Choose the leg of a hog that is fat and well fed, as well as of a certain age; for if poor, it is not worth curing, and if not one year old it will never acquire the fine flavor of a mellow ham. Sprinkle it with a little salt, and let it drain for a day; then put to it one pound each of coarse salt and the coarsest sugar, with a large handful of common salt and four ounces of saltpetre; rub it thoroughly with this; lay the rind downwards, and cover the fleshy parts with the salt, with which baste it frequently, and turn it every second day. Keep it in this for four weeks, then drain it and throw bran over it; hang it up in a cool place to dry, then sew it up in a coarse linen wrapper rubbed with lime, and do not dress it until full three months old.

The better way is, however, to smoke it. In country places this is not uncommonly done by hanging it in a kitchen chimney where wood is burnt, or in any spare chimney where a smothering fire can be kept up, made of wet straw and horse-litter, with sawdust or shavings; but be particular to have them of oak, for, if of pine, it will give the ham a bad flavor. It will take three weeks' smoking.

Or:- Hang the ham, and sprinkle it with salt as above; then rub it every day with the following, in fine powder: a pound of common salt powdered fine, two ounces of salt-petre, and two ounces of black pepper, mixed with one and a half pints of molasses.

911. - Another Way, That Gives A Higher Flavor

When the weather, will permit, hang the ham three days; mix one ounce of saltpetre with half a pound of common salt, and also of coarse sugar, and a quart of strong beer; boil them together, and pour them immediately upon the ham; turn it twice a-day in the pickle for three weeks. One ounce of black pepper, and the same quantity of allspice, in fine powder, added to the above, will give still more flavor.

Or:- Sprinkle the ham with salt, after it has hung two or three days; let it drain; make a pickle of a quart of strong beer, half a pound of molasses, one ounce of coriander-seeds, two ounces of juniper-berries, one ounce of pepper, the same quantity of allspice, one ounce of saltpetre, half an ounce of sal-prunella, a handful of common salt, and a head of shalot, all pounded or cut fine. Boil these all together a few minutes, and pour them over the ham: this quantity is for one of ten pounds.