days drain it, rub bran on it, hang it up and smoke for several
days.--_Mrs. H. T._
TO CURE BEEF FOR DRYING.
This recipe keeps the meat moist, so that it has none of that
toughness dried beef mostly has when a little old. To every
twenty-eight or thirty pounds, allow one tablespoonful saltpetre, one
quart fine salt, mixed with molasses until the color is about that of
light brown sugar; rub the pieces of meat with the mixture, and when
done, let all stick to it that will. Pack in a keg or half-barrel,
that the pickle may cover the meat, and let it remain forty-eight
hours; at the end of that time, enough pickle will be formed to cover
it. Take it out and hang in a suitable place for drying. Allow all
the mixture to adhere to the meat that will.--_Mrs. A. M. D._
TO CURE BEEF HAM.
Divide the ham into three parts; rub on half-pint molasses; let it
remain in this molasses a day and two nights, turning it over
occasionally during the time. Rub on then one handful salt and put it
back in the vessel with the molasses; turn it over, morning and night
for ten days. Hang it up to dry for one week, then smoke a little. It
is an excellent plan, after sufficiently smoked, to put each piece of
beef in a bag, to protect from insects, and keep hanging till
used.--_Miss K. W._
TO DRY BEEF AND TONGUE.
The best pieces are the brisket, the round and rib pieces that are
used for roasting. Put about the middle of February in brine. Rub
first with salt, and let them lie for a fortnight, then throw them in
brine and let them lay there three weeks, take them out and wipe dry:
rub them over with bran and hang in a cool place and dark, not letting
them touch anything. Should there come a wet season, put them in the
sun to dry a little.--_Mrs. R._
STEWED LOIN OF VEAL.
Take part of a loin of veal, the chump end will do. Put it into a
large, thick, well-tinned iron saucepan, or into a stew-pan, add about
two ounces of butter, and shake it over a moderate fire until it
begins to brown; flour the veal well over, lay it in a saucepan, and
when it is of a fine, equal light brown, pour gradually in veal broth,
gravy or boiling water, to nearly half its depth; add a little salt,
one or two sliced carrots, a small onion, or more when the flavor is
liked, and one bunch parsley.
Stew the veal very softly for an hour or rather more, then turn it and
let it stew for nearly or quite another hour or longer, should it not
appear perfectly done. A longer time must be allowed when the meat is
more than middling size. Dish the joint; skim all the fat from the
gravy and strain it over the meat, or keep the joint hot while it is
rapidly reduced to a richer consistency.--_Mrs. J._
VEAL CHOPS.
First beat until tender, then lay the chops in a pan, pour in just
enough boiling water to barely cover them. Cover closely and simmer
till tender, sprinkling over after they are nearly done, with a little
pepper and salt. Lift from the pan, dry with a clean towel, butter
them, then cover with beaten egg, and sift on cracker crumbs. Lay on a
baking dish or pan and set in the stove to brown. Garnish and
serve.--_Mrs. S. T._
ROAST VEAL.
Plunge into boiling water, dry with a clean cloth; rub well with
pepper and salt, then with butter. Dredge with flour, and put into a
pan with two teacups of boiling water, a slice of bacon or pork,
minced onion and parsley, pepper and salt. Set in a hot oven; simmer,
baste and brown. Veal is longer cooking than lamb. When a light brown,
with a pin, stick on a buttered paper to prevent dryness. Thicken the
gravy with brown flour, if brown gravy is wanted, but always with
mashed Irish potato if white gravy is desired.--_Mrs. S. T._
VEAL STEAK.
First beat until it is tender, then without washing lay on a gridiron
over coals; turn over it a tin plate to prevent hardness and dryness.
Turn the steak, and when well done, with a knife and fork press it and
turn it in a pan or plate of hot melted butter. After putting in plate
of hot butter and letting it absorb as much of the butter as possible,
lay it on a dish, pepper and salt it plentifully, and pour over the
melted butter. (Set in the oven a few minutes, but not long enough for
the butter to fry, which is ruinous to the flavor of steaks, game,
etc.) When done, sift over grated cracker. Garnish with parsley and
serve hot.--_Mrs. S. T._
VEAL CUTLET.
