Recipe Manuscript

To Make Porke Eat Like Westphalia Ham

Name: To Make Porke Eat Like Westphalia Ham
Prep time: PTPT1H
Cook time: PTPT0M
Yield: 20
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 whole hind quarter of pork (bone-in leg), 7-8 kg; 450 grams saltpetre (potassium nitrate); 2 kg coarse sea salt; 60 grams brown sugar; 6 grams dried scutchinell (substitute: rosemary or sage); 8–10 litres water

1700

From the treasured pages of Receipt book

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch Other

Original Recipe • 1700

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Make Porke Eat Like Westphalia Ham

"take the hinde quarter of porke and Cut it in the forme of a westphalia ham then take a rowling pin and beat it well with it but so as not to break the skin then salt it with salt peter and other salt a pound of salt peter will doe 2 hams very well rubb other salt mingled together let the salt be very well rubed in especially between at the hock between the skin and the bone rubb some of the salt peter then let it lye 3 or 4 dayes then make brine with the other halfe pound of salt peter and other salt that when your brine boyles it may beare an egg when it is Cold put it to the porke and let it lye a fortnight then take out a ham and rub on it 2 ounces of brown suger by the fier then put it in and let it lye a fortnight longer then take out to dry when you boyle your pickle take 6 penyworth of scutshinell brused and tyed in a fine rag and boyle it in"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the dense, unpunctuated prose typical of early modern English cookery, with phonetic spellings like 'porke' and 'rowling pin.' Quantities are often approximate, referencing everyday objects and measures like 'a pound,' 'a pennyworth,' or instructions to rub 'well.' The steps are listed in narrative order, blending preparation and cooking instructions, and assuming a skilled, attentive reader used to interpreting household receipts.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book (1700)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1700

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful glimpse into the kitchens of the early 18th century, this historic culinary manuscript promises a feast of recipes, remedies, and perhaps a pinch of mystery. Expect both practical fare and elegant inspiration for the curious cook.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe originates from an English household manuscript dated around 1700. Westphalian hams were prized imports from Germany, known for their distinctive flavour, achieved through careful salting and curing. English cooks sought to imitate these luxurious, continental products at home using locally available pork and preservation methods. Recipes like this one straddle the domestic and aspirational, reflecting both resourcefulness and the influence of fashionable European foods among the gentry.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the 1700s, the cook would use a large wooden rolling pin to pound the pork. Salting and curing were performed in sturdy wooden troughs or ceramic pots kept in cool pantries. Salt and spices were measured with scales and weights, and brine strength was tested by floating a raw egg. Bundles of herbs were enclosed in muslin or fine linen before simmering in brine over an open hearth.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

0 mins

Servings

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 whole hind quarter of pork (bone-in leg), 15–17 lbs
1 lb saltpetre (potassium nitrate)
4 lbs 6 oz coarse sea salt
2 oz brown sugar
1/4 oz dried scutchinell (substitute: rosemary or sage)
2–2.5 gallons water

Instructions

Begin with a hind quarter of pork (bone-in leg), about 15–17 lbs, and trim it into the shape of a traditional Westphalian ham.
Using a rolling pin, gently but firmly pound the meat all over, taking care not to tear the skin.
Mix together 8 oz of saltpetre (potassium nitrate) and 2 lbs 3 oz of coarse sea salt.
Rub this mixture thoroughly into the pork, paying special attention around the hock, under the skin, and next to the bone.
Be generous with the saltpetre in those crevices.
Let the salted ham rest in a cool place for 3–4 days.
Next, prepare a brine using 8 oz of saltpetre and another 2 lbs 3 oz of coarse sea salt, dissolved in about 2–2.5 gallons of water.
(The brine should be salty enough to float a raw egg when cooled.) Boil the brine with a tied bundle of bruised scutchinell (substitute: about 1/4 oz of rosemary or sage if scutchinell is unavailable) for flavour.
Allow the brine to cool completely before submerging the ham.
Cure for two weeks in the brine in a non-reactive container, making sure the meat is fully submerged.
After two weeks, remove the ham, pat dry, and rub in about 2 oz of brown sugar.
Warm the sugar slightly by the fire so it penetrates.
Return the ham to the brine and cure for another fortnight.
Remove, rinse, and hang the ham to dry in a cool, airy place before smoking or cooking as desired.

Estimated Calories

300 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You need to prepare the ham by trimming, pounding, rubbing with salt and saltpetre, and making the brine. This takes about 1 hour in total. The curing does not require your active attention. The final ham, once cooked or sliced, will yield about 20 servings. Each serving is about 300 calories if you serve 350 grams (a typical ham serving including some fat).

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.