salesman with a binder which is claimed to be Bull-Meat Binder. Owing
to the fact that I have not been able to get satisfactory results from
the use of it, I have examined the package closely, and find that the
labels are not the same as yours. I enclose a rough drawing of what
this label is like and would like to know if the goods are of your
manufacture. It doesn’t act like your Bull-Meat Binder and I have had
very poor success with it: in fact, so very poor that I have sent it
back to the jobbers and told them that I could not use it.”_
Answer.--You most certainly received an imitation of Bull-Meat-Brand
Sausage Binder. The very fact that the preparation you received failed
to give satisfaction =was=, in itself, sufficient to convince you that
you had been imposed upon, as Bull-Meat-Brand Sausage Binder always
produces excellent results. Your idea of examining the label is the
proper one. Bull-Meat-Brand Sausage Binder is not only a Binder but
also an Absorbent. It has its Flavoring Qualities as well as its
tendency to Bind and Blend the Juices of the Meat, thus absorbing
those constituents that enables Bull-Meat-Brand Sausage Binder to give
sausage such a Delicious and Superior Flavor. When purchasing our goods
in the future, we would ask you to kindly examine them closely upon
their receipt to see that you are receiving the Genuine and nothing
but the Genuine. In this way it will not be necessary for you to spoil
a lot of Sausage in order to find out that you have been imposed upon
by irresponsible imitators who try to pirate our goods. Never use any
goods shipped you until you have examined them closely to see that the
name of B. Heller & Co. and no other is upon the label.
HOW TO CONSTRUCT A MODERN SMOKE HOUSE.
_Query.--The S. P. Co. asks: “Would you kindly tell us, and we will
gladly pay you for the information, how to construct a modern,
up-to-date smokehouse?”_
Ans.--We will be very glad indeed to tell you all about this subject
without charging you any fee. We are always glad to tell customers or
prospective customers how they can profitably conduct their business
and make money. As you are located in California, where the weather is
always warm, the building of a smoke house becomes simple, because the
smoke house will not sweat like it does in a climate where the weather
gets cold in winter. Here in the Middle West, or farther East, it is
more difficult to get a good color on meats smoked in a smoke house in
winter. One of the principal points to be considered in laying out your
plans is to get the proper height, and the higher you build your house
and the less floor space it occupies, the better will be your results.
An 8×10 or an 8×12 foot house gives the best results. In this you could
put an arch about nine or ten feet from the ground, and under the arch
smoke your fresh sausage and above it smoke the meat. In this way the
heat and smoke used for the sausage would also be utilized for smoking
the bacon and hams and none would be wasted. If you build the way we
have indicated be sure and put ventilators right above the arch so that
cold air can be let into the smoke house during the real hot weather.
If your fire gets too hot, you can feed cold air to the interior
chamber, and if your smoke house is tall you can create a good draught
and will soon get up a circulation which will cool the air so that the
meat will not shrink too much. A smoke house built for simply two tiers
of meat, that is, two rows, is better than one built wider. The walls
of your smoke house can be built either of brick or wood, whichever you
prefer, brick being the safer of the two. If you do not intend to smoke
fresh sausage but only bacon and hams, it is unnecessary to put in an
arch. In that case simply construct some iron bars about eight feet
above the fire and on top of these put a heavy iron screen, so in case
any hams should fall that they do not fall into the fire. Of course,
you know that many smoke houses catch on fire and burn up, due to not
having an iron screen above the fire and by meat falling directly into
the fire.
PREVENTING PORK SAUSAGE FROM SOURING IN WARM WEATHER
QUESTION.--W. G. F. writes: “I make my own sausage, using your
Bull-Meat-Brand Sausage Binder and your Sausage Seasoning. My sausage
is good when it is fresh-made, but it soon becomes sour in warm
weather. What can I do to prevent this trouble?”
(_Copyrighted by B. Heller & Co.; Reprint Forbidden._)
Answer.--The best and easiest way to overcome the difficulty you report
about your fresh pork sausage souring in warm weather is to use our
“A” Condimentine. In making your sausage, for each 100 pounds of meat
add ¾ to 1 pound of Heller’s “A” Condimentine. This will prevent fresh
pork sausage from turning gray and souring for from eight to ten days,
according to the temperature in which the sausage is kept.
“A” Condimentine will keep pork sausage in condition, so that it may
be shipped, if necessary, for a considerable distance and still retain
its own natural color. Your sausage maker will find this method of
keeping fresh pork sausage from souring for a reasonable length of time
in warm weather of great advantage and save you from severe losses.
“A” Condimentine is legal to be used under the National and all State
Pure Food Laws. The sausage does not have to be labeled to show the
presence of “A” Condimentine. We will be pleased to have you try out
our recommendation for retarding fresh pork sausage from souring and
report to us your success at an early date.