Cut the veal as if for steak or frying, put lard or butter in the pan,
and let it be hot. Beat up an egg on a plate and have flour on
another; dip the pieces first in the egg, then in the flour, on both
sides, and lay in the pan and fry until done, turning it carefully
once. This makes an excellent dish if well prepared. This way is
superior to batter.--_Mrs. D._
_Veal Cutlet._
Cut it in pieces the size of your hand, and lay in salt water some
little time. Take out and wipe dry. Put a small piece of lard in the
pan and sprinkle the cutlet with a very little flour, pepper, and
salt. Fry until nearly done. When it begins to brown, pour off the
lard, and pour in a little water, one large spoonful butter, and a
little celery-seed. Turn it over frequently.--_Mrs. W._
_Veal Cutlets._
Trim smoothly and beat till tender, sprinkle over pepper and salt;
then with a spoon spread over an egg beaten till thick, and cover
thickly with pounded cracker.
Have some hot lard ready in the frying-pan, put the cutlets on to fry,
with the prepared side down; when of a light yellow brown, dress the
other side the same way and fry, keeping closely covered. When they
are perfectly done (veal should never be rare), place in a hot dish;
pour one teacup of milk, one small piece of butter, pepper, salt, and
minced onion and parsley into the pan, stirring constantly. When it
boils up, pour into the dish and garnish with parsley. Always sift
browned cracker over such dishes.--_Mrs. S. T._
COLD VEAL DRESSED WITH WHITE SAUCE.
Boil one pint milk and thicken it a little with one teaspoonful flour,
wet with cold water. When well boiled, put in very thin slices of
veal, and simmer slowly for fifteen minutes.
Have the yolk of an egg well beaten up, and add to the meat, also a
piece of butter.
Let it boil up once, stirring all the time, and serve it on toasted
slices of bread. A few slices of bacon, cut thin and fried to a crisp,
make a good relish with this dish.--_Mrs. G. P._
MINCED VEAL.
Cut some slices of cold veal into small bits or dice; take the cold
gravy and add to it a half-pint of boiling water, one teaspoonful
tomato or walnut catsup, the grated peel of one lemon, pepper and
salt.
Simmer it with the meat slowly for half an hour; then add half a
teaspoonful flour made into a thin batter and pour it into the gravy,
stirring it rapidly. Boil for ten minutes; turn in one-half cupful
cream, or same quantity of milk with a small piece of butter; let it
boil up. Serve on a hot platter garnished with sippets of fried
bread.--_Mrs. P._
VEAL LOAF.
2 pounds chopped veal.
½ pound chopped pork.
3 tablespoonfuls powdered cracker.
1 tablespoonful sage.
2 tablespoonfuls butter.
1 teaspoonful black pepper.
1 teaspoonful mace.
Salt to taste.
1 egg well beaten and mixed in the ingredients.
Make up into a loaf or pone, and bake slowly three and a half hours.
This is an excellent dish to use with lettuce, etc., in the spring or
early autumn, when game is out of season. It is best to be made the
day before using.--_Mrs. R. R._
VEAL LOAF.
Two and a half pounds meat taken from fillet or shoulder, or wherever
the meat is free from fat. Take out all the little white, fibrous or
sinewy particles, and chop very finely, almost to a paste. Mix in
rolled cracker crumbs with one egg to hold it together, a little
butter, red and black pepper, and salt to taste.
Form into a small loaf; dredge with the cracker crumbs, and put
several little pieces of butter over the outside. Set this loaf
uncooked, with about one quart water or some broth, in a pan; put it
in the oven and baste constantly for two hours, and when taken out to
cool, pour any remaining liquid over the loaf. It ought to cut in
slices and be quite compact--no caverns in the inside of the
loaf.--_Mrs. G. P._
VEAL CAKE.
Take one and a half pounds veal, and half a pound of bacon, stew
together with very little water, a little salt and pepper, thyme and
parsley.
