If the Tongue is to be cured at home there is no better pickle
for it than that given on page 211. But before putting the
Tongue into it the root should be taken off and used for Tongue
Root Soup. The Tongue should lie in the pickle for seven days,
being turned every day. It will then be what shopmen call
“ a green tongue,” and will hardly need to be soaked before it is
boiled. Put the Tongue into lukewarm water, and simmer it till
quite tender ; this will be in three and a half or four hours.
Take the Tongue out of the saucepan and skin it carefully. Push
a table close to the wall of the kitchen, set a clean board upon it
and another board upright against the wall. Whilst the Tongue
is hot trim it if necessary, and set it on the flat board with its
root close against the upright board. Pin the Tongue down to
the flat board with two strong steel forks. Make it a nice shape,
and fasten the tip down to the board with a sharp skewer. Prop
the Tongue up with weights on each side, and let it get quite
cold. If this is not done the Tongue will contract and curl
up as it cools. When quite cold release the Tongue and glaze it
(see Glaze).
If “ Green Tongues ” are bought Messrs. Whitfield, Clarges
Street, Piccadilly, have them of excellent quality.
When Tongues are left in pickle for weeks, then smoked, and
hung up to dry, they will require from twelve to twenty-four
hours’ soaking in cold water. This is generally needed for
Reindeer Tongues. But if Tongues have not been hung very
long, soaking for six hours will be sufficient. All dried Tongues
must be put on in cold water, brought to boiling point as slowly
as possible, and simmered for at least four hours.
Juniper berries give a rich and peculiar flavour to dried
Tongues, although this is not always liked. The Tongue is
rubbed over with a handful of fine salt, and allowed to drain until
the following day. If the Tongue weighs seven or eight pounds,
rub it thoroughly with one ounce of saltpetre, two ounces of the
coarsest brown sugar, and half an ounce of freshly-ground black
TONGUES
2X1
pepper, all well mixed together. Then rub it with three ounces
of bruised juniper berries, and leave the Tongue in the pan for
two days. Now add eight ounces of bay salt dried and pounded,
and leave the Tongue in the brine for three days more. Then
pour on it half a pound of treacle, and leave it for a fortnight in
the brine. (If treacle is not liked use six ounces of sugar instead
of two when the Tongue is first rubbed.) At the end of the fort-
night hang the Tongue up to drain, wrap it in brown paper, and
let it be smoked for two or three weeks. (In these days coat the
Tongue with Essence of Smoke.)
Sheeps’ Tongues are always served fresh. They should be
simmered in stock till quite tender, then skinned, trimmed, and
fastened on a board to get cold. Glaze them and serve three or
four on a dish, garnished with parsley.
Tongues should always be boiled with a couple of carrots and
a large bunch of herbs. These should be put in after the scum
has been skimmed off the water or stock when it boils up. The
vegetables much improve the flavour of the Tongue.
Page 143
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
If the Tongue is to be cured at home there is no better pickle for it than that given on page 211. But before putting the Tongue into it the root should be taken off and used for Tongue Root Soup. The Tongue should lie in the pickle for seven days, being turned every day. It will then be what shopmen call “ a green tongue,” and will hardly need to be soaked before it is boiled. Put the Tongue into lukewarm water, and simmer it till quite tender ; this will be in three and a half or four hours. Take the Tongue out of the saucepan and skin it carefully. Push a table close to the wall of the kitchen, set a clean board upon it and another board upright against the wall. Whilst the Tongue is hot trim it if necessary, and set it on the flat board with its root close against the upright board. Pin the Tongue down to the flat board with two strong steel forks. Make it a nice shape, and fasten the tip down to the board with a sharp skewer. Prop the Tongue up with weights on each side, and let it get quite cold. If this is not done the Tongue will contract and curl up as it cools. When quite cold release the Tongue and glaze it (see Glaze).
If “ Green Tongues ” are bought Messrs. Whitfield, Clarges Street, Piccadilly, have them of excellent quality.
When Tongues are left in pickle for weeks, then smoked, and hung up to dry, they will require from twelve to twenty-four hours’ soaking in cold water. This is generally needed for Reindeer Tongues. But if Tongues have not been hung very long, soaking for six hours will be sufficient. All dried Tongues must be put on in cold water, brought to boiling point as slowly as possible, and simmered for at least four hours.
Juniper berries give a rich and peculiar flavour to dried Tongues, although this is not always liked. The Tongue is rubbed over with a handful of fine salt, and allowed to drain until the following day. If the Tongue weighs seven or eight pounds, rub it thoroughly with one ounce of saltpetre, two ounces of the coarsest brown sugar, and half an ounce of freshly-ground black
TONGUES
pepper, all well mixed together. Then rub it with three ounces of bruised juniper berries, and leave the Tongue in the pan for two days. Now add eight ounces of bay salt dried and pounded, and leave the Tongue in the brine for three days more. Then pour on it half a pound of treacle, and leave it for a fortnight in the brine. (If treacle is not liked use six ounces of sugar instead of two when the Tongue is first rubbed.) At the end of the fortnight hang the Tongue up to drain, wrap it in brown paper, and let it be smoked for two or three weeks. (In these days coat the Tongue with Essence of Smoke.)
Sheeps’ Tongues are always served fresh. They should be simmered in stock till quite tender, then skinned, trimmed, and fastened on a board to get cold. Glaze them and serve three or four on a dish, garnished with parsley.
Tongues should always be boiled with a couple of carrots and a large bunch of herbs. These should be put in after the scum has been skimmed off the water or stock when it boils up. The vegetables much improve the flavour of the Tongue.