Hams, with Jelly

Ingredients

• 12 pounds of mutton fat
• 6 pounds of melted hogs' lard
• juice of 2 lemons

Directions

The book gives no cooking times; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.

1. Remove the skin and sinews from the mutton fat and chop it finely.

2. Place the fat in a medium-sized pan over medium heat and bring to a boil.

3. Once boiling, move the pan to hot ashes and let it simmer for 3 hours, stirring with a wooden spoon.

4. Strain the fat through a napkin into a large bowl.

5. Strain the melted hogs' lard through a napkin and mix it with the strained mutton fat.

6. In summer, place the bowl in pounded ice; in winter, this step is optional.

7. Whisk the mixture continuously against the sides of the bowl until it reaches a creamy consistency.

8. Add the juice of 2 lemons to whiten the mixture.

9. When the mixture is too stiff to whisk, use a wooden spoon until it resembles firm butter.

10. Shape two loaves of bread, one for the upper part and one for the foot of the pedestal, and secure them with wooden pegs.