Hams

(1) Hams shall be cured in accordance with one of the methods set out in subregulations (2) and (3). 102 Food and Drugs (2) The hams shall be cured by a dry-salt curing process for not less than forty days at a temperature not lower than 36°F. The hams shall be laid down in salt, not less than 4 pounds to each hundredweight of hams, the salt being applied in a thorough manner to the lean meat of each ham. When placed in cure the hams may be pumped with pickle if desired. At least once during the curing process the hams shall be overhauled and additional salt applied, if necessary, so that the lean meat of each ham is thoroughly covered. After removal from cure the hams may be soaked in water at a temperature not higher that 70°F, for not more than fifteen hours, during which time the water may be changed once; but they shall not be subjected to any other treatment designed to remove salt from the meat, except that superficial washing may be allowed. The hams shall finally be dried or smoked for not less than ten days at a temperature not lower than 95°F. (3) The hams shall be cured by a dry-salt curing process at a temperature not lower than 36°F for a period of not less than three days for each pound weight (green) of the individual hams. The time of cure of each lot of hams placed in cure should be calculated on a basis of the weight of the heaviest ham of the lot. Hams cured by this method, before they are placed in cure, shall be pumped with pickle solution of not less than 100 degree strength (salometer) about 4 ounces of the solution being injected into the shank and a like quantity along the flank side of the body bone (femur). The hams shall be laid down in salt, not less than 4 pounds of salt to each hundredweight of hams, the salt being applied in a thorough manner to the lean meat of each ham. At least once during the curing process the hams shall be overhauled and additional salt applied, if necessary, so that the lean meat of each ham is thoroughly covered. After removal from the cure the hams may be soaked in water at a temperature not higher than 70°F, for not more than four hours, but shall not be subjected to any other treatment designed to remove salt from the meat, except that superficial washing may be allowed. The hams shall then be dried or smoked for not less than forty-eight hours at a temperature not lower than 80°F, and finally shall be Food and Drugs 103 held in a drying room for not less than twenty days at a temperature not lower than 45°F.