326. Sheep’s Head

The Modern Housewife · Soyer, Alexis · 1849

Source: The Modern Housewife
Status: success · extracted 12 days ago
Not a recipe: No

Ingredients (26)

For preparing the sheep's head

a fine one, as fat as possible ↝ Head cheese [Cold cuts and cured meats]
a gallon of water ↝ Water, tap [Tap water]
two onions ↝ Onions, raw [Vegetables and Vegetable Products]
one carrot ↝ Carrots, raw [Vegetables and Vegetable Products]
two turnips cut in slices ↝ Turnips, raw [Vegetables and Vegetable Products]
a little celery ↝ Celery, raw [Vegetables and Vegetable Products]
four cloves ↝ Garlic, raw [Vegetables and Vegetable Products]
a bouquet of four sprigs of thyme ↝ Thyme, fresh [Spices and Herbs]
a bay-leaf ↝ Spices, bay leaf [Spices and Herbs]
one ounce of salt ↝ Salt, table, iodized [Spices and Herbs]
a quarter of an ounce of pepper ↝ Spices, pepper, black [Spices and Herbs]
three quarts of water ↝ Water, tap [Tap water]
half a teacupful of pearl or Scotch barley ↝ Barley, pearled, raw [Cereal Grains and Pasta]
half a teacupful of pearl or Scotch barley ↝ Barley, pearled, raw [Cereal Grains and Pasta]

For serving options

onion sauce ↝ Onions, raw [Vegetables and Vegetable Products]
parsley and butter ↝ Parsley, raw [Not included in a food category]
parsley and butter ↝ Butter, stick, unsalted [Dairy and Egg Products]
any sharp sauce
egg and bread-crumb it over ↝ Eggs, Grade A, Large, egg whole [Dairy and Egg Products]
egg and bread-crumb it over ↝ Bread, crumbs, dry, grated, seasoned [Baked Products]
sharp sauce under

For the brain preparation

a little vinegar ↝ Vinegar [Mustard and other condiments]
salt ↝ Salt, table, iodized [Spices and Herbs]
water ↝ Water, tap [Tap water]
parsley and butter ↝ Parsley, raw [Not included in a food category]
parsley and butter ↝ Butter, stick, unsalted [Dairy and Egg Products]

Instructions (27)

Choose a fine sheep's head, as fat as possible.
Put it into a gallon of water to disgorge for two hours.
Wash it well.
Saw it in two from the top.
Take out the brain.
Cut away part of the uncovered part of the skull, and also the ends of the jaws.
Wash it well.
Put it into the stewpan with two onions, one carrot, two turnips cut in slices, a little celery, four cloves, a bouquet of four sprigs of thyme, a bay-leaf, one ounce of salt, and a quarter of an ounce of pepper.
Add three quarts of water.
Set on the fire.
When near boiling, add half a teacupful of pearl or Scotch barley.
Let it simmer for three hours, or till tender.
Try with a fork to check for tenderness.
Take out vegetables, cut in dice.
Remove bouquet.
Skim off the fat.
Pour all into tureen.

Serving Option 1

Lay the head on a dish.
Serve with either onion sauce over, parsley and butter, or any sharp sauce.

Serving Option 2

Egg and bread-crumb the head over.
Put it in an oven for half an hour till getting a nice yellow color.
Serve with sharp sauce under.

Serving Option 3 (with brain)

Boil the brain for ten minutes in a little vinegar, salt, and water.
Cut the brain in pieces.
Warm the brain in parsley and butter.
Season it a little.
Put the prepared brain under the head and serve.

Original Text

326. Sheep’s Head.—Though this may be seen in every part of London inhabited by the working classes, and may be procured ready-cooked, I prefer always to prepare it at home, and very good it is. I choose a fine one, as fat as possible, and put it into a gallon of water to disgorge for two hours; wash it well, saw it in two from the top, take out the brain, cut away part of the uncovered part of the skull, and also the ends of the jaws, wash it well, put it into the stewpan, with two onions, one carrot, two turnips cut in slices, a little celery, four cloves, a bouquet of four sprigs of thyme, a bay-leaf, one ounce of salt, a quarter of an ounce of pepper, three quarts of water, set on the fire; when near boiling, add half a teacupful of pearl or Scotch barley; let it simmer for three hours, or till tender, which try with a fork; take out vegetables, cut in dice, remove bouquet, skim off the fat, and pour all into tureen. Or, lay the head on a dish, and serve with either onion sauce over, parsley and butter, or any sharp sauce; or egg and bread-crumb it over, put it in an oven for half an hour till getting a nice yellow color, and serve with sharp sauce under. Or, with the brain, thus: having boiled it for ten minutes in a little vinegar, salt, and water, cut it in pieces, warm it in parsley and butter, season it a little, and put it under the head and serve.

Notes

—