Roast a Haunch of Venison

Ingredients

• 1 haunch of venison
• freshly-ground pepper or powdered ginger
• butter
• flour
• water
• clarified dripping
• good currant jelly
• gravy

Instructions

1. Hang the venison to age, wiping it periodically with soft dry cloths to remove moisture.
2. Dust the venison plentifully with freshly-ground pepper or powdered ginger to protect from flies.
3. When ready to cook, wash the venison slightly with tepid water or wipe thoroughly with damp cloths, then dry completely with clean ones.
4. Lay a large sheet of thickly-buttered paper over the fat side of the haunch.
5. Cover the paper with a paste of flour and water about three quarters of an inch thick.
6. Cover the paste with two or three sheets of stout paper and secure the whole firmly with twine.
7. Lay the haunch before a sound clear fire and baste the paper immediately with butter or clarified dripping.
8. Roast the joint from three and a half to four and a half hours, according to its weight and quality (doe venison will require half an hour less time than buck venison).
9. Twenty minutes before the joint is done, remove the paste and paper.
10. Baste the meat in every part with butter and dredge it very lightly with flour.
11. Let the meat take a pale brown colour and send it to table as hot as possible with gravy in a tureen and good currant jelly.