Leg of Mutton Boned and Forced

Modern cookery for private families · Acton, Eliza · 1845

Source: Modern cookery for private families
Time: Cook: 180 min Total: 180 min
Status: success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe: No

Ingredients (15)

Forcemeat

nearly a pound of the inside of the mutton, chop it fine ↝ Mutton, cooked, roasted (Navajo) [American Indian/Alaska Native Foods]
six ounces of delicate striped bacon
three quarters of an ounce of parsley ↝ Parsley, raw [Not included in a food category]
half as much of thyme ↝ Thyme, fresh [Spices and Herbs]
half as much of winter savoury ↝ Winter squash, raw [Other red and orange vegetables]
a half teaspoonful of pepper ↝ Spices, pepper, black [Spices and Herbs]
a third as much of cayenne ↝ Peppers, raw, NFS [Other vegetables and combinations]
the same of mace ↝ Spices, mace, ground [Spices and Herbs]
salt ↝ Salt, table, iodized [Spices and Herbs]
nutmeg ↝ Oil, nutmeg butter [Fats and Oils]
the grated rind of a small lemon ↝ Lemon, raw [Citrus fruits]
four eschalots finely shred

For the mutton

a joint of South Down or of any other delicate-sized mutton ↝ Mutton, cooked, roasted (Navajo) [American Indian/Alaska Native Foods]
a somewhat high seasoning of eschalot, garlic, or onion ↝ Garlic, raw [Vegetables and Vegetable Products]

For serving

some rich brown gravy ↝ Gravy, brown, dry [Soups, Sauces, and Gravies]

Instructions (14)

Select a joint of mutton, boned and kept sufficiently long to render it very tender.
Lay it on a clean cloth spread upon a table, and turn the underside upwards.
With a sharp-edged boning-knife cut through the middle of the skin, from the knuckle to the first joint, and raise it from the flesh on the side along which the bone runs, until the knife is just above it, then cut through the flesh down to the bone.
Work the knife round the bone in every part till you reach the socket.
Remove the flat bone from the large end of the joint, and pass the knife freely round the remaining one, as it is not needful to take it out clear of the meat.
When you again reach the middle joint, loosen the skin round it with great care, and the two bones can then be drawn out without being divided.
Fill the cavities with the forcemeat (No. 1. Chapter VIII.), adding to it a somewhat high seasoning of eschalot, garlic, or onion.
Alternatively, cut out with the bone, nearly a pound of the inside of the mutton, chop it fine with six ounces of delicate striped bacon, and mix with it thoroughly three quarters of an ounce of parsley, and half as much of thyme and winter savoury, all minced extremely small; a half teaspoonful of pepper (or a third as much of cayenne); the same of mace, salt, and nutmeg, and either the grated rind of a small lemon, or four eschalots finely shred.
When the lower part of the leg is filled, sew the skin neatly together where it has been cut open, and tie the knuckle round tightly, to prevent the escape of the gravy.
Replace the flat bone at the large end, and with a long needle and twine, draw the edges of the meat together over it.
If possible, roast the mutton thus prepared in a cradle spit or upon a bottle-jack, with the knuckle downwards.
Place it at first far from the fire, and keep it constantly basted.
It will require nearly or quite three hours’ roasting.
Remove the twine before it is served, and send it very hot to table with some rich brown gravy.

Original Text

LEG OF MUTTON BONED AND FORCED.

Select for this dish a joint of South Down or of any other delicate-sized mutton, which has been kept sufficiently long to render it very tender. Lay it on a clean cloth spread upon a table, and turn the underside upwards. With a sharp-edged boning-knife cut through 237the middle of the skin, from the knuckle to the first joint, and raise it from the flesh on the side along which the bone runs, until the knife is just above it, then cut through the flesh down to the bone; work the knife round it in every part till you reach the socket; next remove the flat bone from the large end of the joint, and pass the knife freely round the remaining one, as it is not needful to take it out clear of the meat; when you again reach the middle joint, loosen the skin round it with great care, and the two bones can then be drawn out without being divided. This being done, fill the cavities with the forcemeat, No. 1. (Chapter VIII.), adding to it a somewhat high seasoning of eschalot, garlic, or onion; or cut out with the bone, nearly a pound of the inside of the mutton, chop it fine with six ounces of delicate striped bacon, and mix with it thoroughly three quarters of an ounce of parsley, and half as much of thyme and winter savoury, all minced extremely small; a half teaspoonful of pepper (or a third as much of cayenne); the same of mace, salt, and nutmeg, and either the grated rind of a small lemon, or four eschalots finely shred. When the lower part of the leg is filled, sew the skin neatly together where it has been cut open, and tie the knuckle round tightly, to prevent the escape of the gravy. Replace the flat bone at the large end, and with a long needle and twine, draw the edges of the meat together over it. If it can be done conveniently, it is better to roast the mutton thus prepared in a cradle spit or upon a bottle-jack, with the knuckle downwards. Place it at first far from the fire, and keep it constantly basted. It will require nearly or quite three hours’ roasting. Remove the twine before it is served, and send it very hot to table with some rich brown gravy.

Notes

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