To Cure Bacon

Ingredients

• 1 large tablespoon saltpetre
• coarse sea salt
• hams
• shoulders
• middlings
• jowl or chop from the head

Directions

1. Select hogs aged 2.5 to 4 years for the best bacon.

2. Feed them corn for at least 6 weeks before slaughter.

3. Salt the meat immediately after slaughter to prevent spoiling.

4. Remove the backbone and cut the hams, shoulders, and middlings.

5. Rub saltpetre on the inside of each ham for a few minutes.

6. Rub both sides of the hams with coarse sea salt.

7. Sprinkle salt at the bottom of a tub and layer the hams skin-side down with salt in between each layer.

8. Salt the shoulders and middlings similarly, using less saltpetre.

9. Cut off the jowl, rub it with salt and saltpetre, and prepare the feet, ears, and nose for souse in cold water.

10. After 2 weeks, hang the jowls to smoke; after 3 weeks, hang the shoulders and middlings; after 4 weeks, hang the hams.

11. Hang the hams and shoulders with the hocks down to preserve juices.

12. Create smoke every morning without a blaze, ensuring the smoke-house is isolated from additional heat.