We have seen in the chapter on ox-tripe that Vuillemot
boiled the tripe over a dozen of sheep's trotters, but he did
not describe any further use he may have made of them.
These shaved sheep’s feet are prepared in some tripe-shops,
and particularly in the French butchers’ shops (charcutiers)
in Soho, London, but are not much used in the rest of
London, if we may judge from the number of sheep’s feet
which we saw turned into the glue caldrons in the
Bermondsey tan yards. Of recipes there are some with
u'hite sauce, en ponlette, like the cow’s heel of Vuillemot ;
others recommend sa^lcc Bobert, and others ravigote.
Sheep’s Kidneys are grilled, fried, or egged, crumbed and
fried, or braised, and immersed in sauce. Sheep’s Tails are
a fancy dish, and most tasty when grilled; but, of course,
the tails must be such as are suitable for treatment,
namely, large and fat. They may also be glaced and
garnished with chicory, or given in hotch-potch, or fried, or
braised in a terrine or pze.
The Leg of Mutton should have dark red meat and white
fat ; it should bo plump, short, and show the muscles
projecting. When the log is 8 or 9 lb. in weight, and
exceeds the requirements for the day of a small family, it
460
THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY
may be divided, and each part cooked in a different
manner : the rumi) end may be roasted, and the knuckle
end boiled ; the thick end will also yield slices to be dressed
as cutlets, or scollops, or to be stewed, or incorporated with
a China Chilo, so that similarly to the division of a piece
of sirloin, which we have described above, a leg will give
three good and different hot dinners. The boning of a
leg of mutton, as technically understood, consists of the
removal of the thigh-bone, and no more. The tibia, or bone
in the knuckle, is preserved, at least in part, inasmuch as
the condyle or cartilaginous surface of the head, by means
of which it was in union with the thigh-bone, is sawn off ;
the opening thus made is the one through which the femur
is removed, the flesh being pushed upwards, and the head
of the thigh-bone cut out of the pan. Into the cavity thus
made any skiffing may be put, and the joint may be
roasted or braised. The cook must choose the leg of
mutton according to the purpose for which it is wanted.
If you desire to have a small leg, choose one of Welsh
mutton, which may vary between 5 and 7 lb. in weight.
Welsh mutton is perhaps less suitable for boiling. Of
ordinary legs of mutton, choose a lean one for roasting,
and a fat one for boiling.
The success of cooking, particularly of roasting, depends
much upon the observation of the rules regarding time
required for cooking. The interior of a thick piece of meat,
like the leg of mutton, can be reached by the cooking
process only by continued heating during a certain time.
If an underdone joint, completed outside, be placed for a
period in an oven, even at a temperature at which roasting
from without would not continue, the underdone inside will
nevertheless become done by the gradual even distribution
of the heat from the roasted outside inwards. This is well
illustrated by the mode in which some Norwegians boil their
mutton and other meat. They heat the joint just to ebulli-
BOILED AND BOAST LEG OF MUTTON
461
✪ Roast Leg of Mutton
Page 290 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
We have seen in the chapter on ox-tripe that Vuillemot boiled the tripe over a dozen of sheep's trotters, but he did not describe any further use he may have made of them. These shaved sheep’s feet are prepared in some tripe-shops, and particularly in the French butchers’ shops (charcutiers) in Soho, London, but are not much used in the rest of London, if we may judge from the number of sheep’s feet which we saw turned into the glue caldrons in the Bermondsey tan yards. Of recipes there are some with white sauce, en ponlette, like the cow’s heel of Vuillemot ; others recommend sauce Robert, and others ravigote.
Sheep’s Kidneys are grilled, fried, or egged, crumbed and fried, or braised, and immersed in sauce. Sheep’s Tails are a fancy dish, and most tasty when grilled; but, of course, the tails must be such as are suitable for treatment, namely, large and fat. They may also be glaced and garnished with chicory, or given in hotch-potch, or fried, or braised in a terrine or pâté.
The Leg of Mutton should have dark red meat and white fat ; it should be plump, short, and show the muscles projecting. When the log is 8 or 9 lb. in weight, and exceeds the requirements for the day of a small family, it
may be divided, and each part cooked in a different manner : the rump end may be roasted, and the knuckle end boiled ; the thick end will also yield slices to be dressed as cutlets, or scollops, or to be stewed, or incorporated with a China Chilo, so that similarly to the division of a piece of sirloin, which we have described above, a leg will give three good and different hot dinners. The boning of a leg of mutton, as technically understood, consists of the removal of the thigh-bone, and no more. The tibia, or bone in the knuckle, is preserved, at least in part, inasmuch as the condyle or cartilaginous surface of the head, by means of which it was in union with the thigh-bone, is sawn off ; the opening thus made is the one through which the femur is removed, the flesh being pushed upwards, and the head of the thigh-bone cut out of the pan. Into the cavity thus made any stuffing may be put, and the joint may be roasted or braised. The cook must choose the leg of mutton according to the purpose for which it is wanted. If you desire to have a small leg, choose one of Welsh mutton, which may vary between 5 and 7 lb. in weight. Welsh mutton is perhaps less suitable for boiling. Of ordinary legs of mutton, choose a lean one for roasting, and a fat one for boiling.
The success of cooking, particularly of roasting, depends much upon the observation of the rules regarding time required for cooking. The interior of a thick piece of meat, like the leg of mutton, can be reached by the cooking process only by continued heating during a certain time. If an underdone joint, completed outside, be placed for a period in an oven, even at a temperature at which roasting from without would not continue, the underdone inside will nevertheless become done by the gradual even distribution of the heat from the roasted outside inwards. This is well illustrated by the mode in which some Norwegians boil their mutton and other meat. They heat the joint just to ebulli-
BOILED AND BOAST LEG OF MUTTON
Records on this page
Roast Leg of MuttonBoiled Leg of Mutton