LAMB AND MUTTON
Lamb is the name given to the meat of lambs; mutton, to the meat of
sheep. Lamb, coming as it does from the young creature, is immature, and
less nutritious than mutton. The flesh of mutton ranks with the flesh of
beef in nutritive value and digestibility. The fat of mutton, on account
of its larger percentage of stearic acid, is more difficult of digestion
than the fat of beef.
Lamb may be eaten soon after the animal is killed and dressed; mutton
must hang to ripen. Good mutton comes from a sheep about three years
old, and should hang from two to three weeks. The English South Down
Mutton is cut from creatures even older than three years. Young lamb,
when killed from six weeks to three months old, is called spring lamb,
and appears in the market as early as the last of January, but is very
scarce until March. Lamb one year old is called a yearling. Many object
to the strong flavor of mutton; this is greatly overcome by removing the
pink skin and trimming off superfluous fat.
Lamb and mutton are divided into two parts by cutting through entire
length of backbone; then subdivided into fore and hind quarter, eight
ribs being left on hind quarter,—while in beef but three ribs are left
on hind-quarter. These eight ribs are cut into chops and are known as
_rib chops_. The meat which lies between these ribs and the leg, cut
into chops, is known as _loin_ or _kidney chops_.
Lamb and mutton chops cut from loin have a small piece of tenderloin on
one side of bone, and correspond to porterhouse steaks in the beef
creature. Rib chops which have the bone cut short and scraped clean,
nearly to the lean meat, are called _French chops_.
_The leg_ is sold whole for boiling or roasting. The fore-quarter may be
boned, stuffed, rolled, and roasted, but is more often used for broth,
stew, or fricassee.
For _a saddle of mutton_ the loin is removed whole before splitting the
creature. Some of the bones are removed and the flank ends are rolled,
fastened with wooden skewers, and securely tied to keep skewers in
place.
Good quality mutton should be fine-grained and of bright pink color; the
fat white, hard, and flaky. If the outside skin comes off easily, mutton
is sure to be good. Lamb chops may be easily distinguished from mutton
chops by the red color of bone. As lamb grows older, blood recedes from
bones; therefore in mutton the bone is white. In _leg of lamb_ the bone
at joint is serrated, while in leg of mutton the bone at joint is smooth
and rounded. Good mutton contains a larger proportion of fat than good
beef. Poor mutton is often told by the relatively small proportion of
fat and lean as compared to bone.
Lamb is usually preferred well done; mutton is often cooked rare.
Broiled Lamb or Mutton Chops
Wipe chops, remove superfluous fat, and place in a broiler greased with
some of mutton fat. In loin chops, flank may be rolled and fastened with
a small wooden skewer. Follow directions for Broiling Beefsteak on page
196.
Pan-broiled Chops
Chops for pan broiling should have flank and most of fat removed. Wipe
chops and put in hissing hot frying-pan.
Turn as soon as under surface is seared, and sear other side. Turn
often, using knife and fork that the surface may not be pierced, as
would be liable if fork alone were used. Cook six minutes if liked rare,
eight to ten minutes if liked well done. Let stand around edge of
frying-pan to brown the outside fat. When half cooked, sprinkle with
salt. Drain on brown paper, put on hot platter, and spread with butter
or serve with Tomato or Soubise Sauce.
Breaded Mutton Chops
Wipe and trim chops, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in crumbs, egg,
and crumbs, fry in deep fat from five to eight minutes, and drain. Serve
with Tomato Sauce, or stack around a mound of mashed potatoes, fried
potato balls, or green peas. Never fry but four at a time, and allow fat
to reheat between fryings. After testing fat for temperature, put in
chops and place kettle on back of range, that surface of chops may not
be too brown while the inside is still underdone.
Chops à la Signora
Gash French Chops on outer edge, extending cut half-way through lean
meat. Insert in each gash a slice of truffle, sprinkle with salt and
pepper, wrap in calf’s caul. Roll in flour, dip in egg, then in stale
bread crumbs, and sauté in butter eight minutes, turning often. Place in
oven four minutes to finish cooking. Arrange on hot platter for serving,
and place on top of each a fresh broiled mushroom or mushroom baked in
cream. To fat in pan add a small quantity of boiling water and pour
around chops. This is a delicious way of cooking chops for a dinner
party.
