This is the portion of the fat meat which is left after the lard is cooked, and is used by many as an appetizing food. The cracknels may be pressed and thus much more lard secured. This latter, however, should be used before the best lard put away in tubs. After being pressed the cracknels are worked into a dough with corn meal and together made into cracknel bread.
BRAWN
is comparatively little used in this country, though formerly a highly relished dish in Europe, where it was often prepared from the flesh of the wild boar. An ancient recipe is as follows: “The bones being taken out of the flitches (sides) or other parts, the flesh is sprinkled with salt and laid on a tray, that the blood may drain off, after which it is salted a little and rolled up as hard as possible. The length of the collar of brawn should be as much as one side of the boar will permit; so that when rolled up the piece may be nine or ten inches in diameter. After being thus rolled up, it is boiled in a copper or large kettle, till it is so tender that you may run a stiff straw through it. Then it is set aside till it is thoroughly cold, put into a pickle composed of water, salt, and wheat-bran, in the proportion of two handfuls of each of the latter to every gallon of water, which, after being well boiled together, is strained off as clear as possible from the bran, and, when quite cold, the brawn is put into it.”
HEAD CHEESE.
This article is made usually of pork, or rather from the meat off the pig’s head, skins, and coarse trimmings. After having been well boiled, the meat is cut into pieces, seasoned well with sage, salt, and pepper, and pressed a little, so as to drive out the extra fat and water. Some add the meat from a beef head to make it lean. Others add portions of heart and liver, heating all in a big pan or other vessel, and then running through a sausage mill while hot.
BLOOD PUDDINGS
are usually made from the hog’s blood with chopped pork, and seasoned, then put in casings and cooked. Some make them of beef’s blood, adding a little milk; but the former is the better, as it is thought to be the richer.
SPICED PUDDINGS.
These are made somewhat like head-cheese, and often prepared by the German dealers, some of whom make large quantities. They are also made of the meat from the pig’s chops or cheeks, etc., well spiced and boiled. Some smoke them.