Brining

A method of curing hides and skins, generally employed in the larger abattoirs, prior to transportation to tanneries. After flaying, and a thorough washing and brushing to remove hair and flesh, the hides or skins are hung in pits or large paddles in a very strong solution of sodium chloride, causing salt to penetrate the material. Distinct from "pickling," a beamhouse operation following bating, in which hides and skins are soaked in a solution of 12% salt and 1.2% sulfuric acid.