Your porkman having supplied you with a short, round pig, say about
ten to twelve weeks old, the neck taken off close up to the shoulders
and split down the back, you will proceed to take out the bones and
gristles and wash it five minutes in salt and water, then wipe dry and
rub the following mixture――
Mace, beaten finely ½ oz.
Cloves, beaten finely 1 oz.
Nutmeg, beaten finely 1 oz.
Pepper, beaten finely 1 oz.
Salt, beaten finely 1½ lbs.
――in all parts well, and let them lie pressed closely for twenty-four
hours, then take them up, wipe dry, roll the one half up into a collar,
with tape and new linen, and boil it in a pickle made by boiling up the
former used spices――adding thereto
Six laurel leaves, green
Twelve bay leaves
Vinegar 1 pint
Ginger, beaten coarsely 1 oz.
Bay salt ¾ oz.
――until tender. Examine the collars when nearly cold, and tighten
the binding if requisite. Cut them through, in the middle, straight
across, put each roll into a jar just capable of holding it; boil up
the pickle again, adding vinegar and porter, if not enough to cover
your meat completely; tie bladder over and keep a month, when it will
be very rich, yet delicate. The pickle must have been well skimned and
all fat removed from it. The other half may be thus treated, making an
agreeable change, though this latter will be much higher flavoured:
Proceed as with the last, until having rolled it up in a nice tight
collar, you will make this pickle:
Sage leaves, shred ½ handful
Capsicums, mixed ½ oz.
Juniper berries, bruised 1 oz.
Six laurel leaves, shred
Garlic, shred ½ oz.
Porter or ale 1 quart
Salt ½ lb.
Boil these twenty minutes, skim well and pour over the meat, placed in
a deep jar that will just hold it, and tying leather over let it remain
three weeks. Then take it up, wipe dry, hang it in a current of dry air
for a week, turning it daily, and smoke it with
Oak lops or sawdust 2 parts
Fern 2 parts
Beech or birch chips 2 parts
for three weeks. When cold you can coat it with gelatine, or if packed
with hams, tongues, &c. &c., in malt cooms, will be a high, much
esteemed article, after being kept a month or two to become mellow.
Care must be taken in the broiling, as the meat will be extremely rich
and tender.