OF THE CHOOSING AND ROASTING OF PLAIN JOINTS.
Here I must claim all the attention of my readers: many of the profession will, I have no doubt, be surprised that I should dwell upon a subject which appears of so little importance, saying that, from the plain cook to the most professed, all know how to roast or boil a piece of meat, but there I must beg their pardon; I will instance myself: for, previously to my forming any intention of writing the present work, I had not devoted the time necessary to become professionally acquainted with it, always depending upon my roasting cook, who had constant practice, myself only having the knowledge of whether or not properly done. I have since not only studied it closely, but have made in many respects improvements upon the old system, and many discoveries in that branch which I am sure is the most beneficial to all classes of society (remembering, as I have before stated, that three parts of the animal food of this country is served either plain roasted or boiled). My first study was the fire, which I soon perceived was too deep, consumed too much coal, and required poking every half hour, thus sending dust and dirt all over the joints, which were immediately basted to wash it off; seeing plainly this inconvenience, I immediately remedied it by inventing my new roasting fire-place (see page 622), by which means I saved two hundred-weight of coals per day, besides the advantage of never requiring to be poked, being narrow and perpendicular; the fire is lighted with the greatest facility, and the front of the fire being placed a foot back in the chimney-piece, throws the heat of the fire direct upon the meat, and not out at the sides, as many persons know from the old roasting ranges. I have many times placed ladies or gentlemen, visiting the club, within two feet of the fire when six large joints have been roasting, and they have been in perfect ignorance that it was near them until upon opening the wing of the screen (see same Plate) by surprise, they have appeared quite terrified to think they were so near such an immense furnace. My next idea was to discontinue basting, perhaps a bold attempt to change and upset at once the custom of almost all nations and ages, but being so confident of its evil effects and tediousness, I at once did away with it, and derived the greatest benefit (for explanation, see remarks at the commencement of the roasts in the Kitchen of the Wealthy), for the quality of meat in England is, I may say, superior to any other nation; its moist soil producing fine grass almost all the year round, which is the best food for every description of cattle, whilst in some countries not so favoured by nature they are obliged to have recourse to artificial food, which fattens the animals, but decreases the flavour of the meat; and, again, we must take into consideration the care and attention paid by the farmers and graziers to improve the stock of those unfortunate benefactors of the human family.
Every country is famous, more or less, for some produce, so is every county; for instance, for the best beef we are indebted principally to Scotland: the Highland ox, which if bred in Scotland, kept there until four years old, and fed twelve months in Norfolk, cannot be surpassed; those also that are killed in Scotland are likewise very commendable, but the connoisseur would give the preference by far to those that had undergone a change of atmosphere and pasturage. Norfolk also produces excellent beef, as likewise does Herefordshire, which three sorts are ranked as the best by the first judges.
The Brighton downs are noted for producing sheep of the first quality, next to which may be ranked those of the Norfolk downs, they are rather larger, more fleshy, and the meat sometimes a darker colour. Herefordshire also produces some very excellent. The Scotch mutton is also very good, and deservedly of high repute, but I rarely ever use it, as it is killed in Scotland and hurriedly packed, which causes it not to look so well, and frequently very much bruises it; but those of Leicestershire are, in my opinion, quite the contrary, being coarse meat and very fat; I consider it unworthy of making its appearance upon the table of a man of wealth. When residing at Melton Mowbray I tried several haunches, even after hanging a month in winter, and then roasted to perfection, I could not find in them any flavour worthy of the taste of an epicure; I consider it more as a useful nourishment than a delicate meat.
The best Welsh mutton is brought direct from its native mountains, the heath upon which it feeds gives a very rich flavour to the meat, which is very dark without much fat; many are fed in some of the English counties, they are very excellent and much fatter, but do not possess the same wild flavour.
The beat veal to be obtained in the spring time of the year comes from the west of England, being rather small and very white, but there is a steady supply of good veal from Surrey and Essex throughout the year. Although very fine veal may be obtained in this country, it is not to be compared to the quality of veal we obtain in France; the veal of Pontoise, a little town six miles from Paris, outrivals any; I would venture to say that one pound of that veal would make a better stock than double the quantity of the veal procured here: no one can account for it, but such is the actual case; although there the quality of any other description of animal food is deficient, we have to boast of the excellent flavour, succulence, and excessive whiteness of our veal.