Lamb Chops à la Marseilles
Pan broil, on one side, six French chops, cover cooked side with
Mushroom Sauce, place in a buttered baking-dish, and bake in a hot oven
eight minutes. Remove to serving dish, place a paper frill on each chop,
and garnish with parsley.
=Mushroom Sauce.= Brown one and one-half tablespoons butter, add three
tablespoons flour, and stir until well browned; then add one-half cup
highly seasoned Brown Stock. Add one-fourth cup chopped canned
mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper.
Chops à la Castillane
Broil six lamb chops, arrange on slices of fried eggplant, and pour
around the following sauce: Brown three tablespoons butter, add three
and one-half tablespoons flour, and stir until well browned; then add,
gradually, one cup rich Brown Stock. Cook three tablespoons lean raw ham
cut in small cubes in one-half tablespoon butter two minutes. Moisten
with two tablespoons Sherry wine, and add to sauce with two tablespoons
finely shredded green pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
Chops en Papillote
Finely chop the whites of three “hard-boiled” eggs and force yolks
through potato ricer, mix, and add to three common crackers, rolled and
sifted; then add three tablespoons melted butter, salt, pepper, and
onion juice, to taste. Add enough cream to make of right consistency to
spread. Cover chops thinly with mixture and wrap in buttered paper
cases. Bake twenty-five minutes in hot oven. Remove from cases, place on
hot platter, and garnish with parsley.
Mutton Cutlets à la Maintenon
Wipe six French Chops, cut one and one-half inches thick. Split meat in
halves, cutting to bone. Cook two and one-half tablespoons butter and
one tablespoon onion five minutes; remove onion, add one-half cup
chopped mushrooms, and cook five minutes; then add two tablespoons
flour, three tablespoons stock, one teaspoon finely chopped parsley,
one-fourth teaspoon salt, and a few grains cayenne. Spread mixture
between layers of chops, press together lightly, wrap in buttered paper
cases, and broil ten minutes. Serve with Spanish Sauce.
Boiled Leg of Mutton
Wipe meat, place in a kettle, and cover with boiling water. Bring
quickly to boiling-point, boil five minutes, and skim. Set on back of
range and simmer until meat is tender. When half done, add one
tablespoon salt. Serve with Caper Sauce, or add to two cups White Sauce
(made of one-half milk and one-half Mutton Stock), two “hard-boiled”
eggs cut in slices.
Braised Leg of Mutton
Order a leg of mutton boned. Wipe, stuff, sew, and place in deep pan.
Cook five minutes in one-fourth cup butter, a slice each of onion,
carrot, and turnip cut in dice, one-half bay leaf, and a sprig each of
thyme and parsley. Add three cups hot water, one and one-half teaspoons
salt, and twelve peppercorns; pour over mutton. Cover closely, and cook
slowly three hours, uncovering for the last half-hour. Remove from pan
to hot platter. Brown three tablespoons butter, add four tablespoons
flour, and stir until well browned; then pour on slowly the strained
liquor; there should be one and three-fourths cups.
Stuffing
1 cup cracker crumbs
¼ cup melted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
½ tablespoon Poultry Seasoning
¼ cup boiling water
Roast Lamb
A leg of lamb is usually sent from market wrapped in caul; remove caul,
wipe meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place on rack in dripping-pan,
and dredge meat and bottom of pan with flour. Place in hot oven, and
baste as soon as flour in pan is brown, and every fifteen minutes
afterwards until meat is done, which will take about one and
three-fourths hours. It may be necessary to put a small quantity of
water in pan while meat is cooking. Leg of lamb may be boned and stuffed
for roasting. See Stuffing, under Braised Mutton.
Make gravy, following directions for Roast Beef Gravy on page 202, or
serve with Currant Jelly Sauce.
=To Carve a Leg of Lamb.= Cut in thin slices across grain of meat to the
bone, beginning at top of the leg.
