Hogs that are to be cut up for curing should never be cut up sooner than 48 hours after being killed, and the temperature of the cooler should be gradually brought down to 28 degrees Fahrenheit by the time the hogs are taken out of the chill room to be cut up. After the hogs have been in the cooler 12 hours the temperature should gradually be brought down from 36 degrees at the end of the first 12 hours, to 28 degrees at the end of 48 hours; that is, if the hogs are to be cut up 48 hours after they are killed. If they are to be cut up 72 hours after being killed, the temperature should be brought down gradually from 36 degrees at the end of the first 12 hours, to 30 degrees F. at the end of 72 hours. This would mean that the temperature should be brought down from 36 degrees to 30 degrees F., if the hogs are to be cut up at the end of 72 hours, or a lowering of six degrees in practically 58 hours; or a lowering of eight degrees, from 36 to 28 Fahrenheit, if the hogs are to be cut up in 48 hours after being killed. This means a reduction in temperature of about one degree for every eight hours. This does not mean that the six or eight degrees should be reduced in two hours’ time, for if that were done the meat would be frozen.
In a large Packing House, where the cooler is properly equipped, and one has a good attendant, these instructions can be carried out in detail. When the foregoing instructions are carefully followed, the safe curing of the product will be assured.
While the curing of course requires careful attention, yet, if the chilling is not done properly, the curing will never be perfect.
The floors of coolers should always be kept sprinkled with clean sawdust, as this will absorb drippings and assist in keeping the cooler clean and sweet. If the drippings from hogs are allowed to fall on the bare floor, the cooler will soon become sour and this will affect the meat that hangs over it.
An even temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit is the best temperature for curing meats. Most butchers, however, have no ice machine, and, therefore, are not able to reach such a low temperature in their coolers; nevertheless, they should try to get their coolers as low in temperature as possible, and should at all times be careful to keep the doors closed, and not leave them open longer than is necessary at any time. The temperature of 37 to 39 degrees Fahrenheit is what should govern all packers who use ice machines; those who are fortunate enough to have ice machinery should never allow the cooler to get below 37 degrees, nor above 40 degrees. Many packers let the temperature in their coolers get too cold, and in winter during the very cold weather, the windows are sometimes left open, which allows the temperature to get too low. This should always be avoided, as meat will not cure in any brine, or take salt when dry salted, if stored in a room that is below 36 degrees Fahrenheit. If meat is packed even in the strongest kind of brine, and put into a cooler, which is kept at 32 to 33 degrees of temperature, and thus left at this degree of cold for three months, it will come out of the brine only partly cured. The reason for this is the fact that meat will not cure and take on salt at such a low temperature, and as the temperature herein given is above freezing point, which is 32 degrees, the meat will only keep for a short time, and then it starts to decompose when taken into a higher temperature. Anyone, who is unaware of this fact, will see how necessary it is to have accurate thermometers in a cooler, to examine them frequently, and to closely watch the temperature of the room. See illustration of our Standard Cold Storage Thermometer on page 282.