Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 305, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1916 — Old Virginia Hams [ARTICLE]

Old Virginia Hams

A correspondent of Wallace’s Farm er gives the following directions: “To twenty gallons of water add thirty pounds of salt, eight pounds of soda, five ounces of salt peter, and ten pounds of brown sugar or one gallon of molasses. Put all in a large kettle and let it come to a boil. Then draw from the fire and skim. When cold, pour over the meat and let stand for five weeks. Then hang up and let dry for three or four days. Smoke until brown, and then sack. First melt some brown sugar and spread over with your hand. Then sprinkle black pepper all over the meat part and tnds of hock. Roll in p\per, put into ‘he cotton sacks, and hang up in a good, dark, dry place, and you will have fine meat. Cut clean, pure timothy hay fine and pack around hams enclosed in cotton bags And hang up until used. Will keep for years.’*