When the veal is tender, cut into small square pieces, as also the
bacon.
Boil four eggs hard and slice them up, and chop some raw parsley fine.
Take a mould or small bowl, lay the slices of egg in a kind of pattern
prettily at the bottom of it. Sprinkle the parsley between the slices.
Add veal, bacon, and more egg alternately, pepper and salt to taste,
and a little grated lemon-peel, also some more parsley, and so on
until the bowl is nearly full. Fill up with the gravy the veal was
boiled in, which ought to be very rich. Let it stand until quite cold,
then turn out on a flat dish. The slices cut firmer and more solid
when the cake is made the day beforehand, which it is best to do if
the weather permits.--_Mrs. R. P._
SWEETBREADS.
Three good throat sweetbreads will make a dish. Blanch them well and
lay in cold water, then take out and dry well. Add egg, bread crumbs,
and herbs.
Put on a dish and brown in an oven. Eat with mushroom or tomato
sauce.--_Mrs. R._
_Sweetbreads._
Soak, and put in boiling water for ten minutes.
Stew in cold water to blanch them.
They may be cut in slices or in dice and put in fricassee or meats, or
ragoûts, or used as a separate dish.--_Mrs. W._
_Sweetbreads._
Lay them in salt and water, after washing; parboil until done; drain,
dry, and split in half. Rub with butter, pepper and salt. Dip in one
egg beaten stiff. Sift over pounded cracker.
Butter a baking-dish, lay them in, and set in a hot oven to brown, or
fry until a light brown.--_Mrs. S. T._
CALVES' FEET DRESSED AS TERRAPINS.
Boil eight feet until the meat leaves the bones, then remove them. Put
them in a pan with one-half pint of the rich gravy in which they are
boiled, and add two large spoonfuls butter.
Rub the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs with a small teaspoonful
mustard, a very little cayenne, and salt to the taste.
When well mixed with the egg, stir all together into the feet or
gravy. Let it simmer ten minutes, and just before dishing add two
wineglasses of good cooking wine and simmer again before
serving.--_Mrs. M. E. L. W._
CALF'S LIVER BROILED.
Cut the liver in thin slices, wash it and let it stand in salt and
water half an hour to draw out the blood. Parboil in fresh salt and
water, and broil, basting frequently in butter. Lay on a hot dish with
a lump of butter.--_Mrs. A. M. D._
TO FRY CALF'S LIVER.
Cut in thin slices. Season with pepper and salt, sweet herbs, and
parsley.
Dredge with flour and fry brown with lard. Have it thoroughly done,
but it must not be hard; keep covered while frying.--_Mrs. R._
CALF'S LIVER FRIED.
A calf's liver, as white as can be procured, flour, one bunch savory
herbs, including parsley, juice of a lemon; pepper and salt to taste,
a little water.
Cut the liver into slices of a good and equal shape. Dip them in flour
and fry brown. Place on a hot dish and keep before the fire while you
prepare the gravy. Mince the herbs fine and put into the frying-pan
with a little more butter; add the other ingredients with one
teaspoonful flour. Simmer gently until the herbs are done, and pour
over the liver.--_Mrs. A. M. D._
BEWITCHED LIVER.
3 pounds calf's liver, chopped fine.
¼ pound salt pork.
1 cup grated bread crumbs.
2 eggs well beaten.
2 teaspoonfuls salt.
2 teaspoonfuls black pepper.
½ teaspoonful red pepper.
Mix all well together, and put into a tin mould; set it in a pot of
cold water and let it boil two hours. Then set the mould in a cool
oven to dry off a little; when thoroughly cold turn it out.--_Mrs. J.
H._
SIMPLE WAY OF COOKING LIVER.
Wash calf's liver and heart thoroughly; chop them fine as possible,
after they have been boiled till very tender; then add pepper and
salt, and one tablespoonful flour, straining into it a little of the
water.--_Mrs. J. P. H._
CALF'S BRAINS.
Beat up the brains with a little lemon-peel cut fine, a little nutmeg
grated, a little mace beaten, thyme and parsley.
