6 qrts water, boil then cool to 38

2 lbs pickling salt

1 lb white or light brown sugar

1 1/2 oz sodium nitrate or 2/3 oz sodium nitrite

1 bay leaf

1/4 oz black peppercorns

25 lbs poultry

Mix brine & cool to 38, pack birds in crock, pour brine over birds, cover & weigh down to submerge, cure 2 days, remove & soak in cool water 1 hr, hand to dry, place in stocking & smoke Smoke: at 90-100 in dense smoke for number of hrs equal to 1/2 bird weight, raise temp to 180-200 & hot smoke same number hrs until dark golden color (Or: smoke at 135-140 for 18-20 hrs until dark golden, age 4 weeks at 68 cool dark place) Serve: cook as an unsmoked bird: bake, roast, boil, etc.

Drying Fish

Use fish with fat content of 5% or less (it's easier) (flounder, haddock, halibut, rock cod) split fish lengthwise, remove backbone but leave collarbone to retain shape, wash well until all blood is gone, soak in brine for 1 hr (5 lbs salt, 2 gallons water) remove & pat dry, SMOKE?

Fish Jerky

3/4 c brown sugar

3/4 c soy sauce

1 t garlic powder

2 t ginger

2 lbs skinned, bones & cleaned freshwater fish, cut into strips 1/4" thick

mix and marinate in fridge 8-12 hrs, spread on thick layer of newspaper & a layer of paper towels, let drain, arrange on drying trays (can sprinkle with seeds) dry 8-12 hrs

Salmon Jerky

slice fillets of salmon into thin strips place in a dish and salt (2 T salt per 1 lb fish) refrigerate for 12 hours place on oven rack at 140 F for 3-5 hours

Sugar Syrup for Drying

In saucepan combine 1 1/2 c water,1 c light brown sugar, 1 c honey heat until sugar dissolves

Turkey Jerky (as an availability substitute for peacock)

1/4 c soy sauce (a modern substitute for verjuice)

1/4 c water

2 T honey

1 lb cooked turkey, cut into 1" strips

mix and marinate for 30 minutes, arrange on drying tray & dry for 3 hrs