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Brawn

Prepare a hog's head by cutting off the ears, taking out the brains, and cleaning generally; rub in plenty of salt, and let it drain a whole day and night. Rub in two ounces of saltpetre and the same quantity of salt, and let it stand for three days. Next, put the head and salt into a pan and cover it with water for two days. Now wash it well from the salt, and boil till the bones can be easily removed. Extract these and take off the skin of the head and tongue carefully. Chop up the meat into bits, but do not mince it, and season with pepper, salt, and shallot to taste. Place the skin of one-half of the head into a pan, closely fitting it, and press into it the chopped head and tongue. When this is done, take the other skin and lay it cleverly in place, or put the other skin in the pan and proceed as before, and turn out when cold. Should the head be too fat, add some lean pork. For a sauce, boil a pint of vinegar with a quart of the liquor in which the head was boiled, and two ounces of salt, and pour over the brawn when the liquor is cold. The hair should be carefully removed from the ears, and they must be boiled till tender, then divided into long narrow pieces and mixed with the meat. Time to boil, from two to three hours. Probable cost of a pig's head, 5d. per pound.