Shred fine the yolk of an egg, and dredge with flour. Fry in little
flat cakes and lay on top of the baked head.
If for soup, mix in one-half the brains with the soup while the soup
is boiling, and make the other in cakes and lay together with
forcemeat balls in the soup.--_Mrs. R._
CALF'S HEAD.
Split the head, take out the brains, boil till it will fall to pieces.
Cut it up fine and season with pepper, salt and nutmeg to the taste;
add one-quarter pound of butter, wineglassful wine, and the brains,
which are not to be boiled with the head. Put in a dish and bake with
or without paste.--_Mrs. J. D._
BAKED CALF'S HEAD.
Boil until tender, then cut into pieces and put into a deep dish with
pepper, salt, a few cloves, mace, a little thyme.
A spoonful butter with flour, well mixed through the meat, a layer of
bread crumbs on top. Then add a wineglass of wine and fill up the dish
with the water the head was boiled in, and bake three-quarters of an
hour. Garnish with forcemeat balls and rings of hard-boiled eggs, just
before sending to the table.--_Miss N._
VEAL DAUBE.
After the head of a calf is skinned and the feet prepared by taking
off the hoofs, scraping, etc., throw them into cold water for
twenty-four hours. Put them in a boiler of cold water, and simmer
until the flesh leaves the bones and there is but little water left.
Throw in salt, pepper, minced onion, parsley, and thyme; take the meat
and bones out. Beat up two eggs until light, add two tablespoonfuls
cold water, then the liquor from the boiler. Stir all together, boil
up and strain on the meat from the head, which must first be cut up or
picked fine and chopped with six hard-boiled eggs, and seasoned to the
taste with the juice of one lemon and wineglass of jelly. This is set
aside in a mould or bowl and eaten cold with garnish of scraped
horseradish and parsley. The calves' feet make another good dish by
drying first, then dipping in batter made of an egg, one spoonful of
flour, one small teacupful milk, with a little salt, and
frying.--_Mrs. S. T._
MUTTON AND LAMB.
When the weather will admit of it, mutton is better for being kept a
few days before cooking. The saddle, which is considered the finest
piece, consists of the back or loin and upper part of the hind legs.
In getting this nice roast, however, you spoil the hind quarter, as
the saddle takes some of the nicest parts of this and leaves it too
dry to cook by itself. The hind quarter and loin together make a very
nice dish--the latter being fat and juicy.
The fore quarter is sometimes cut by taking off the shoulder and
taking the rib-piece, making a piece called the brisket or breast, and
many persons esteem this the choicest part of the mutton. The ribs cut
next to the back are used for mutton chops.
When you have a large supply of mutton on hand, it is well to put the
hind quarters in brine, as you can thus corn them as nicely as beef.
As mutton spoils easily, this plan is very advisable.
Whilst boiled mutton is very nice, lamb is spoiled by this mode of
cooking. If lamb is to be roasted, it should be covered with the caul,
as the fat, dripping from this, will preserve the moisture of the
meat.
In carving the fore quarter of lamb, first take off the shoulder and
then cut the ribs in strips.
Lamb is seldom cut except in quarters, and when nicely cooked there is
nothing better. It should be four months old before being eaten. The
season for lamb is from May to August, whilst that for mutton is from
August to Christmas.
TO ROAST MUTTON.
The hind quarter is the nicest part of the mutton to roast, and
requires longer to cook than lamb. Put it in a pot of boiling water
and let it simmer one hour. Lift it into a baking-pan, rub with salt
and pepper (too much salt makes the meat tough). Rub over it a little
lard and then dredge with flour: skim off the top of the water and
pour over it. Set it in a hot oven, basting frequently to prevent it
from being hard and dry; roast till thoroughly done. This is nice to
set aside for a cold dish, garnished with horseradish and eaten with
currant jelly.--_Mrs. P. W._
ROAST LEG OF MUTTON.
Choose young and tender mutton. Take off the shank--wash it well; let
it lie fifteen or twenty minutes in salt water to take the blood out.