Lamb Bretonne
Serve hot thinly sliced roast lamb with
=Beans Bretonne.= Soak one and one-half cups pea beans over night in
cold water to cover, drain, and parboil until soft; again drain, put in
earthen-ware dish or bean-pot, add tomato sauce, cover, and cook until
beans have nearly absorbed sauce.
[Illustration:
KIDNEY LAMB CHOP; RIB CHOP; FRENCH CHOP.—_Page 214._
]
[Illustration:
CROWN OF LAMB, PREPARED FOR ROASTING.—_Page 219._
]
[Illustration:
SADDLE OF MUTTON AS PURCHASED.—_Page 191._
]
[Illustration:
ROAST SADDLE OF MUTTON GARNISHED WITH CIRCULAR PIECES OF TOAST, SMALL
CIRCULAR PIECES OF CURRANT JELLY, RADISHES CUT TO REPRESENT
FUCHSIAS, AND PARSLEY.—_Page 219._
]
=Tomato Sauce.= Mix one cup stewed and strained tomatoes, one cup white
stock, six canned pimentoes rubbed through a sieve, one onion finely
chopped, two cloves garlic finely chopped, one-fourth cup butter, and
two teaspoons salt.
Saddle of Mutton
Mutton for a saddle should always be dressed at market. Wipe meat,
sprinkle with salt and pepper, place on rack in dripping-pan, and dredge
meat and bottom of pan with flour. Bake in hot oven one and one-fourth
hours, basting every fifteen minutes. Serve with Currant Jelly Sauce.
=To Carve a Saddle of Mutton=, cut thin slices parallel with backbone,
then slip the knife under and separate slices from ribs.
Saddle of Mutton, Currant Mint Sauce
Follow directions for Saddle of Mutton, and serve with
=Currant Mint Sauce.= Separate two-thirds tumbler of currant jelly in
pieces, but do not beat it. Add one and one-half tablespoons finely
chopped mint leaves and shavings from the rind of one-fourth orange.
Saddle of Lamb à l’Estragnon
Wipe meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place on rack in dripping-pan,
and dredge meat and bottom of pan with flour. Bake in hot oven one and
one-fourth hours, basting every fifteen minutes. Remove to hot serving
dish and pour around
=Estragnon Sauce.= Brown four tablespoons butter, add four tablespoons
flour (which has been previously browned), and pour on gradually, while
stirring constantly, two cups bouillon, and one-half cup stock which has
infused with one tablespoon tarragon one hour.
Crown of Lamb
Select parts from two loins containing ribs, scrape flesh from bone
between ribs, as far as lean meat, and trim off backbone. Shape each
piece in a semicircle, having ribs outside, and sew pieces together to
form a crown. Trim ends of bones evenly, care being taken that they are
not left too long, and wrap each bone in a thin strip of fat salt pork
or insert in cubes of fat salt pork to prevent bone from burning; then
cover with buttered paper. Roast one and one-fourth hours.
Remove pork from bones before serving, and fill centre with Purée of
Chestnuts.
Lamb en Casserole
Wipe two slices of lamb cut one and one-fourth inches thick from centre
of leg. Put in hot frying-pan, and turn frequently until seared and
browned on both sides. Brush over with melted butter, season with salt
and pepper, and bake in casserole dish twenty minutes or until tender.
Parboil three-fourths cup carrot, cut in strips, fifteen minutes; drain,
and sauté in one tablespoon bacon fat to which has been added one
tablespoon finely chopped onion. Add to lamb, with one cup potato balls,
two cups thin Brown Sauce, three tablespoons Sherry wine, and pepper to
taste. Cook until potatoes are soft, then add twelve small onions cooked
until soft, then drained and sautéd in butter to which is added one
tablespoon sugar. Onions need not be sautéd unless they are desired
glazed. Serve from casserole dish.
Mutton Curry
Wipe and cut meat from fore-quarter of mutton in one-inch pieces; there
should be three cupfuls. Put in kettle, cover with cold water, and bring
quickly to boiling-point; drain in colander and pour over one quart cold
water. Return meat to kettle, cover with one quart boiling water, add
three onions cut in slices, one-half teaspoon peppercorns, and a sprig
each of thyme and parsley. Simmer until meat is tender, remove meat,
strain liquor, and thicken with one-fourth cup each of butter and flour
cooked together; to the flour add one-half teaspoon curry powder,
one-half teaspoon salt, and one-eighth teaspoon pepper. Add meat to
gravy, reheat, and serve with border of steamed rice.
