Hams (How to Cure Them)

Instructions

1. After cutting the hams, rough-salt them for a night, letting all the water drain away.
2. For a ham weighing twelve or fourteen pounds take two pounds of salt, one pound of the brownest sugar, two ounces of saltpetre, four ounces of black pepper, four ounces of allspice, and a handful of coriander seeds.
3. Bruise the spices and the saltpetre and mix all well with the salt.
4. Have the ham rubbed well with the hand and a little flat stone for half an hour every day for three days, till the skin feels soft and the salt looks like a creamy substance. In rubbing, divide the salt, sugar, and the rest into portions and take a fresh portion every time, turning the ham skin downwards and covering it with the salt.
5. When all has been used and the ham rubbed three days, take all the brine that has formed and boil it with two pints of vinegar and two pints of good ale.
6. Skim it well, and when cool pour it over the ham, leaving it in this pickle for a month.
7. Then dry it, put it under a press, and brush it with a little tar mixed with treacle and some bran.
8. Smoke for three weeks, and hang in a cool, dry place.
9. The above pickle does beautifully for sides of bacon, or any other pork that has to be smoked.
10. When wanted for use, soak the ham for a night before boiling. Let your water boil before putting in the ham, then simmer gently for three or four hours.