Braised Leg of Mutton

Ingredients

• leg of mutton
• large strips of bacon
• three quarters of a pint of gravy
• two or three onions
• four or five carrots
• two bay leaves
• a large bunch of savoury herbs

Method

1. 1

   Bone the leg, lard with bacon and seasoning, sew up, and place in a braising pan with bacon, onions, carrots, bay leaves, herbs, and gravy.

2. 2

   Cook until tender.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated from matched ingredients across 2 servings.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Modern cookery, in all its branches (1884) by Eliza Acton, page 223. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

LEG OF MUTTON. In a cool and airy larder a leg of mutton will hang many days with advantage, if the kernel be taken out, and the flap wiped very dry when it is first brought in ; and it is never tender when freshly killed : in warm weather it should be well dredged with pepper to preserve it from the flies. If washed before it is put upon the spit, it should be wiped as dry as possible afterwards, and well floured soon after it is laid to the fire. When the excellence of the joint is more regarded than the expense of fuel, it should be roasted by what we have denominated the slow method ; that is to say, it should be kept at a considerable distance from the fire, and remain at it four hours instead of two : it may be drawn nearer for the last twenty or thirty minutes to give it colour. The gravy will flow from it in great abundance when it is cut, and the meat will be very superior to that roasted in the usual way. When this plan is not pursued, the mutton should still be kept quite a foot from the fire until it is heated through, and never brought sufficiently near to scorch or to harden any part. It should be constantly hasted with its own fat, for if this be neglected, all other precautions will fail to ensure a good roast ; 236 MODERN COOKERY* [chap. xil. and after it is dished a little fine salt should be sprinkled lightly on it, and a spoonful or two of boiling water ladled over. This is the most palatable mode of serving it, but it may be frothed when it is preferred so, though we would rather recommend that the flour should be dredged on in the first instance, as it then prevents the juices of the meat from escaping, and forms a savoury coating to it; while the raw taste which it so often retains with mere frothing is to many eaters especially objectionable. Leg of mutton, 7 to 8 lbs. : slow method 4 hours, common method 1 1 to 2 hours. Obs. — Many common cooks injure their roasts exceedingly by pouring abundance of hot water over them, “ to make gravy ” as they call it. This should never be done. The use of any portion may, perhaps, be rationally objected to ; but when the joint is not carefully cooked it is sometimes very dry without it. A few spoons- ful of Liebeg’s extract of meat will supply excellent gravy for this, or for any other dish of roasted meat. BRAISED LEO OF MUTTON. Take out the bone as far as the first joint by the directions of the following receipt ; roll some large strips of bacon in a seasoning of mixed spice, and of savoury herbs minced extremely fine or dried and reduced to powder, and with these lard the inside of the boned portion of the joint ; or fill the cavity with forcemeat highly sea- soned with eschalot or garlic. Sew up the meat, and place it in a braising-pan or ham-kettle nearly of its size, with slices of bacon under and over it, two or three onions, four or five carrots, two bay leaves, a large bunch of savoury herbs, a few bones, or bits of un- dressed mutton or veal, and about three quarters of a pint of gravy

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.