85. Roast Pork

Take a nice middle piece of young pork, separate the joints and crack the bones across the middle, but do not break the skin, score it parallel with the ribs, wash it, put it on the spit, with a little water in the bottom of the roaster, and to five pounds of pork rub in well two tea spoonsful and a half of salt, two tea spoonsful of sage and one of cayenne pepper. Put no flour on it nor baste it while cooking, as it softens the skin and makes it tough. Pour the gravy into a pan, skim off a part of the fat, stir in a little flour mixed with cold water, add some water and let it boil once, then 5* serve it in a gravy tureen. If it should not be sufficiently seasoned, add a little more pepper or salt, as it may require.

Apple sauce is always served with roast pork.

86. Roast Pig

Prepare the pig by cutting off the feet, scraping and cleansing the head and ears, cutting out the tongue and eyes, and cleaning the throat. Wash it perfectly clean and wipe it dry. Make a dressing of bread crumbs, some onions finely chopped, with salt, pepper, and sweet marjoram to the taste, also butter enough to make the crumbs adhere together. Any spice may be added, and the grating of a lemon, but many prefer the dressing without spice.

Rub the pig thoroughly inside with salt, cayenne pepper, and powdered sage, then fill it with the dressing and sew it up. Rub the outside with salt, cayenne pepper and sage, put it on the spit and place it before a clear, but not too hot a fire. Have a piece of clean sponge tied on a stick, dip it in melted butter, and as the skin dries moisten it. A common sized pig takes from three to four hours to roast. An excellent filling may be made of potatoes boiled and mashed instead of the bread. If potatoes are used the dressing will require more butter.

Roast pig is always served with haslet sauce.

For directions for making it see under the head of Sauces. Apple sauce is also thought to be an indispensable accompaniment to roast pig.

87. Stuffed Leg Of Pork

Make deep incisions in the meat parallel to the bone; trim it so as to leave the skin longer than the flesh; then boil some potatoes, when they are done mash them with a piece of butter, cayenne pepper, salt, and an onion finely chopped and a little rubbed sage. With this dressing fill the incisions, draw the skin down and skewer it over to keep the dressing from falling; out: season the outside of the meat with salt, cayenne pepper, and rubbed sage; roast it slowly; when it is done pour the gravy in a pan, skim off the fat, and add a little flour mixed with water; let it boil once. Serve it with apple or cranberry sauce. Some prefer a dressing made of bread crumbs instead of potatoes.

88. Pork Steaks

Cut the steaks in thin slices, season them with cayenne pepper, salt, and rubbed sage. They may be broiled and buttered, or fried in hot lard, with a gravy thickened with a little flour and poured over them.