ve it a foot at least
above the floor.

Cover the meat thus in bulk, but not too close, and leave standing a
fortnight. The cooler and airier the place it stands in the
better--freezing even is not objectionable when the salt begins striking
in. But with freezing weather the meat must lie longer in salt. Overhaul
it after the first fortnight--that is to say break up the bulk, shake
away bloody salt, sweep the bottom clean, and put on fresh salt. But use
very little saltpeter on the joints this time--on pain of making them
too hard as to their lean. Its use is to give firmness and a handsome
clear red color--an overdose of it produces a faintly undesirable
flavor. Some famous ham makers, at this second salting, rub the cut
sides over lightly with very good molasses, and sprinkle on ground black
pepper, before adding new salt. Others rub in a teaspoonful of sugar
mixed with pounded red pepper around the bone. But very excellent hams
can be made without such excess of painstaking.

Let the meat lie two to four weeks after overhauling, according to the
weather. Take up, wipe all over with coarse clean cloth, furnish each
piece with a loop of stout twine at least four inches long, and so run
through the flesh, tearing out is impossible. Run through the hock of
hams, the upper tip of shoulders, the thickest part of sides, the
pointed tip of jowls. Jowls may not need to lie so long as bigger
pieces, especially if part of their fat has gone to lard. Chines can be
hung up in three weeks, and cured with a very light smoking, along with
the bags of sausage.

Hang hams highest, shoulders next, then sides, jowls, etc. Leave to drip
forty-eight hours unless the weather turns suddenly warm, damp and
muggy--in that case start the smoking after a few hours. Smoke from
green hickory, sound and bright, is needed for the finest flavor. Lay
small logs so they will hug together as they burn, kindle fire along the
whole length of them, then smother it with damp, small chips, trash,
bark and so on, but take care to have everything sound. Rotten wood, or
that which is water-logged or mildewed, makes rank, ill-smelling smoke.
Take greater care that the logs never blaze up, also that the meat is
high enough to escape fire-heating. Once it gets hot from the fire all
your trouble will have been for naught--though it will not be tainted it
will have the same taste and smell--the degree marking the extent of the
heating.

Old southern smokehouse