2 - 2.5 kg leg of pork or veal with bones and skin
(trotters can be included)
1 yellow onion with skin (for color), chopped
1 carrot, chopped
8-10 peppercorns
6 kernels of allspice
1 bay leaf
salt
Rinse the meat and place in a saucepan of cold water. Bring to the boil and
boil fiercely for 1-2 minutes; pour away the water, rinse the meat and the pan,
removing all scum. Pour clean boiling water over the meat and simmer gently
over a low heat without the lid until meat comes off the bones (3-4 hrs). Do
not let it boil too rapidly, or the brawn will be cloudy. Skim the fat as it
rises to the surface, adding more boiling water if necessary. Add the carrot
and onion after an hour or two, the spices and 2-3 tsp of salt for the last
10 minutes. Remove the meat, cool, and cut into small pieces. Strain the broth,
place the meat and broth in the pot, and add a substantial amount of salt because
cooling reduces the taste. Bring to boil once, leave to cool for a few minutes,
then place it in moulds or small bowls, previously rinsed with cold water. Cover
the set brawn with cling film or foil and leave in a cool place. It should be
eaten within 5-7 days. If there is not enough gluten in the meat, the brawn
will not set. In that case add a few tablespoonfuls of gelatin powder to the
cooled off brawn broth in a bowl and dissolve by placing the bowl in saucepan
of hot water. Do not freeze the brawn, this will damage the jelly. Brawn can
be equally well served on a dinner table with hot potatoes, and in a cold buffet.
In both cases, either mustard, mild vinegar or pickled horseradish is used for
seasoning.
The short story of the Estonian Cuisine |
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