Pioneer Bacon

• 80 pounds side meat for bacon
• plenty of salt
• ½ cup brown sugar

Pulverize the saltpeter, then mix it with the brown sugar and 4 cups of salt. Dampen the mix slightly with a little water and rub it all over the meat. Lay the meat skin side down on boards for 9 days. Then rub thoroughly with salt; use all the salt that will adhere to the meat. Let lie for 3 days.

Hang the side meat in the smokehouse and cold-smoke it for 3 days. Sprinkle each piece wi