Page:The White House Cook Book.djvu/165

 MfiATS. % 145

ROAST PIG.

PEEP ARE your dressing as for DRESSING FOR FOWLS,, adding half an onion, chopped fine ; set it inside. Take a young pig about six weeks old, wash it thoroughly inside and outside; and in another water put a teaspoonful of baking soda, and rinse out the inside again; wipe it dry with a fresh towel, salt the inside and stuff it with the prepared dressing; making it full and plump, giving it its original size and shape. Sew it up, place it in a knealing posture in the drip- ping-pan, tying the legs in proper position. Pour a little hot salted water into the dripping-pan, baste with butter and water a few times as the pig warms, afterwards with gravy from the dripping-pan. When it begins to smoke all over rub it often with a rag dipped in melted butter. This will keep the skin from cracking and it still will be crisp. It will take from two to three hours to roast. Make the gravy by skimming off. most of the grease ; stir into that remain- ing in the pan a good tablespoonful of flour, turn in water to make it the right consistency, season with pepper and let all boil up once. Strain, and if you like wine in it, add half a glass; turn it into a gravy boat. Place the pig upon a large, hot platter, surrounded with parsley or celery tops; place a green wreath around the neck, and a sprig of celery in its mouth. In carving, cut off its head first ; split down the back, take off its hams and shoulders, and separate the ribs.

ROAST LOIN OF PORK.

SCORE the skin in strips about a quarter of an inch apart ; place it in a dripping-pan with a very little water under it ; cook it moderately at first, as a high heat hardens the rind before the meat is heated through. If it is very lean, it should be rubbed with fresh lard or butter when put into the pan. A stuffing might be made of bread crumbs, chopped sage and onions, pepper and salt, and baked sep- arately on a pie dish; this method is better than putting it in the meat, as many persons have a great aversion to its flavor. A loin weighing about six pounds will roast in two hours ; allow more time if it should be very fat. Make a gravy with flour stirred into the pork drippings. Serve with apple sauce and pickles.

ROAST LEG OF PORK.

CHOOSE a small leg of fine young pork; cut a slit in the knuckle with a sharp knife, and fill the space with sage and onion chopped,

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