To grill a breast of mutton, see [Obs.] to [No. 38].
A Haunch,—(No. 31.)
(i. e. the leg and part of the loin) of mutton: send up two sauce-boats with it; one of rich mutton gravy, made without spice or herbs ([No. 347]), and the other of sweet sauce ([No. 346]). It generally weighs about 15 pounds, and requires about three hours and a half to roast it.
Mutton, venison fashion.—(No. 32.)
Take a neck of good four or five years old Southdown wether mutton, cut long in the bones; let it hang (in temperate weather) at least a week: two days before you dress it, take allspice and black pepper, ground and pounded fine, a quarter of an ounce each; rub them together, and then rub your mutton well with this mixture twice a day. When you dress it, wash off the spice with warm water, and roast in paste, as we have ordered the haunch of venison. ([No. 63]).
Obs.—Persevering and ingenious epicures have invented many methods to give mutton the flavour of venison. Some say that mutton, prepared as above, may be mistaken for venison; others, that it is full as good. The refined palate of a grand gourmand (in spite of the spice and wine the meat has been fuddled and rubbed with) will perhaps still protest against “Welch venison;” and indeed we do not understand by what conjuration allspice and claret can communicate the flavour of venison to mutton. We confess our fears that the flavour of venison (especially of its fat) is inimitable; but believe you may procure prime eight-toothed wether mutton, keep it the proper time, and send it to table with the accompaniments (Nos. [346] and [347], &c.) usually given to venison, and a rational epicure will eat it with as much satisfaction as he would “feed on the king’s fallow deer.”
VEAL.—(No. 33.)
Veal requires particular care to roast it a nice brown. Let the fire be the same as for beef; a sound large fire for a large joint, and a brisker for a smaller; put it at some distance from the fire to soak thoroughly, and then draw it near to finish it brown.
When first laid down, it is to be basted; baste it again occasionally. When the veal is on the dish, pour over it half a pint of melted butter ([No. 256]): if you have a little brown gravy by you, add that to the butter ([No. 326]). With those joints which are not stuffed, send up forcemeat ([No. 374], or [No. 375]) in balls, or rolled into sausages, as garnish to the dish, or fried pork sausages ([No. 87]); bacon ([No. 13], or [No. 526], or [No. 527]), and greens, are also always expected with veal.