No. 4131 — Salting Large Sheets of Fatback
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 4131 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Salt sheets of fatback separately in deep troughs, without pepper or saltpetre. Use 2 lots fine dry sifted salt per pound fat.
Place the first sheet skin-down, make a few cuts and rub with salt. Lay the next skin-up, continuing in alternating pairs.
Cover with a board and stones for two or three weeks, often pouring the expressed brine over the sheets and sometimes swapping top and bottom pairs.
Remove and dry the sheets, then smoke lightly; the author considers it better to wrap each piece in hay previously dried in an oven and pack in large boxes.
If moisture appears after several days, wipe the fat, hang to dry for two days and rewrap in fresh hay. Keep tightly covered somewhere cold and dry.