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Pig, Sucking, Roast

Wipe the pig thoroughly, stuff it, and sew up the slit securely with soft thread. Truss it like a hare, with the fore-legs skewered back and the hind-legs drawn forward. Rub it over with clarified butter, or fresh salad-oil, and put it down, not too near, before a clear brisk fire. Baste constantly, or the crackling will be blistered and burnt, instead of crisp and brown. As the middle part requires less roasting than the ends, it is usual, when the pig is half done, to hang a flat iron from the spit in such a position that it will shade the middle from the heat of the fire. It is well to tie some butter in a piece of muslin, and rub the pig over with this two or three times whilst it is roasting. When it is done enough, cut off the head before the pig is taken from the fire, take out the brains, and chop them up quickly with the stuffing; add the gravy which has dropped from the pig, and, when it can be obtained, a cupful of good veal or beef gravy, together with a little cayenne, lemon-juice, and grated nutmeg. To dish it, cut the pig open, and lay the sides back to back, lengthwise, upon the dish, with one half of the head at each end and the ears at the sides. If preferred, the brains may be stirred into melted butter instead of gravy. Rich brown sauce, tomato, poivrade, piquant, provencale, bread, apple, and the old-fashioned currant sauce, are all served with sucking pig. Time to roast, according to size: a three weeks old pig, two hours. Probable cost, 6s. to 12s. Sufficient, a three weeks old pig for eight or nine persons.