Anonymous Tue May 23 19:39:44 2006

1 500 pound ham, uncooked

1 peck and 1 1/2 gallons fine Liverpool salt

1-3/4 pounds saltpeter

1 quart hickory ashes, well sifted

1 quart molasses

2 teacups cayenne pepper

1 teacup black pepper

Mix these ingredients well together in a large tub, rub it into each ham with a brick, or

something rough to get it in well. Pack in a tight, clean tub and weigh down. Let the hams

remain six weeks: then take them out and rub each one on the fleshy side with one

tablespoonful black pepper to avoid skippers. Hang in the meat house, and smoke with

green hickory for from ten to twelve hours a day for six weeks, not suffering the wood to

blaze. On the 1st of April, take them down and pack in any coal ashes or pine ashes well

slaked. Strong ashes will rot into the meat. I wonder what it tasted like? Now, I can drive

down hill to my local Safeway and *buy* fresh meat government inspected. I wonder

though, are we missing something? A lot of work, that is for sure.