Rub well into a round of beef a half pound of saltpeter, finely
powdered. Next day mix half an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of black
pepper, the same quantity of ground allspice, with half a pound of
salt; wash and rub the beef in the brine for a fortnight, adding every
other day a tablespoonful of salt. At the expiration of the fortnight,
wipe the beef quite free from the brine, and stuff every interstice
that you can find with equal portions of chopped parsley, and mixed
sweet herbs in powder, seasoned with ground allspice, mace, salt, and
Cayenne. Do not be sparing of this mixture. Put the round into a deep
earthen pan, fill it with strong ale, and bake it in a very slow oven
for eight hours, turning it in the liquor every two hours, and adding
more ale if necessary. This is an excellent preparation to assist in
the "keeping of the Christmas season."