Mutton is prime from creatures about three years old, fed
out of doors, and especially upon hillsides. The fat of
prime mutton is abundant, white, and hard ; the flesh is firm
and juicy, and of a clear-red color ; and the bones are white.
The flesh of second quality is darker and closer-grained,
the fat is scanty and yellowish, and the flavor is rank. Poor
mutton has pale, flabby flesh, scant thin fat laid close against
the flesh but not interlined with it, and the flesh parts easily
from the bones. Diseased mutton has decidedly yellowish
fat, and soft, flabby flesh. Small mutton is cut like large .
lamb; large mutton is cut by the lines indicated in the
annexed cut.
1. Leg ; used for roasts : in large mutton, part of the leg
is cut with the saddle.
2. Loin ; used for roasts and chops : the dotted Hne at 2
shows the cut for a saddle of mutton.
3. Flank; cut separate in very large mutton, but in
medium-sized carcasses included in the loin cut or chops.
4. Rack, or rib-chops ; used for rib- or French-chops.
5. Breast ; used for roasts, stews, and baked dishes.
6. Shoulder ; used for roasts and baked dishes.
7. Neck ; used for cutlets and stews.
The saddle of mutton is the double loin, cut without split-
ting it down the back : a detail of illustration is given else-
where. French chops are rib-chops with the end of the
bone trimmed off", and the flesh and fat cut away from
the bone at the thin or flank end, leaving the round piece
of flesh near the back-bone attached to the rib.
32 PRACTICAL AMERICAN COOKERY.
PORK.
The best pork for general table-use is from carcasses
weighing from fifty to about a hundred and twenty-five
pounds. The color of the flesh is a fresh pifik ; and the fat
is hard and white, not less than an inch thick upon the back,
and very abundant about the intestines. The skin of young
pork is whitish and semi-transparent. The second quality
of pork has rather hard red flesh and yellowish fat; the
poor sort has dark, coarse-grained flesh, soft fat, and a gen-
erally inferior appearance. Measly pork, which is unfit for
use, has little kernels in the fat; the kernels or yellowish
lumps sometimes show in the lean, and the entire flesh has
a dull look. The tenderloins of pork correspond with those
of beef in place : they are of sweet and tender flesh, and
during the winter season can generally be bought. When
the back-fat of pork is very thick, some of it is removed
from the parts which are to be used for roasts and chops ;
when the skin is dressed on roasts, it is scored in lines about
half an inch apart.
The accompanying cut shows a carcass of pork as divided
for general cooking-purposes. When the entire creature is
designed for salting, the cuts differ a little, but not materially.
1 . Leg ; used for roasts, ham, and corned pork. '
2. Flank ; used for pickling or salting.
3. Loin ; used for roasts, chops, and baked dishes.
4. Brisket ; used for pickling and salting, and bacon.
5. Ribs ; used for roasts, chops, and baked dishes.
6. Shoulder ; used for roasts, ham, and corned pork.
7. Neck ; used for roasts and neck cutlets.
8. Top of head ; used for pickling and salting.
9. Cheek ; used for pickling and salting.
10. Hock ; used for pickling and salting.
11. Feet; used for souse and jelly.
77i^, I
Slat oj fork.
33
34 PRACTICAL AMERICAN COOKERY.
Page 26
Presented as published in 1885. 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
Mutton is prime from creatures about three years old, fed out of doors, and especially upon hillsides. The fat of prime mutton is abundant, white, and hard ; the flesh is firm and juicy, and of a clear-red color ; and the bones are white. The flesh of second quality is darker and closer-grained, the fat is scanty and yellowish, and the flavor is rank. Poor mutton has pale, flabby flesh, scant thin fat laid close against the flesh but not interlined with it, and the flesh parts easily from the bones. Diseased mutton has decidedly yellowish fat, and soft, flabby flesh. Small mutton is cut like large . lamb; large mutton is cut by the lines indicated in the annexed cut.
1. Leg ; used for roasts : in large mutton, part of the leg is cut with the saddle.
2. Loin ; used for roasts and chops : the dotted Hne at 2 shows the cut for a saddle of mutton.
3. Flank; cut separate in very large mutton, but in medium-sized carcasses included in the loin cut or chops.
4. Rack, or rib-chops ; used for rib- or French-chops.
5. Breast ; used for roasts, stews, and baked dishes.
6. Shoulder ; used for roasts and baked dishes.
7. Neck ; used for cutlets and stews.
The saddle of mutton is the double loin, cut without splitting it down the back : a detail of illustration is given elsewhere. French chops are rib-chops with the end of the bone trimmed off", and the flesh and fat cut away from the bone at the thin or flank end, leaving the round piece of flesh near the back-bone attached to the rib.
PORK.
The best pork for general table-use is from carcasses weighing from fifty to about a hundred and twenty-five pounds. The color of the flesh is a fresh pifik ; and the fat is hard and white, not less than an inch thick upon the back, and very abundant about the intestines. The skin of young pork is whitish and semi-transparent. The second quality of pork has rather hard red flesh and yellowish fat; the poor sort has dark, coarse-grained flesh, soft fat, and a generally inferior appearance. Measly pork, which is unfit for use, has little kernels in the fat; the kernels or yellowish lumps sometimes show in the lean, and the entire flesh has a dull look. The tenderloins of pork correspond with those of beef in place : they are of sweet and tender flesh, and during the winter season can generally be bought. When the back-fat of pork is very thick, some of it is removed from the parts which are to be used for roasts and chops ; when the skin is dressed on roasts, it is scored in lines about half an inch apart.
The accompanying cut shows a carcass of pork as divided for general cooking-purposes. When the entire creature is designed for salting, the cuts differ a little, but not materially.
1 . Leg ; used for roasts, ham, and corned pork. '
2. Flank ; used for pickling or salting.
3. Loin ; used for roasts, chops, and baked dishes.
4. Brisket ; used for pickling and salting, and bacon.
5. Ribs ; used for roasts, chops, and baked dishes.
6. Shoulder ; used for roasts, ham, and corned pork.
7. Neck ; used for roasts and neck cutlets.
8. Top of head ; used for pickling and salting.
9. Cheek ; used for pickling and salting.
10. Hock ; used for pickling and salting.
11. Feet; used for souse and jelly.
77i^, I
Side of Pork.