Rub with little salt and pepper well. Lay on a grate, which will go
nicely in a baking-pan, over one pint boiling water; break the bones
of the shank in the water, adding more pepper and salt. Set it in a
very hot oven, and baste frequently to prevent it from being hard and
dry. When it is of a light brown, cover with sheets of buttered paper.
Place it on a dish; add minced parsley to the gravy, which should be
brown. Cover the roast with grated brown cracker and garnish at
intervals with chopped parsley; pour the gravy in the dish, not over
it. Mutton should always be perfectly done.--_Mrs. S. T._
ROAST SADDLE OF MUTTON.
Trim the joint carefully, roast it at a brisk, clear fire; baste
frequently, and when done dredge it plentifully with salt, and serve
with the gravy well freed from fat.
TO BOIL A LEG OF MUTTON.
Make a paste of flour quite plain, mixed stiff with water, roll out as
for a meat pudding; break and turn in the shank bone; then cover the
leg of mutton carefully with the paste; tie up tight in a well-floured
cloth. Have ready sufficient boiling water, place in the joint, allow
ten minutes for checking the boiling, and twenty minutes for each
pound of meat. Carefully remove the paste, which can be done by one
cut longitudinally and one cut across. Strain the gravy and serve as
usual.
BOILED LEG OF MUTTON.
Dip a cloth in hot water, tie up the mutton and put in boiling water.
Boil slowly for two hours, or longer, if not kept constantly
boiling.--_Mrs. R._
BROILED MUTTON.
After a leg of mutton has been washed and wiped dry, place in a cloth
that has been dipped in boiling water. Roll it up, pin and tie
securely; put in a pot of boiling water. Let it simmer several hours,
removing the scum that rises when it first begins to boil. If a small
leg of mutton, it will require a shorter time to cook than a large
one. Just before it is done, add enough salt to season it properly,
half an onion, and one heaping teaspoonful of black pepper. When this
has properly seasoned the meat, take from the fire, unwrap and drain.
Serve with drawn butter, adding capers or nasturtium seed, or if you
have neither, use chopped sour pickle instead. Mutton should always
be served with caper sauce, if possible.--_Mrs. S. T._
TO COOK A SADDLE OF MUTTON.
Meats are all better for being kept a day or two before cooking,
particularly mutton. If the mutton be tender, do not boil it, but put
it in a pan of water, set it on the stove, and cook slowly, basting
constantly with the gravy or water in the pan; with pepper and salt to
taste. Just before it is done, put some scraped horseradish over it,
and garnish the dish with the same; add a little ground mustard and
grated bread or cracker; pour the gravy over it, and grate bread over,
and set aside to cool. This is for cold mutton. All meats are better
for roasting before a fire than in a stove.--_Mrs. P. W._
SADDLE OF MUTTON.
This should be covered with paper, and carefully roasted or baked.
Season with a little pepper and salt; garnish with horseradish.
ICED SADDLE OF MUTTON.
Reserve the drippings from the meat when it is roasting. After the
saddle is nicely cooked, let it get cold. Then take the white part of
the gravy and melt it to the consistency of cream. Pour this over the
saddle until it is covered with a white coat; if it appears rough,
warm an iron spoon and pass over it until it is smooth. Place it on a
dish, and dress the dish all round with vegetable flowers and curled
parsley, using the parsley to ornament the saddle also.--_Mrs. Judge
S._
TO CORN MUTTON.
Mutton being less apt to keep than other meat, it is well, when you
have an over-supply, to corn it exactly as you would corn beef.--_Miss
R. S._
SHOULDER OF MUTTON CORNED.
Take a small shoulder of mutton, rub it with
2 ounces salt.
2 ounces sugar.
½ ounce saltpetre.
After twenty-four hours, rub it again with the pickle; next day boil
this in paste like the leg of mutton. Serve smothered in onion sauce.
MUTTON CHOP.
Get from your butcher nicely shaped mutton chops, not too long. Put
them into a pan with pepper and salt, and barely enough water to cover
them.
Cover close and simmer till done; drain, wipe dry; pepper, salt and
butter them; with a spoon, cover with an egg beaten stiff. Sift over
pounded crackers. Put in a pan and set in an oven to brown.--_Mrs. S.
