To Cure Hams & Tongues

This recipe comes from Elizabeth Langley's 1757 manuscript, a time when home-curing meats was essential for preservation in the absence of refrigeration. The ritual of salting, pressing, and smoking provided families with flavorful, shelf-stable sources of protein throughout the year. Bay salt, then a common coarse salt from the bay areas of England, contributed to the distinct taste and preservation. Saltpetre was used for its preserving qualities and for keeping meat pink. Juniper berries were an aromatic addition, and barrels or hogsheads doubled as smokers in resourceful rural kitchens.

Core kitchen tools included a large wooden table or board set at a slant for draining brine, heavy weights (often iron or stone), coarse woven cloths for wiping, and a hogshead or large barrel repurposed into a smoking chamber. Wood embers or charcoal and a pan for burning them were crucial for the smoking process, and thick blankets or canvas sheets were used to capture and contain the aromatic smoke. Meat hooks and chimney beams finished the drying, as open-air hanging in well-ventilated kitchens or outbuildings allowed the ham to mature without spoilage.