IS FREEZE-EM PICKLE LEGAL TO USE?
_Query.--W. K. I am a butcher and sausage maker, and also cure a great
many hams and bacon. I have used a good bit of your Freeze-Em Pickle
and am well pleased with it, and I wish to ask if it can be used with
safety under the new pure food laws. That is, the new state food law.
The man I have been getting Freeze-Em Pickle from says “Yes” and the
States Attorney says “No,” so I write you and would like to have you
explain the situation and oblige._
Ans.--Replying to your recent favor it affords us pleasure to advise
you that =Freeze-Em-Pickle= does comply with the requirements of your
new state food law, and that you need have no fears in continuing its
use. In fact, =Freeze-Em-Pickle= complies with the requirements of
all the state food laws, as well as with the regulations under the
National Pure Food Law, and it is being used all over the U. S. It is
evident that the State’s Attorney confuses =Freeze-Em-Pickle= with
the preservatives which are prohibited under your new state law. All
antiseptic preservatives, for the purpose of keeping fresh meat fresh
and meat food products in a fresh condition, are positively prohibited
under your new state food law. =Freeze-Em-Pickle= does not come in
this class. The ingredients of which =Freeze-Em-Pickle= is composed
have not been ruled against by any of the pure food laws. We are
pleased to hear your praise of =Freeze-Em-Pickle=, although this is the
universal report we get when it is properly used. We enclose a circular
concerning its use, which you may not have seen, and this will give you
further information concerning the manufacture of Bologna and Frankfort
Sausage, Corned Beef, etc. We also enclose circular concerning our
Bull-Meat-Brand Sausage Binder, which is unquestionably the best Binder
on the market. This also complies with the pure food law. So does our
Vacuum Brand Garlic Compound and our Prepared Sausage Seasoning, and
Red and White Konservirungs-Salt. We will be pleased to hear from you
whenever we can be of further service to you.
ADVICE TO A PACKER WHO WAS DECEIVED.
N. & W. complain that a firm to whom they gave an order for 25 pounds
of Freeze-Em Pickle and a barrel of Bull-Meat Sausage Binder, sent them
25 pounds of an inferior substitute and a barrel of flour which was an
imitation of Bull-Meat Sausage Binder. The firm states that they did
not know very much about how the label of Freeze-Em Pickle looked and,
therefore, did not notice the fraud until after they had used some of
the imitation. They ask what they should do about it.
Ans.--Return the goods to your jobber, even though you have used half
of them, inform him that you will not pay for the goods on the ground
that you did not order them, but had ordered B. Heller & Co.’s goods,
and that you will in future buy your goods from such firms as will send
you what you want and order. This is a simple remedy for the trouble
which you have.
ADVANTAGES OF STEAM-JACKET KETTLE IN RENDERING LARD.
_Query.--C. W. F. asks: Is there any advantage in rendering lard in a
steam-jacket kettle?_
Ans.--There is. Both a caldron and a steam-jacket kettle work well. The
best lard is made in one or the other. A steam tank in which the fat
is put, and the steam turned right into it, will not produce as good
lard as either the caldron or the steam-jacket kettle. The steam mixes
right with the lard and the latter therefore contains a large amount
of moisture and the lard does not keep well. Another disadvantage is
that water used in the boiler is not always pure. If the boiler is
not cleaned once a week the water will have a bad smell. Steam made
from this water and turned into lard can not be expected to improve
its flavor, even though it should not actually harm it. Those who
kill large numbers of hogs usually have a steam tank for making steam
rendered lard and a steam-jacket kettle for making their finer brands
of kettle rendered lard.
SEASONING FOR SAUSAGES.
_Query.--T. U.: Will you please send me a copy of your book, “Secrets
of Meat Curing and Sausage Making.” I have always used the following
seasonings in my sausage: Pepper, summer savory and sage, and would
like to know if you can recommend anything to me which will give the
sausage a better flavor than these spices will. Any information you can
give me in the seasoning of sausage will be very much appreciated._
Ans.--The Seasonings which you have been using are being used by a good
many Sausage Makers, but a real fine flavored Sausage cannot be made
with them. If you wish to increase your Sausage trade right along, and
want to make Sausage that your trade will relish and enjoy, you must
use the very finest Seasonings obtainable, as the Seasoning really
is the life of the Sausage. We are manufacturing the Zanzibar Brand
Sausage Seasonings, which we make for all kinds of Sausage. These
Seasonings are made after secret formulas which have been in our family
for a good many years. The flavor that these Seasonings impart to the
Sausage is something very fine; it must be tasted to be appreciated,
as we cannot describe in a letter what the flavor really is. It is a
peculiar combination which everyone likes and it is something that will
soon increase your Sausage trade. Zanzibar Brand Sausage Seasonings are
manufactured from only high grade Spices and we guarantee them to be
absolutely free from any adulteration. We are sending you our circular
and price list and would be pleased to receive your order for any
quantity that you may desire, and we will say in advance that when you
once use them you will never again want to make Sausage without these
Seasonings.
