I sometimes leave the bones in the meat, lard the fleshy part, and afterwards roast it in vegetables to serve cold.
614. Pressed Beef.—Procure a piece of brisket of beef, cut off the bones, and salt it as directed (No. 615), but adding a little extra sal prunella to the brine and a little spice; let the beef remain in pickle rather better than a week: when ready to cook, roll it round, tie it in a cloth, and let it simmer gently in plenty of water, about seven hours if a whole one, but four hours if only the thin end; when done take it up, remove the string, and tie the cloth at each end, put it upon a dish with another dish over, upon which place half a hundred-weight, leaving it until quite cold, then take the meat from the cloth, trim and glaze it lightly, and serve garnished with a few sprigs of fresh parsley.
615. Pickle for Beef à la Garrick.—Take twenty pounds of salt, three quarters of a pound of saltpetre, four cakes of sal prunella, two pounds of moist sugar, two cloves of garlic, with which rub the meat well, and leave it rather more than a week, rubbing and turning it over every day.
This pickle is adapted for anything that is required red.
616. Spiced Beef.—Procure a piece of thin flank of beef about ten pounds in weight, which salt as the last for about a week; when ready, split it open with a knife and lay it out flat upon a dresser, having previously prepared six onions chopped very fine, with about ten sprigs of parsley, and the leaves of ten sprigs of thyme, the same of marjoram, two ounces of mixed spice (without cinnamon), and half an ounce of black pepper, mix altogether, spread half upon the beef as it lays before you, then fold it over to its original shape, lay on the remainder of the preparation, roll it up tightly in a cloth, boil, press, and serve as directed in the last article.
617. Pig’s Head in imitation of Wild Boar’s Head.—This you will say is not only a difficult dish to do, but a very expensive one. You are right when you are obliged to buy the pig to possess the head; but in a small farm-house where they kill a pig perhaps once a year at Christmas, the head can be very easily cut off for this purpose. Being on a visit some years since at a farm-house, I had the opportunity of having one, and trying my skill upon it; it was much approved of, both for its ferocious appearance, and its flavor, and it lasted good for three weeks.