A shoulder, boned, makes a good pasty; but it must be beaten and seasoned, and the want of fat supplied by that of a fine well hung loin of mutton, steeped twenty four hours in equal parts of rape, vinegar, and port.
The shoulder being sinewy, it will be of advantage to rub it well with sugar for two or three days; and when to be used, wipe it perfectly clean from it, and the wine.
A mistake used to prevail, that venison could not be baked enough; but, as above directed, three or four hours in a slow oven will be sufficient to make it tender, and the flavor will be preserved. Either in shoulder or side, the meat must be cut in pieces, and laid with fat between, that it may be proportioned to each person, without breaking up the pasty to find it. Lay some pepper and salt, at the bottom of the dish, and some butter, then the meat nicely packed, that it may be sufficiently done, but not lie hollow to harden at the edges.
The venison bones should be boiled with some fine old mutton. Of this gravy put half a pint cold into the dish, then lay butter on the venison, and cover, as well as line the sides with a thick crust; but do not put one under the meat. Keep the remainder of the gravy till the pasty comes from the oven; put it into the middle by a funnel, quite hot, and shake the dish to mix well. It should be seasoned with pepper and salt.
An imitation of Venison Pasty.
Choose a large well fed loin of mutton; hang it ten days, then bone it, leaving the meat as whole as possible. Cover it with brown sugar a day and night; then lay it in a pickle of half a pint of port wine, and half a pint of rape or common vinegar, twenty four hours more: then shake it well in it to take off the sugar, but do not wash, only wipe it. Season as above, and bake; making a gravy of the bones.
Crust for the pasty, see under the article of crusts.
Hashed Venison,
Should be warmed with its own, or gravy without seasoning, as before, and only warmed through, not boiled. If there be no fat left, cut some slices of mutton fat, set on the fire, with a little port wine and sugar: simmer till dry; then add it to the hash, and it will eat as well as that of the venison.