House lamb may be obtained throughout the whole year, but there is no great demand for it before February; grass lamb makes its appearance now much earlier than formerly: the quality much depends upon the winter season; if a mild winter they may really be fed upon grass, but if the contrary, they must be fed with prepared food, which increases their size but diminishes their quality.
Pork for roasting is best when about six months old, Berkshire and Hampshire producing the best. The size of a leg of pork should not exceed more than seven pounds, nor much less than six. I do not know why, but of late years pork has lost in a great measure its popularity, and but seldom appears upon a nobleman’s table; it is in season from October to about March.
No. 1. Sirloin of Beef. The royal honour which this bold and handsome dish received from the merry monarch, who conferred upon it the honour of knighthood, good Sir Loin, which title it has ever since retained (previously only bearing the cognomen of loin), and most likely will retain until the latest period: as a joint it claims precedence of all others. In roasting, the fillet and fat below keep the upper part moist, and when well roasted, such is the quantity of gravy, that after a few slices have been cut it may be taken from it with a spoon.
Procure a fine square piece of sirloin weighing about twenty pounds (which has been hung at least three weeks in winter, and eight or ten days, if possible, in summer, observing that the older the meat is the longer it will require keeping before cooking, and this remark applies to all kinds of meat, especially to beef and mutton), trim nicely, leaving the fat about an inch and a half in thickness over the fillet, cut a slice slantwise from the flap, which turn under, fixing it with skewers, thus giving the joint an oblong shape; with a sharp knife cut through the sinew (running along the chine-bones) in four or five places, or the meat would contract in roasting; make an incision in the centre of the chine-bones, lengthwise, with a chopper, through which pass a spit an inch wide and half an inch in thickness, bringing it out at the flap, keeping the centre, and avoiding the fillet. When the joint is larger it would be advisable to use a cradle-spit, which, however like the other spit, has its inconveniences, one making a hole through the meat, and the other pressing upon the fat, making it heavy; but in any kind of joint, if not over-roasted, you will never perceive the mark of the spit, as the cavity closes immediately upon the spit leaving it; always choose a spit corresponding to the size of the joint. In a large kitchen, where you require many joints roasting at one time, a cradle-spit is a nuisance, and must be used only where it cannot be avoided. Tie half a sheet of buttered foolscap paper upon each side of the beef, and place to roast, keeping it two feet from a very clear fire, let remain twenty minutes, then rub the top over with a piece of butter placed in the bowl of a large wooden spoon (see page 396), and place the beef back to the distance of three or four feet from the fire, allowing it two hours and a half to three hours to roast; take it from your spit, let remain a few minutes upon a dish until no more fat runs from it, when place it upon the dish you intend serving it on (previously taking out the piece of rump-bone affixed to the side to facilitate the carving; but in choosing a piece of sirloin obtain it if possible without any of that bone attached, or, at any rate, with but a very small piece, as the joint looks so much handsomer without it), pouring half a pint of good gravy (page 394) under; you will then perceive my object in not basting meat, the fat and the skin will be of a very light gold colour, which would have been quite the contrary if continually basted. By placing the meat too near the fire the fat quickly melts and falls into the dripping-pan, whilst by keeping it a tolerable distance it cooks gradually, and as the meat revolves runs over its surface, keeping it continually moist; and, again, by placing it too near the fire it is liable to catch, causing many persons to think that it has not been well basted; another evil in basting is, that by continually pouring hot fat over you cause that beautiful light fat attached to the joint to become heavy, and the gravy which invariably falls from the joint with the fat remains upon it, burns, and causes it to be very indigestible. It will also be easy to perceive in the habit of pouring a quantity of hot fat over all joints, that if three or four should be roasting together, one over the other, that one description of meat becomes basted with the fat and gravy of several, whilst the mere rubbing of a piece of butter over is not the least objectionable, as nothing can fall upon other joints but a little butter or clear fat, which cannot in the least interfere with the flavour of other meats, but still I would advise that lamb, veal, poultry, and even game, be kept at the top where there is beef, mutton, or pork roasting; this only applies to large establishments.