to roast a pig
(from The Housekeeper's Encyclopedia of Useful Information in All Branches of Cooking and Domestic Economy, E. F. Haskell, 1861)
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Ingredients:
One 4 to 6 week old Pig, fat & healthy
pepper & salt
sage
thyme
potato
sweet butter
Instructions:
After the pig is well dressed, and every part in proper order, wipe it clean and dry, and proceed to make the dressing; it should be seasoned with pepper, salt, a little sifted sage, and thyme, crowd the pig as full as possible; put a potato in the mouth, bend the legs, that it may lay strong upon its knees; rub the skin all over with sweet butter, and bake or roast three hours steadily; if the skin blisters prick it, and wet the spot with the drippings. The beauty of a roasted pig consists in browning the skin evenly all over without burning, and having it thoroughly done through.
As this book may fall into the hands of persons in the country, it may not be amiss to give some directions for dressing pigs. The pig should be from four to six weeks old, fat and healthy. After the pig is stuck, examine the temperature of the water, this is the most important thing in the whole operation, if too hot, so as to cook the skin, it will be rough and difficult to clean, or if not hot enough, it will not start the bristle, from the roots drop a few drops of fresh blood in the water, if instantly changed to a whitish color it is too hot; if it retains its color and tints the water, it is too cold; but if it changes to a milky color in a few seconds, it is the proper temperature.
After the pig is once dipped in the water, rub it over with a little pulverized rosin, this will melt and mat the hair together greatly facilitating its removal; a small opening as possible should be made for the removal of the inwards, always avoid opening the breast, as it makes the stuffing it more troublesome.
Particular pains should be taken with the nose, ears, and feet, the liver, and heart should be saved to boil, for thickening the gravy. Never serve roast pig without sour apples, stewed, plain, without sugar, or other sour sauce.
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