Sometimes Venison (meaning a Buck) comes up to London, not fit for the Table; to prevent which, order the Keeper, when he has killed it, to strew three or four Pounds of Pepper, beaten fine, upon it; and especially upon the Neck Parts of the Sides, after he has wash'd them with Vinegar and dried them well.
But if it stinks, when you receive it, wash it with Vinegar, and dry it, then pepper it and wrap it in a dry Cloth, bury it in the Ground, three foot deep at least, and in sixteen Hours it will be sweet, fit for eating; then wash off the Pepper with Vinegar, and dry it with a Cloth, and hang it where the cool Air may pass, and the blue Flies cannot come at it. Query. Is it not strange, that we see daily the Limbs of Horses hung up in Trees, and they do not stink, but remain good a long while fit for Dogs Meat? If any one will say, that Dogs all delight to eat Carrion, I must deny that; but that every sort of Dog will roll himself in Carrion, when he can find it, is certain.
To send Partridges a long way in hot Weather.
When you have killed your Partridges, take out the Crop, and the Artery which bleeds in the Neck, then fill the Place with Pepper; and the Mouths of the Fowls should be fill'd with the same, for these Parts take a taint sooner than the rest; the Vent too, ought to be taken care of, and open'd, and filled with Pepper, beaten grossly. N.B. This Pepper may be always wash'd away without leaving any Season or Flavour behind it, and is a certain Antidote against Corruption. So the same may be done with Pheasants, and you should likewise leave on their Feathers.
To keep an Hare a long Time.
As soon as 'tis kill'd and discharged of its Entrails, take care that all the Blood be dried away with Cloths about the Liver, for there it is apt to settle, then dust the Liver well with Pepper; and fill the Body with Nettles, or dry Moss, for these will not raise a ferment as Hay and Straw will do, when they come to be wet; then fill the Mouth with Pepper, and it will keep a long time.
To keep Wild-Ducks fresh.
Draw them, and fill the Body with red Sage, after the inside is well pepper'd; and likewise pepper the inside of the Mouth, leave on the Feathers. A Goose may be serv'd the same way.
But if they be too long kept, or through want of Care, they should receive a taint; then, when they are pull'd, wash the Inside very well, with Vinegar and Water, and dry it well with a Cloth; and scrape away, if need be, what are call'd the Kidneys; then strew the Inside afresh with Pepper, and hang them up for an Hour or two, where the Air may pass through them.
Some in such a case will put an Onion into the Body, which does very well towards restoring it to a freshness; then wash out all, and prepare it for the Spit.