To Cure Hams

The hams may be pickled with the rest of the pork, as above directed; and after remaining in the brine sixteen days, should be removed and washed clean of salt. They are then ready to be smoked. Another method of curing ham is to allow to fifty pounds of meat

Two pounds of fine salt.

One ounce of powdered saltpetre.

Two ounces of brown sugar.

Place the meat on a board or table in the cellar, with the skin side down. Mix the salt, sugar and saltpetre well together, and rub each ham all over with this mixture, putting a little of it in the hock end around the bone. Rub until the meat will absorb no more. Should there be any of the mixture left, use it on the meat at the end of a week, rubbing it in as before. Let the hams remain in this condition for sixteen days, when they are ready to be smoked.

To Smoke Hams

Wet the hams with clean water, and dip them, while wet, in dry bran, forming as thick a coat as possible over the meat. Sawdust is sometimes used, but bran is much to be preferred. The object of thus using the bran is to form a crust that will prevent the evaporation of the juices. Hang the hams in the smoke-house, with the hock end down. Keep up a good smoke continually, smothering the fire with sawdust, and taking care that the house does not become hot at any time. Meat should be smoked at least four weeks, but it is seldom allowed to hang as long as that. Should it be desired to keep the hams until warm weather, there are many ways in which they may be put away. They are sometimes simply hung on hooks in a cool place, but it is undoubtedly much better to encase them in covers, as these are an effectual protection against insects. Dust cayenne pepper around the bones, and wrap the hams closely in brown paper and then with coarse muslin shaped to fit them exactly, stitching the muslin tightly to position. Whitewash the muslin cloth, and hang the hams in a cool, dark, dry place.

To Boil A Ham

Wash the ham well, and, if very salt, soak it over night in clear water. Ascertain its weight, and allow fifteen minutes of cooking to every pound. Place the ham in a large kettle on the stove, cover it with cold water, and when the water boils, set the kettle back where the ham will gently simmer. When it has boiled in this way for one hour, turn off the water and add fresh boiling water. By thus changing the water the rank taste of the smoke is destroyed. For every ten pounds of meat add half a cupful of sugar to the second water, and then boil the remainder of the time required. When done, remove the ham, but do not skin it until cold, nor cut it until it has been cooked twenty-four hours, unless it is to be eaten hot; in that case it should be skinned as soon as taken from the water, and all the black rind and discolored portions removed. In cooking half a ham, or one that has been cut, the juices will be better retained if the cut side is kept upward in the kettle. This may be easily done by propping up the meat with a clean stone placed on each side.

There are many ways of finishing boiled hams that are to be served whole. The method most commonly pursued is to sprinkle grated bread-crumbs over the ham and brown them in a quick oven. Another desirable mode is to brush the ham with beaten egg, cover it with bread-crumbs and brown nicely; or the ham, after being skinned, may be dusted with black pepper sifted on in circles. The latter plan produces an attractive looking dish. One thing must, however, be borne in mind - that no matter how well a ham is cooked, it will prove an utter failure if not cut in thin slices for serving.

Fried Ham, With Cream Gravy

Properly cured ham will not need freshening; but should the ham be too salt, place it in a frying-pan, cover with cold water, and set the pan on the range in a mild heat; and when the steam commences to rise, pour off the water, and add more cold water. As soon as this water steams lift out the slice of meat and drain it well before frying. Two waters should always be sufficient to freshen the saltest piece of ham. Heat the pan for frying, and when very hot, cook the meat without the addition of fat, unless the ham is exceptionally lean, when a spoonful of pork drippings should be used. When the ham is nicely browned, place it on a platter, and add a cupful of milk to the fat in the pan. When this boils, thicken it to a cream with a table-spoonful of flour wet to a smooth paste in a little milk, adding pepper to season; and turn the gravy over the ham. A more simple gravy is made by adding a little hot water to the fat, etc., in the pan and pouring this over the meat.

Ham Sandwiches

Chop fine half a pound of ham, and season with a table-spoonful of olive oil, a table-spoonful of lemon juice and a little pepper and made mustard. Butter the bread on the loaf before cutting it; cut the slices thinly, and spread the ham between them. Or the ham may be cut very thin, spread with a light coat of mustard and laid between thin slices of buttered bread.