SOLE MANUFACTURERS OF ZANZIBAR CARBON.
_Query.--C. & K. write: “Are you the sole manufacturers of Zanzibar
Carbon?”_
Ans.--Yes, and we were the first to put a preparation of this kind upon
the market.
QUICKEST WAY TO CURE MEATS.
_Query.--W. & B. write: Our capacity for curing meats is limited for
the want of room. Can you give us a formula or a recipe that will give
a good cure in the shortest possible time? We would like something that
is reliable._
Ans.--Our Book, “Secrets of Meat Curing and Sausage Making,” will
give you all the information in reference to curing meats which you
may desire. The curing period can be greatly shortened by pumping
the meat. It will also give you a better article. Our book, which is
mailed to anyone requesting it, free of charge, will give you full
directions for pumping, and also the formula for making the pumping
brine. By following the instructions which this book contains, you will
be able to turn out the finest kind of mild cured and sweet pickled
meats, which will have a delicious flavor and a fine color. It will
be necessary, however, for you to fully carry out our directions in
reference to chilling meats and overhauling them, also the temperature
to be maintained during the curing period.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FREEZE-EM AND FREEZE-EM-PICKLE.
_Query.--L. B.: We have been using some of your goods and notice that
you speak of Freeze-Em-Pickle for curing meats. Is this product the
same as Freeze-Em? We have been getting our goods from our jobbers, and
in their catalogue they also speak of Freeze-Em-Pickle. We would like
one of your books on the secrets of meat curing and methods of smoking
and curing, as we are young in the curing of meats yet and would like
all the information possible._
Ans.--Your letter received and we are pleased to note that you have
been using some of our goods and find them very satisfactory. You say
you have read of our =Freeze-Em= and also our =Freeze-Em-Pickle=,
and you would like to know whether they are both the same. They are
not the same. Before the various pure food laws went into effect, we
sold =Freeze-Em= as a preservative, also as a cleansing agent. As so
many of the pure food laws objected to the use of preservatives, we
discontinued selling =Freeze-Em= as a preservative, and now sell and
recommend it as a cleansing agent only.
=Freeze-Em-Pickle= is an entirely different preparation. This was
placed on the market with a special view to supply the butcher with a
preparation that will comply with all food regulations under all food
laws. =Freeze-Em-Pickle= is to be used for curing all kinds of meat,
such as hams, bacon, corned beef, bologna trimmings, pork sausage
trimmings, and meats of all kinds, and it is also excellent for use in
chopped beef, to keep it in a fresh condition. =Freeze-Em-Pickle is not
a Chemical Preservative.=
DIFFICULTIES WITH CURING BRINE AND HOW TO OVERCOME THEM.
_Query.--W. S. & Co.: We are so situated that we have to boil all the
water that we use in our brine. After boiling it we run it into a
cooling tank and let it cool. We have made some experiments with your
Freeze-Em Pickle and like it to cure very well, and have decided to
adopt its use in the curing of all of our meats. Now, what we want to
know is, can we dissolve the Freeze-Em Pickle in the boiling hot water
and then cool it and run it through coils the same as we do now with
the water? Would the heat affect the Freeze-Em Pickle? Our vats when
full hold 6,900 lbs. of medium sized hams. According to the size of the
kettle and the amount of water to boil at one time, it would require 58
pounds of Freeze-Em Pickle. What we want to do is this: we do not want
to weigh the Freeze-Em Pickle for each vat, but simply want to make
a large quantity of brine and then run the prepared brine on to our
hams. We have been using saltpetre and molasses for our brine and we
are having trouble with it getting ropy and stringy. Will syrup answer
the same as molasses or sugar, and is New Orleans molasses the best, or
should granulated sugar be used entirely? Kindly let us know what you
consider the best for hams._
Ans.--First of all, we advise that after the water is boiled, that
it is allowed to settle and precipitate so that all the solids will
settle to the bottom of the settling tank. It should settle at least
24 hours before the solids will have separated and gone to the bottom.
Then the water should be drawn off, but not from the bottom of the
tank, but at least a foot from the bottom. The water that will come
off from above will be nice and clear. This water should then be run
into another tank, called the mixing tank, in which the sugar, salt
and =Freeze-Em-Pickle= should be dissolved; this will make the stock
brine which can be run down into the cellar over cooling pipes, so
as to chill it properly before it is put on the meat. The reason the
brine that you are making becomes ropy is that you are using the wrong
sugar. If you will use absolutely pure granulated sugar or absolutely
pure syrup made from granulated sugar you will have no trouble from
ropy brine. We strongly advise the use of nothing but absolutely pure
granulated sugar. We find that it gives the best results. It costs
a little more than the unrefined product but you get less vegetable
substance in your brine, and the brine will therefore keep much longer.
