1. Leg.
2. Loin.
3. Shoulder.
4. Flank.
5,5. Breast.
Hind Quarter of Mutton.
This consists of the leg and loin, and is the choicest cut. It makes a
fine roast for a large family, but for a moderate-sized or small one
either the leg or loin alone is better. A hind quarter taken from a
prime animal will weigh from twenty to thirty pounds.
Leg of Mutton.
This joint is nearly always used for roasting and boiling. It has but
little bone, as compared with the other parts of the animal, and is,
therefore, an economical piece to select, though the price per pound
be greater than that of any other cut. It is not common to find a good
leg weighing under ten or twelve pounds. A leg is shown in plate No.
19.
[Illustration: PLATE NO. 19.]
Loin of Mutton.
In a loin, as cut in Boston, there are seven ribs, which make a good
roast for a small family. This cut is particularly nice in hot
weather. It is not as large as a leg, and the meat is, besides, of a
lighter quality and more delicate flavor. The cost when the flank is
taken off will be about seven cents more a pound than if the loin be
sold with it on; but, unless you wish to use the flank for a soup,
stew or haricot, it is the better economy to buy a trimmed piece and
pay the higher price. When the two loins are joined they are called a
saddle. Plate No. 20 shows a saddle and two French chops.
[Illustration: PLATE NO 20. SADDLE OF MUTTON AND FRENCH CHOPS.]
Fore Quarter of Mutton.
In this is included the shoulder and breast. When the shoulder-blade
is taken out the quarter makes a good roast for a large family. The
shoulder is separated from the breast by running a sharp knife between
the two, starting at the curved dotted lines near the neck (shown in
diagram No. 18), and cutting round to the end of the line. The
shoulder is nice for roasting or boiling. The breast can be used for a
roast, for broths, braising, stewing or cotelettes. Rib chops are also
cut from the breast, which is, by the way, the cheapest part of the
mutton.
Chops and Cutlets.
Chops are cut from the loin. They are called long when the flank is
cut on them and short if without it. When part of the bone of the
short chop is scraped clean it is called a French chop. The rolled
chops sold by provision dealers are the long chops with the bone
removed. One often sees them selling at a low price. They are then the
poor parts of the mutton, like the flank, and will be found very
expensive no matter how little is asked.
Prices.
The price of mutton varies with the seasons, but a table giving the
average price may help the purchaser to an estimate of the comparative
cost of each cut:
Hind Quarter, 15 cents.
Leg, 17 cents.
Loin, with flank, 13 cents.
Loin, without flank, 20 cents.
Fore Quarter, 8 cents.
Trimmed Chops, 20 cents.
Untrimmed Chops, 12 cents.
When one has a large family it brings all kinds of meat considerably
cheaper to buy large pieces untrimmed, as the trimmings can be used
for soups, stews, etc.; but for a small family, it is much better to
purchase only the part you want for immediate use. Although mutton
costs less per pound than beef, it is no cheaper in the end, because
to be good it must be fat, and mutton fat, unlike beef fat, cannot be
employed for cooking purposes, as it gives a strong flavor to any
article with which it is used.