Take the bones of roast joints, and the trimmings of cutlets, put them in a sauce-pan with carrot, turnip, celery, and pepper-corns tied in a piece of muslin; boil them slowly from four to five hours, then strain into a basin till required for use.
Game stock can be made in the same way, any bones of roast game should be kept by themselves, but you can take a portion of another stock to help the game stock for sauces.
White stock is made with a knuckle of veal, or the bones of rabbit or fowl, or any uncooked meat, with carrots, turnips, a bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, two or three blades of parsley tied in a bunch; let it simmer beside the fire for six hours, then pass it through a sieve; never let the stock remain more than one day in warm weather in the same basin. Pour it into a sauce-pan, and bring it to the boil each day; it will sour if this is not done. A few basins should be kept for stocks, and used for nothing else. The stock basins should be scalded and kept as clean as dairy dishes. All cooks should be most careful to have these stocks of different kinds, as pouring water on roasts, or joints, or game, is not satisfactory; sauces are not good made of water. With care there are always bones to be had for that purpose. All bones must be cut very small.
JOINTS IN GENERAL.
How to divide a sheep is most useful to every one to know, and the different names of the cuts of the sheep. Split a sheep straight down the back; cut off the legs, and hang up in the larder. There is the chump, that will roast or boil; then the loin chops. Cut off the flap and roll it up, and make a force-meat stuffing, and have it braised. The loin chops are best for broiling. Then raise the shoulder, and there will be nine cutlets under the shoulder. Those are best for dressed cutlets. Choose the mutton that is white in the colour, and not too heavy, as when it is too fat there is great waste. Yet not too lean, because it is a sign of poor mutton. All meat is tender if it be kept for a few days before using. It is the most economical way to get half a sheep from the butcher at once, if there is a large family, because it is got so much cheaper.
TO ROAST A LEG OF MUTTON.
To every pound of mutton allow fifteen minutes to roast. The oven must not be too hot when it first goes in, else it will burn on the outside, and not cook in the heart. Dish on a hot dish. It is an improvement to shake a little salt on the outside before pouring gravy over. To make the gravy: pour all the grease off, and add a little stock to the dripping pan, and pour over the roast.