Red Beef Tongues with Jelly

Cut away the fat and cartilaginous part from six beef tongues, wash and wipe them well, then prick them with a larding needle; rub each tongue over, using half an ounce of saltpetre for each one. Lay them in a bowl, covering them with a layer of salt; set a board over with a weight on top, and leave them there for twelve hours, then range them in an earthen vessel or wooden tub. Cover them with a brine prepared as follows: Have eight quarts of water and one pound or more of salt; test the brine, to see whether it be strong enough, by putting in an egg or potato, and if it floats on the surface then the brine is sufficiently strong. Boil it, adding half a pound of brown sugar, and let get cool before pouring it over the tongues; leave them in this pickle for twelve to fifteen days, setting them in a very cool place, and laying a board over with a weight on top so as to keep them continually under the brine, turning them over in it every three days; when they are to be used, place them in plenty of cold water, and set on the fire to boil for three or four hours according to their size; when done plunge them into fresh water, remove their skins, press them down under a weight, trim them nicely, then cut out the entire center of the tongue, leaving a piece underneath and at both ends; cut this square piece into thin slices, return them to their original position, then glaze the tongue with meat glaze (No. 402); dress it on a dish over a layer of bread spread with green butter (No. 583), and decorate it through a cornet with the same butter. Garnish around with chopped jelly, having a border of nicely shaped jelly croutons (No. 2442).