Fricassee of Lamb with Brown Gravy
Order three pounds lamb from the fore-quarter, cut in pieces for
serving. Wipe meat, put in kettle, cover with boiling water, and cook
slowly until meat is tender. Remove from water, cool, sprinkle with salt
and pepper, dredge with flour, and sauté in butter or mutton fat.
Arrange on platter, and pour around one and one-half cups Brown Sauce
made from liquor in which meat was cooked after removing all fat. It is
better to cook meat the day before serving, as then fat may be more
easily removed.
Mutton Broth
3 lbs. mutton (from the neck)
2 quarts cold water
1 teaspoon salt
Few grins pepper
3 tablespoons rice or
3 tablespoons barley
Wipe meat, remove skin and fat, and cut in small pieces. Put into kettle
with bones, and cover with cold water. Heat gradually to boiling-point,
skim, then season with salt and pepper. Cook slowly until meat is
tender, strain, and remove fat. Reheat to boiling-point, add rice or
barley, and cook until rice or barley is tender. If barley is used, soak
over night in cold water. Some of the meat may be served with the broth.
Irish Stew with Dumplings
Wipe and cut in pieces three pounds lamb from the fore-quarter. Put in
kettle, cover with boiling water, and cook slowly two hours or until
tender. After cooking one hour add one-half cup each carrot and turnip
cut in one-half inch cubes, and one onion cut in slices. Fifteen minutes
before serving add four cups potatoes cut in one-fourth inch slices,
previously parboiled five minutes in boiling water. Thicken with
one-fourth cup flour, diluted with enough cold water to form a thin
smooth paste. Season with salt and pepper, serve with Dumplings. (See p.
205.)
Scotch Broth
Wipe three pounds mutton cut from fore-quarter. Cut lean meat in
one-inch cubes, put in kettle, cover with three pints cold water, bring
quickly to boiling-point, skim, and add one-half cup barley which has
been soaked in cold water over night; simmer one and one-half hours, or
until meat is tender. Put bones in a second kettle, cover with cold
water, heat slowly to boiling-point, skim, and boil one and one-half
hours. Strain water from bones and add to meat. Fry five minutes in two
tablespoons butter, one-fourth cup each of carrot, turnip, onion, and
celery, cut in one-half inch dice, add to soup with salt and pepper to
taste, and cook until vegetables are soft. Thicken with two tablespoons
each of butter and flour cooked together. Add one-half tablespoon finely
chopped parsley just before serving. Rice may be used in place of
barley.
Lambs’ Kidneys I
Soak, pare, and cut in slices six kidneys, and sprinkle with salt and
pepper. Melt two tablespoons butter in hot frying-pan, put in kidneys,
and cook five minutes; dredge thoroughly with flour, and add two-thirds
cup boiling water or hot Brown Stock. Cook five minutes, add more salt
and pepper if needed. Lemon juice, onion juice, or Madeira wine may be
used for additional flavor. Kidneys must be cooked a short time, or for
several hours; they are tender after a few minutes’ cooking, but soon
toughen, and need hours of cooking to again make them tender.
Lambs’ Kidneys II
Soak, pare, trim, and slice six kidneys. Sprinkle with salt and pepper,
sauté in butter, and remove to a hot dish. Cook one-half tablespoon
finely chopped onion in two tablespoons butter until brown; add three
tablespoons flour, and pour on slowly one and one-half cups hot stock.
Season with salt and pepper, strain, add kidneys, and one tablespoon
Madeira wine.
Ragout of Kidneys
Soak lambs’ kidneys one hour in lukewarm water. Drain, clean, cut in
slices, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and sauté in
butter. Fry one sliced onion and one-half shallot, finely chopped, in
three tablespoons butter until yellow; add three tablespoons flour and
one and one-fourth cups Brown Stock. Cook five minutes, strain, and add
one-half cup mushroom caps peeled and cut in quarters; season with salt
and pepper, add kidneys, and serve as soon as heated. White wine may be
added if desired.
