Haslet, Hayslet or Harslet

Whichever way you pronounce it this is meat roll/very large faggot/More condensed than a faggot and tasty very tasty - a lot spiceier in flavour.  I am Lincolnshire born and bread and I love proper Lincolnshire Sausage. We all clamour for continental meats such as pastrami, saucisson, Parma Ham, Salami etc when in reality we have some lovely goodies which have been available for English cuisine for a very long time and which in fact go extremely well with Home made pork pie, pickled shallots, chutney and tomato ketchup as well as stuffed chine.  Perhaps its what goes into said Haslet that puts people off but in reality this is peasant food at its most delightful and fits into my waste not want not philosophy.  It does not cost an arm and a leg to produce. I very much want to get back to my kitchen table again for reasons of flavour and economy - yes you can buy Haslet but where I used to buy mine from has closed for good. Franks the Butchers in Peterborough.  We cannot find a decent Pork Pie anywhere since then either. I am in the pros of researching that as well as we do love Pork Pie and if the experiments work well then such items will be budgeted for.  In reality it starts to get expensive where meat is concerned in which case make some and split it in the family say  if two of you go halves on the costs.  Mine will initially be popped into the freezer until I am happy with the recipe and then would pass some on to my mum and baby brother.  In fact in some families this might work well as to seasonality and freshness but also getting good value for money and opening up the family to different taste experiences,.  If a family plays together it stays together and its a joint learning curve.

My Grandparents used to do all this sort of thing, kept their own pigs, geese, chickens, bantams and had a very big fruit and veg garden as well as supplementing the larder with rabbit, wild mushrooms and wild fruits which were all put to good use either in food, wine or beer and of course Nan always made the bread and did a big and I mean big weekly bake.

 This is the recipe I have used before and think meat platters, and pack ups as well as suppers here.

It makes two loaves should be eaten cold cut into slices and if kept in the freezer you can alternate it on a fortnightly turnaround from a ham hock or small gammon cooked to give ham for sandwiches as well as or eating both together.

Makes 1 kg

8oz belly pork

1lb pigs liver or a mixture of liver and lights]8oz of onions

1 teaspoon of chopped sage

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1oz of lard

Preheat oven to gas mark 4 375 degrees F or 190 degrees C

Trim the belly pork discarding any rind or bone.  Chop into pieces and mince with the liver.  Finely chop or mince the onions and add to the meat with the sage and the seasoning.  Use salt cautiously and pepper generously.

Form the haslet into oblong or thereabouts loaf shpes and put into a greased baking pan.  Dot with the lard (or pork dripping if you have it) and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until nicel browned on top.  Remove fro the oven and leave to get cold (make sure the cats are not around) and leave to go cold.  Store in a cool place and eat within three days if not freezing.

Enjoy

Catch you soon

Pattypan

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