How To Collar A Swines Head
"Cutt of the groin and the eares and be carefull you cut it not downe the face then take all the blood unless bec gone out of it then lay it to steep in blew milk and water and lett it lye all night in the morning take it out and drain it from the water and sprinkle some salt over it and lett it lye an hour or two then wipe all the water of on it and season it with pepper and salt and a little dryed sage and slash it well that the seasoning may go in then take some green sage out of the garden and pick the greenest of your leaves then sett on a pan with some water and when it boyles put it in and just let it have a scold and when it looks green take it out and lye it in rows upon your swines head but draine the water from it then sprinkle your cloth over with salt that you design to roll it in then roll it up as close as you can and tye it up close at both ends then when your water boyles put it in and boyle it till you see the cloths shrink then take it up and loose the tape and tye it at both ends roll it up harder then put it into your broth just to have a scold and plump it then take up some of your broth into a deap pott and put your role in and cover it over with broth and lett it stand till it be cold against it be cold have a pickle for it of slicer and salt a little Jamaica pepper a rase of ginger cloven two or three whole peppers corns a sprigg or two of sweet Marjoram a sprig or two of sage boyle all these together and scim it and when it is cold take your meat out of the cloth and put it in:"
Note on the Original Text
Seventeenth and eighteenth-century recipes were written for home cooks already familiar with basic techniques, and thus are brief and directionally sparse. Quantities are often imprecise, relying on the reader’s judgment. Terms like 'scald' or 'scold' mean to blanch, and words such as 'boyle' (boil) and 'lye' (lie) reflect contemporary spelling. The text is sensitively gendered female, assuming a context where women oversaw kitchens and preserves. Clear, methodical steps are rare; instead, the recipes focus on sequence, main actions, and desired outcomes, leaving intermediate details to a cook's experience.
Title
Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707 (1707)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Rachel Kirk
Era
1707
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A remarkable collection of early 18th-century recipes, Rachel Kirk's work invites readers into the kitchens of the past where classic culinary traditions and timeless flavors come alive. Expect a charming medley of savory feasts and sweet treats reflective of the era's sophisticated palate.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe hails from early eighteenth-century Britain, a period when nose-to-tail eating was both a necessity and a tradition. Households, even those of modest means, regularly preserved meats in ingenious ways, with 'collaring'—rolling and tying meat—being an especially popular technique for larger cuts and offal. Served cold and cut in slices, collared meats were showpieces on festive tables, prized for their tidy appearance and flavorful, piquant spices. The inclusion of aromatic herbs such as sage and marjoram reflects the period’s taste for herbal, fragrant seasonings. The pickle, with its blend of vinegar, salt, spices, and herbs, speaks to the era's need for preservation pre-refrigeration, enabling families to enjoy pork for weeks after slaughter.
The domestic cook would use large iron or copper pots for boiling and blanching, a clean linen or muslin cloth for rolling and wrapping the meat, and sturdy tapes or string (twine) for tying. Simple knives and cleavers handled both butchery and slicing of herbs. For the pickle, a deep earthenware or stoneware pot allowed for prolonged storage. Cooking was done over an open fire, with temperature control achieved through experience rather than precise thermometers.
Prep Time
12 hrs
Cook Time
3 hrs
Servings
10
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 pig's head (about 9–11 lb), cleaned and halved if necessary
- 4 cups (1 quart) whole milk (or skim milk for 'blue milk')
- 4 cups (1 quart) water
- 1 3/4 oz salt, plus extra for rubbing and pickling
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp dried sage
- 1 oz fresh sage leaves (one large handful)
- 2 onions, sliced
- 1/3 oz fresh ginger root, sliced
- 1 tbsp Jamaica pepper (allspice berries) or substitute with black peppercorns
- 1 tsp black peppercorns, whole
- 2–3 sprigs sweet marjoram, fresh or dried
- 2–3 sprigs sage, fresh
- Clean muslin or linen cloth for rolling
- Sturdy twine for tying
Instructions
- To prepare a 'collared swine's head' following a 1707 recipe, begin by removing the groin and ears from a cleaned pig's head (about 9–11 lb).
- Be careful not to split the head through the face.
- Soak it overnight in a mixture of whole milk and water (about 2 quarts each, with blue milk referring to skimmed or diluted milk).
- In the morning, drain and pat dry, rubbing salt (about 1 3/4 oz) on all surfaces, and let rest for another 1–2 hours.
- Wipe the head and thoroughly season with pepper (2 tsp), salt (to taste), and some dried sage (1 tbsp).
- Slash the meat deep to ensure seasoning penetrates.
- Blanch a handful (about 1 oz) of the greenest fresh sage leaves in boiling water for 10–20 seconds, then drain.
- Lay the blanched sage leaves in rows on the prepared pig’s head.
- On a salted cloth, roll up the head tightly into a log or 'collar.' Tie tightly at both ends with twine.
- Place the rolled, wrapped head into a large pot of boiling water, simmering until the meat is tender and the cloth shrinks (about 2–3 hours).
- Remove, tighten the roll if needed, and briefly return to the hot broth to 'plump.' Transfer to a deep pot, cover with some of the cooking liquor, and let cool thoroughly.
- Meanwhile, boil a pickle of sliced onions (2), salt (about 1 3/4 oz), allspice or Jamaica pepper (1 tbsp), a slice of fresh ginger (about 1/3 oz, split), a few whole black peppercorns (1 tsp), a couple of sprigs of marjoram and sage in water (1 quart).
- Skim and cool.
- Once the head roll is cold and removed from its cloth, immerse in the strained, cooled pickle to store and flavor.
Estimated Calories
500 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing the collared pig's head takes some time due to soaking, seasoning, and rolling, plus a few hours for cooking and cooling. Each serving is based on a slice from the finished roll. Calories are estimated for a hearty portion.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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