Brawn

Discription
Meat or Offal, frequently pickled, cooked, to a soft consistency, covered with aspic (or jelly) and left to cool and press in a mold under a heavy weight. Usually turned out, upside down, before serving.

Ingredients

 * about 2.5 kg leg of pork or veal with bones and skin
 * 1 carrot (chopped)
 * 1 yellow onion with skin (chopped)
 * 8 peppercorns
 * 6 kernels of allspice
 * 1 bay leaf
 * salt (according to you taste)

Directions

 * 1) Wash the meat and put in a saucepan full of cold water.
 * 2) Bring to the boil and boil it for 1-2 minutes 3.
 * 3) Now pour away the water, rinse the meat again.
 * 4) Pour clean boiling water over the meat and cook gently over a low heat without covering it until meat comes off the bones (3 - 4 hrs).
 * 5) Skim the fat as it rises to the surface.
 * 6) Add the carrot and onion after an hour or two of cooking.
 * 7) Add the spices and 2-3 tsp of salt for the last 10 minutes.
 * 8) Remove the meat, cool, and cut into small pieces.
 * 9) Strain the broth, place the meat and broth in the pot, and add more salt (if needed), again give a boil and it is ready.

Serving

 * 1) Now put them in small serving bowls and cover the set brawn with clingfilm or foil and leave in a cool place.
 * 2) It should be eaten within 5 - 7 days.
 * 3) If there is not enough gluten in the meat, the brawn will not set.
 * 4) In that case add a few tablespoonfuls of gelatine powder to the cooled off brawn broth in a bowl and dissolve by placing the bowl in saucepan of hot water.
 * 5) Do not freeze the brawn, this will damage the jelly.
 * 6) Brawn can be equally well served on a dinner table with hot potatoes, and in a cold buffet.
 * 7) In both cases, either mustard, mild vinegar or pickled horseradish is used for seasoning.