Salt Curing Meat in Brine

Curing meat by using a salt brine was a widely used method of preserving meat before the days of refrigeration.

 Method 1:

Brine barrel filled half way up with 1 cup salt per 2 gallons of hot water (that's 32 parts water - 1 part salt), and a bit of vinegar

 OR

 Method 2

Brine Barrel filled 1/2 way with 5/8 cup curing salt per 2 gallons hot water, and a bit of vinegar.

1. Cut your animal up into ham sized pieces (about 10 - 15 lbs each).
2. Put the pieces in the brine barrel and let it soak for 6 days. Make sure brine completely covers meat!
3. Now that your meat is salted, remove the meat from the brine, dry it off and put it in flour or gunny sacks to protect meat and keep the insects away.
4. Then hang it up in a cool dry place to dry.
5. It will keep like this for perhaps six weeks if stored in a cool place during the Summer.
6. Of course, it will keep much longer in the Winter.