Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Pork Lard.— The inside fat of the pig is melted for lard. To make it, cut the fat into thin slices, and put these into a jar. Place the jar in a pan of water, and keep this boiling until the fat dissolves. As it melts, pour it off into small jars or bladders properly prepared, the smaller the better, as the lard will not keep well after it has once been opened. Tie up securely, and store for use. Pork, Leg of, as Goose (Dr. Kitchiner's recipe) .—Parboil a leg of pork, and take off the skin. Make a stuffing as follows :— Mince two ounces of onion very finely ; if the strong flavour is objected to, the onions may be previously boiled. Mix with the onions half a chopped apple, four ounces of bread-crumbs, half a dozen chopped sage-leaves, an ounce of butter, and a little pepper and salt. Bind the mixture together with the yolk of an egg. Make a slit in the knuckle, put the stuffing into it, and fasten securely. Put the pork down to a clear fire, and baste liberally. Half an hour before it is taken up, sprinkle over it a savoury powder made of two table-spoonfuls of bread-crumbs mixed with one table-spoonful of powdered sage_,- and a little pepper and salt.Do not baste the meat after the powder POR ( COG ) POR is put upon it. Servo with good brown gravy and apple sauce. Time, a leg of pork weighing six pounds will require one hour's gentle boiling, a,nd roasting for one hour and a half. Probable cost, 10|d. to Is. per pound. Sufficient for eight or ten persons. Pork, Leg of, Boiled.— A leg of pork which is to be boiled should be previously salted. When purchasing it, choose a small compact leg not too fat. If already salted, wash it before beginning to cook it. If not, put it into a perfectly clean dry earthen pan, rub it well in every part with common salt, and repeat this operation every day for ten days, turning the meat each time, so that the brine may reach every part equally. When the pork is wanted, saw off the shank -bone, wash it well, put it in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring the liquid slowly to a boU. Skim carefuUy, and simmer gently until the meat is done enough. If it is allowed to boil quickly the knuckle end will be sufficiently cooked before the heat has penetrated to the middle of the thick part of the leg. Carrots, turnips, parsnips, and pease pudding, are the usual accompaniments of boiled leg of pork. If liked, the vegetables can be boiled with the meat, but they must not be put in until the water boils. The appearance of the dish will be improved if the skin is scored into small squares or diamonds, and each alternate square taken out. Time, a leg of pork weighing six pounds will require two hours' gentle simmering. Probable cost, lOgd. to Is. per pound. Sufficient for eight or ten persons.