in the fat part of the
heavy bacon and pump about 1 to 1 1/2 oz. of pickle per
pound of meat. The needle can be inserted around the edges
and at the ends to distribute the pickle uniformly.
APPLYING THE SUGAR-CURE
After the pieces have been pumped, apply Morton Sugar Cure,
using 5 to 6 lbs. for each 100 lbs. of meat. The first step
is to work the Cure around the bones, especially well at
the hock and knee joints, working in as much Cure as the
skin covering will hold and push it well down. Then rub the
Cure in well all over the meat, using a slow kneading
motion. Apply the Sugar Cure on both flesh and skin sides.
After the Cure has been rubbed over all of the pieces, pack
the meat in a convenient place for curing.
Meat can be packed in a box or barrel or on a table. Before
the pack is started, sprinkle a little Cure over the bottom
of the box and over the pieces as they are packed. The
heaviest pieces should be at the bottom and the lighter
ones on top. Do not pack the meat over three feet deep.
Keep the curing box clear of the ground; bore a few holes
in the bottom to let the bloody water drain out.
In mild weather cover the box with a cloth to prevent flies
from getting at the meat. In very cold weather the meat
should be covered to keep it from freezing. Meat that is
allowed to freeze, either before or after it is put in
cure, will never make as nice a finished product as if it
had not been frozen. When meat freezes. the moisture in the
small cells and fibres expands and bursts the meat tissues,
which lowers the quality of the finished product. If your
meat does freeze, remember that while it is frozen it will
not take the Cure, therefore, no curing action can take
place so long as the meat remains frozen. The action
virtually stops when the inside temperature of the meat
gets below 34°. The ideal meat curing temperature is
between 38° and 40° and the nearer this temperature
the meat can be kept while it is in cure, the nicer the
finished product will be. If, due to unusual circumstances
meat freezes while it is being chilled, it should be thawed
out to about 38° and put in cure. Meat that was frozen
when chilling, or frozen while in the cure should be given
extra care and attention, and should be used up as soon as
practicable after coming from the cure.
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