Take three pounds of lean beef, salt it twelve hours with half a pound
of common salt, and half an ounce of saltpetre; divide it into pound
pieces, and put it into an earthen pan, that will just hold it; pour in
half a pint of water; cover it close with paste, and set it in a very
slow oven for four hours; when it comes from the oven, pour the gravy
from it into a basin, shred the meat fine, moisten it with the gravy
poured from the meat, and pound it thoroughly in a marble mortar with
fresh butter, till it is as fine a paste as possible, season it with
black pepper and allspice, or cloves pounded, or grated nutmeg; put it
in pots, press it down as close as possible; put a weight on it, and let
it stand all night; next day, when it is quite cold, cover it a quarter
of an inch thick with clarified butter, and tie it over with paper.