Beef Tongues

Ingredients

• 7 to 8 lbs beef tongue
• 1 oz saltpetre
• 2 oz coarse sugar
• 1/2 oz black pepper
• 3 oz juniper-berries, bruised
• 8 oz bay salt, dried and pounded
• 1/2 lb treacle
• handful fine salt

Instructions

1. Trim away the root end of the tongue entirely, or leave part of it on for the fat if preferred.
2. Rub over the tongue a handful of fine salt and let it drain until the following day.
3. Mix thoroughly an ounce of saltpetre, two ounces of coarse sugar, and half an ounce of black pepper, then rub the tongue well with this mixture.
4. Add three ounces of bruised juniper-berries and let the tongue lay for two days.
5. After two days, add eight ounces of bay salt, dried and pounded, and let it remain for three days more.
6. At the end of three days, pour on it half a pound of treacle and let it remain in the pickle for a fortnight.
7. Hang it to drain and fold it in brown paper.
8. Send it to be smoked over a wood fire for two or three weeks.