T._
MUTTON CHOPS DRESSED WITH TOMATOES.
Place in a pan tomatoes peeled and chopped; season with butter,
pepper, sugar, and salt.
Take from your gridiron some nicely broiled mutton chops; put into a
pan, cover close, and simmer for fifteen minutes. Lay the chops on a
hot dish, put on a little butter, pepper and salt.
With a spoon, cover each chop with tomatoes. Sift over pounded cracker
and serve.--_Mrs. S. T._
MUTTON CHOP.
Cut the steaks; pepper and salt them. Broil them lightly on both
sides; take them off the gridiron, lay them on a spider. Slice up one
large onion and stew until it becomes tender; put a layer between each
chop and stew until they become tender. Take out the steaks, cover
them closely or tilt the gravy to the side of the vessel, till it is
brown; stir in a lump of butter.--_Mrs. A. P._
_Mutton Chop._
Mushroom catsup is a nice flavoring. Put pepper and salt on the chops
and lay them in melted butter; when they have imbibed sufficient, take
out and cover with grated bread crumbs and broil.--_Mrs. R._
BROILED MUTTON CHOPS.
Beat the mutton chops till tender; then trim, making them of uniform
size and shape; pour on them boiling water. Let them remain in it a
minute, dry them and rub with pepper, salt, and fresh butter. Lay on a
gridiron over hot coals, always remembering to cover them while
broiling. Turn them, and as soon as nicely browned place in a hot
dish, pepper again, pour over them melted butter, and serve.--_Mrs. S.
T._
MUTTON STEW.
Cut slices of rare mutton and put on to stew in a little water; when
nearly done put in--
1 teacup of sweet pickle vinegar.
3 large spoonfuls jelly.
A little salt.
1 teaspoonful mustard.
½ teacup of walnut catsup.
Butter size of an egg.
Stew slowly a short time.--_Mrs. F. D._
_Mutton Stew._
Slice cold mutton or lamb, lay it in a baking dish; put in--
1 teaspoonful black pepper.
1 teaspoonful red pepper.
1 teaspoonful celery-seed, pounded.
Rather more than 1 teaspoonful each of pounded cloves, cinnamon
and mace.
1 teacup of yellow pickle vinegar.
1 glassful wine.
Slice up a little yellow pickled cucumber, sugar to taste, one-quarter
pound butter, one roll of light bread broken in small pieces or cut in
little slices, and toasted before used.
In preparing this dish put a layer of the meat and seasonings
alternately.
The peppers, celery-seed, cloves, cinnamon, and mace must all be
pounded fine.--_Mrs. C._
GRILLED SLICES OF MUTTON.
Cut some rather thick slices of underdone cold mutton, score them well
and rub in plentifully some common mustard, salt, and cayenne pepper;
then broil them over a clear fire, and serve with onion sauce.
SHEEP'S TONGUES.
Boil them till the skin can be taken off; split them, and put them
into a stew-pan, with some gravy, parsley, mushrooms, and one minced
shallot, and some butter, some pepper, and salt.
Stew till tender, and strain the gravy over them; or they may be
glazed and served with the gravy under them. Sheep's tongues may also
be skinned, larded, braised, and glazed; and served with onion sauce.
TO ROAST LAMB.
The hind quarter is the nicest piece for roasting. Drop it in a pot of
boiling water; boil half an hour, put it in a pan, dredge it with
lard, pepper, flour, a little salt; skim the top of the water in which
it is boiled, and pour over it; as soon as the gravy accumulates in
the pan keep it basted frequently to prevent it from being hard and
dry. Lamb should be cooked done to be good.--_Mrs. P. W._
TO GRILL A SHOULDER OF LAMB.
Half boil it, score and cover it with egg, crumbs, and parsley
seasoned as for cutlets. Broil it over a very clear, slow fire, or
put it in a Dutch oven to brown it; serve with any sauce that is
liked. A breast of lamb is often grilled in the same way.
LAMB'S HEAD TO FRICASSEE.