Kidney Rolls
Mix one-half cup stale bread crumbs, one-half small onion, finely
chopped, and one-half tablespoon finely chopped parsley. Season with
salt and pepper and moisten with beaten egg. Spread mixture on thin
slices of bacon, fasten around pieces of lambs’ kidney, using skewers.
Bake in a hot oven twenty minutes.
WAYS OF WARMING OVER MUTTON AND LAMB
Minced Lamb on Toast
Remove dry pieces of skin and gristle from remnants of cold roast lamb,
then chop meat. Heat in well-buttered frying-pan, season with salt,
pepper, and celery salt, and moisten with a little hot water or stock;
or, after seasoning, dredge well with flour, stir, and add enough stock
to make thin gravy. Pour over small slices of buttered toast.
Scalloped Lamb
Remove skin and fat from thin slices of cold roast lamb, and sprinkle
with salt and pepper. Cover bottom of a buttered baking-dish with
buttered cracker crumbs; cover meat with boiled macaroni, and add
another layer of meat and macaroni. Pour over Tomato Sauce, and cover
with buttered cracker crumbs. Bake in hot oven until crumbs are brown.
Cold boiled rice may be used in place of macaroni.
Blanquette of Lamb
Cut remnants of cooked lamb in cubes or strips. Reheat two cups meat in
two cups sauce,—sauce made of one-fourth cup each of butter and flour,
one cup White Stock, and one cup of milk which has been scalded with two
blades of mace. Season with salt and pepper, and add one tablespoon
Mushroom Catsup, or any other suitable table sauce. Garnish with large
croûtons, serve around green peas, or in a potato border, sprinkle with
finely chopped parsley.
Barbecued Lamb
Cut cold roast lamb in thin slices and reheat in sauce made by melting
two tablespoons butter, adding three-fourths tablespoon vinegar,
one-fourth cup currant jelly, one-fourth teaspoon French mustard, and
salt and cayenne to taste.
Rechauffé of Lamb
Brown two tablespoons butter, add two and one-half tablespoons flour,
and stir until well browned; then add one-fourth teaspoon, each, curry
powder, mustard, and salt, and one-eighth teaspoon paprika. Add,
gradually, one cup brown stock and two tablespoons sherry wine. Reheat
cold roast lamb cut in thin slices in sauce.
Salmi of Lamb
Cut cold roast lamb in thin slices. Cook five minutes two tablespoons
butter with one-half tablespoon finely chopped onion. Add lamb, sprinkle
with salt and pepper, and cover with one cup Brown Sauce, or one cup
cold lamb gravy seasoned with Worcestershire, Harvey, or Elizabeth
Sauce. Cook until thoroughly heated. Arrange slices overlapping one
another lengthwise of platter, pour around sauce, and garnish with toast
points. A few sliced mushrooms or stoned olives improve this sauce.
Casserole of Rice and Meat
Line a mould, slightly greased, with steamed rice. Fill the centre with
two cups cold, finely chopped, cooked mutton, highly seasoned with salt,
pepper, cayenne, celery salt, onion juice and lemon juice; then add
one-fourth cup cracker crumbs, one egg slightly beaten, and enough hot
stock or water to moisten. Cover meat with rice, cover rice with
buttered paper to keep out moisture while steaming, and steam forty-five
minutes. Serve on a platter surrounded with Tomato Sauce. Veal may be
used in place of mutton.
Breast of Lamb
Wipe a breast of lamb, put in kettle with bouquet of sweet herbs, a
small onion stuck with six cloves, one-half tablespoon salt, one-half
teaspoon peppercorns, and one-fourth cup each carrot and turnip cut in
dice. Cover with boiling water, and simmer until bones will slip out
easily. Take meat from water, remove bones, and press under weight. When
cool, trim in shape, dip in crumbs, egg, and crumbs, fry in deep fat,
and drain. Serve with Spanish Sauce. Small pieces of cold lamb may be
sprinkled with salt and pepper, dipped in crumbs, egg, and crumbs, and
fried in deep fat.