The brine in which hams have been cured can be used a second time for
curing breakfast bacon, and the breakfast bacon will be even better
than if put into fresh brine. As your vats are large, the meat will
pack very tight on the bottom, and we wish to caution you to be sure
and overhaul your meat promptly five days after it is packed and
continue overhauling as per directions in our book on curing meats and
making sausage. If you follow these directions you will not have any
ropy brine or any spoiled meat, but all your meat will come out uniform
and will have the proper flavor.
TOUGH AND SALTY CORNED BEEF.
_Query.--E. W. G. writes: I have had complaints from several large
institutions I serve that my corned beef is tough and too salty. I
would like to know about what proportions of salt and saltpetre to use.
It is only recently that I have had these complaints, in fact, I have
been in the retail business for about ten years and have been very
successful with my corned beef._
Ans.--If you will use the following in curing plates, rumps, briskets,
etc., for corned beef, you will have no trouble. Use for 100 lbs. of
meat:
Five pounds of common salt, 1 lb. of =Freeze-Em-Pickle=, 2 lbs. of best
granulated sugar, 5 gallons of cold water.
Cure the meat in this brine fifteen to thirty days, according to
weight and thickness of the pieces. If you are taking pieces out of
the brine from day to day and adding others, you should keep up the
strength of the pickle to sixty degrees by adding a small quantity
of =Freeze-Em-Pickle= and salt from time to time as you withdraw and
replace the meat. One of the first essentials to producing first-class
corned beef is to be careful about the temperature during the curing
period. An even temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit is always the best
for coolers and for curing meat. If maintained at this degree, there
will be no trouble from taking on too much salt, provided, of course,
the meat has been properly chilled through before placing it in the
brine for curing. In order to produce a good cure, all the animal heat
must be extracted from the meat before it is packed, otherwise it will
become soft and spongy in the brine, and pickle-soaked.
KEEPING HAMS AND BACON SIX MONTHS.
_Query.--A. J. M. writes: I would like to know how to keep hams and
bacon in first class shape for the next six months without their
getting mouldy and with the least possible shrinkage._
Ans.--There is no practical method for keeping hams and bacon for so
long a time after they are smoked without their getting mouldy. There
is a method for keeping them in sweet pickle for any length of time,
provided you have cold storage facilities. All kinds of pickled meat if
stored in a cooler in which the temperature is kept down to 28 degrees
can be kept in this cooler for a year or even longer, and when removed
will come out like fresh cured meat. Hams and other meats are often
purchased when the market is low and stored in a freezer and kept here
until such a time that they are in greatest demand and will sell at the
highest price. At a temperature of 28 degrees the meat will not freeze
after it is cured, and the brine, of course, does not freeze at that
temperature. When meat is taken out of such cold storage to be smoked,
it should be first soaked from three to five hours in fresh water, and
then washed and smoked the same as regular fresh cured meat. Farmers
often bury their smoked meats in their oat bins, and are enabled to
keep them in good condition for some time, but this is a method which,
perhaps, does not suit your purpose. It is best to keep the meat in
sweet pickle until you are ready to smoke it, as this will insure a
much better article.
USES FOR DRIED BEEF ENDS.
_Query.--C. E. C. writes: “Can you inform me the best and most
profitable way for disposing of my Dried Beef ends? I am in the sliced
Dried Beef business and have no way of using up my ends. Thanking you
in advance.”_
Ans.--There are three ways for disposing of beef ends to advantage and
profit. They may be ground up in an Enterprise Chopper and sold to
hotels and restaurants for use as Minced Dried Beef to be prepared and
served in cream. They can also be sold to concerns engaged in the baked
bean business, where the ends can be cut up and baked with pork in the
beans. Restaurants can also use dried beef ends to excellent advantage
by putting them in soup. They will give a delicious flavor to all kinds
of soups, if boiled at the same time with other soup meats.
HOW TO PREVENT HAMS FROM SOURING IN THE HOCK.
_Query.--C. F. G. Co. write: “We have a lot of hams that we put down in
dry salt to cure about six or seven weeks ago, and we have discovered
that they have become tainted in the hock, while the balance of the
piece of meat is all right. Can you tell us any way to rehandle or
overhaul these hams to save them? The front or butt end of the ham
is sound and all right and sweet; the bad part is in and around the
hock end or leg end. Could this taint and odor be removed and the meat
made sweet by putting these hams down now in a strong salt brine and
punching holes in the hock end of the pieces so that the brine could
quickly get into the tainted part? Would salt brine save them now? We
will thank you for any advice or plan of action that will help to save
us from loss.”_