Killing a pig

 

Recipe Book Cover

Tom Birmingham

 

All in the cooking

Tom Birmingham

 

My grandad gave me this recipe. His name is Frank Birmingham. He is from Kilclooney. There was always a man in the village who knew how to kill a pig. When the pig was killed, it was hung up and cut into fletches (big pieces of bacon). The pig’s head was split down the middle and boiled in a pot for a long time. The meat was lean and delicious. The blood was mixed with oatmeal and made into black pudding. All the neighbours got some pudding. My dad told me they gave the pig’s tail to the teacher to boil and have for dinner. When they boiled the head, they ate the eyes too.

Collared Pig’s Head

• 1 pig’s head (salted)
• 1 onion
• Bouquet, garni
• 1 carrot
• 1 white turnip
• Pepper and salt
• ¼ teaspoonful grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoonful grated lemon rind
• Cold water to cover

1. Wash and clean the head.
2. Put down in cold water and add the prepared vegetables and bouquet garni.
3. Bring slowly to the boil, skim and simmer steadily for two hours.
4. Take up the head, cool a little.
5. Skin and slice the tongue thinly.
6. Remove all the bones from the head, and place the two halves on a board.
7. Sprinkle with pepper, salt, lemon rind and nutmeg.
8. Place the slices of tongue on one half, and lay the other half of the head on top, thick side on thin side.
9. Roll up and tie firmly into a cloth.
10. Cook for a further 2 hours.
11. Lift on to a board and cover with a second board.
12. Leave until cold, then remove the cloth.
13. Slice thinly as required.

Original Writing