The complete servant / Being a practical guide to the peculiar duties and business of all descriptions of servants, from the housekeeper to the servant of all-work, and from the land steward to the foot-boy. With useful receipts and tables

by servant Samuel Adams; Sarah Adams

The second way is to cut a round hole in the top of the ham with a sharp pointed knife, and to enlarge the circle by cutting out thin slices. This is a good way, as it keeps the meat moist, and preserves the gravy.

The other way is, to cut across, near the middle of the ham, quite down to the bone, and then to take off thin slices each way.

Tongue.—A tongue is to be cut across towards the thickest end; slices taken from that part, both ways, are the most tender and juicy; towards the tip of the tongue, the meat is hardest and dryest. For the fat and kernel, cut off a slice from the lower side of the root.

Sucking Pig.—The head and collar is usually cut off, and the carcase slit down the back into two equal parts; the head being also divided and laid at each end, and the ears on each side. But if the pig be sent up whole, before any one be helped, the shoulders and legs should be separated from the body, and the ribs divided into two or more parts; the shoulders may each be divided into two or more parts, also; and nice slices may be taken from the gammon and fleshy parts. The ribs are very delicious, but the collar and neck are most esteemed; the chaps are also much approved by many.

Venison.—The Haunch. First make a deep incision across, down to the bone, towards the knuckle end, to let out the gravy; then turn the broad end towards you, and take off thinnish deep slices, lengthwise, from the cross cut to the end. The fat, which is the most delicious part, lies, as in a shoulder of mutton, in the round prominent part, which, when the broad end is towards you, will be on the left side. Give some of this, and also some of the gravy, with each slice.

Hare.—The best and readiest way to cut up a hare, is to put the point of the knife under the point of the shoulder, and cut all the way down to the rump, on both sides of the back at equal distances from the back-bone, dividing the body into three parts; the middle or back may then be cut across the spine, into four or more pieces. These are by far the most tender and delicate, and the fullest of gravy. The shoulders or wings must be taken off in a circular direction, and the legs may be easily separated from the belly. The shoulders and legs may each be divided. The pieces of the back, and the fleshy parts of the shoulders and legs, should be given with a spoonful of the stuffing and gravy to those most respected. This method can only be practised when the Hare is young. If it be old, do not endeavour to divide it lengthwise, but put the knife between the leg and back, and give it a turn inwards, at the joint, which you must try to hit.—A nice cut or two may then be taken from each side of the back-bone;—then divide the back into parts, and take off the wings, which are called the sportsman’s pieces. When all are helped, cut off the head, and separate the ears, close to the roots, which some may approve; then with your knife divide the upper from the lower jaw, and laying the upper one flat on your plate, enter the point of your knife in the centre near the back of the skull, and divide it in two. The head and brains are liked by some.

Rabbit.—A rabbit is to be carved as a hare in the latter way; but it being smaller, the body may be divided into fewer parts, and the head, the ears having been taken off, may be given, to any one who likes it.

Goose.—A goose, fowl, turkey, pheasant, and partridge, are to be cut up nearly alike. First cut off the apron of the goose, and pour into the body a glass of port wine, and the gravy, well mixed with a large teaspoonful of ready made mustard; then turn the neck towards you, and cut the whole breast into long slices quite down to the bone, and take them off; turn the goose upon one side, and proceed to take off the leg, by putting the fork through the small end of the bone, and pressing it close to the body, which will raise the leg from the body and shew the direction in which the knife may be passed, in order to separate it; this may then be done by turning it back, but if it be an old bird, it will require some strength. To take off the wing, pass the fork into the small end of the pinion, and press it close to the body, then enter the knife at the point of the wing, and divide the joint (which requires some practice to hit cleverly) and separate it from the side. Next take off the merry-thought, at the neck end, across the body, and where it joins the body, on each side, you will find the joint of the neck bones, then put in the knife, and pass it the longest part of the bone, when you will lift it up and break it off from the breast bone, to which it is attached. All parts being thus separated from the carcase, divide the breast from the back by cutting through the tender ribs on each side from one end to the other. Then lay the back upwards, fix your fork under the rump, and pressing the edge of your knife hard across the back, lift up the rump, and the body will divide into two parts. The rump part may then be divided into three, cutting it lengthwise through the bones on each side of the back, and taking off the side-bones. It is not always necessary to cut up the whole goose, at once, but as you proceed, the breast may be distributed, the fleshy parts of the wings, when disjointed from the pinions, and the thigh parts of the legs, (the drum sticks being taken off), may next be given, remembering to draw out the sage and onions, gravy, &c. from the inside, and give a spoonful on each plate. The neck-bone and merry-thought are approved by some, and others approve different parts of the carcase, which are very savoury.

A Green Goose must be cut up the same way; and the best parts are the breast, and the gristle at the lower end of it.

Fowl.—Fowls, whether roasted or boiled, are to be cut up alike. The best way is to take the bird on your plate, and sticking your fork into the breast, upright, cut of slices, down the breast on each side, as long as you can; then proceed to take off the legs, by passing the knife between the legs and the body from the upper part of the thigh towards the rump. Next take off the wings by entering your knife at the point of the shoulder, and with your fork lift up the pinion and drawing the wing towards you, by which means it will separate very nicely without cutting. After this, take off the merry-thought, the neck-bones, and all the remaining parts, as described in the goose. The prime parts of a fowl are the wings, breast, and merry-thought: the legs are coarse dry, and of a darker colour, except those of a chick, which are full of gravy and most esteemed. The drum-sticks should be cut off from the legs of the fowl at the joint, when given.