Leg of Mutton Boned and Forced

Ingredients

• 1 leg of mutton (South Down or similar delicate-sized)
• 1 pound forcemeat (or inside of the mutton)
• 6 ounces delicate striped bacon
• 3/4 ounce parsley
• 3/8 ounce thyme
• 3/8 ounce winter savoury
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon mace
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 small lemon
• eschalot, garlic, or onion

Instructions

1. Select a joint of South Down or similarly tender mutton that has been well aged.
2. Lay the leg on a clean cloth on a table with the underside facing up.
3. Using a sharp boning-knife, cut through the middle of the skin from the knuckle to the first joint.
4. Raise the skin from the flesh along the side where the bone runs, cutting down to the bone with care.
5. Work the knife around the bone in every direction until you reach the socket.
6. Remove the flat bone from the large end of the joint.
7. Pass the knife freely around the remaining bone—it need not be removed entirely from the meat.
8. When you reach the middle joint, loosen the skin around it with great care.
9. Draw out both bones without dividing them.
10. Prepare the forcemeat: either use prepared forcemeat No. 1 with added seasoning of eschalot, garlic, or onion, or cut out nearly a pound of the inside of the mutton and chop it fine.
11. Mix the chopped mutton with six ounces of delicate striped bacon.
12. Thoroughly combine the mixture with three quarters of an ounce of minced parsley, and half as much of minced thyme and winter savoury.
13. Add half a teaspoon each of pepper (or one third teaspoon cayenne), mace, salt, and nutmeg.
14. Stir in either the grated rind of a small lemon or four finely shred eschalots.
15. Fill the cavities in the leg with the forcemeat.
16. Sew the skin neatly together where it has been cut open.
17. Tie the knuckle round tightly to prevent the gravy from escaping.
18. Replace the flat bone at the large end of the joint.
19. Use a long needle and twine to draw the edges of the meat together over the flat bone.
20. Roast the prepared mutton in a cradle spit or upon a bottle-jack with the knuckle downwards, placing it first far from the fire.
21. Keep the mutton constantly basted during roasting.
22. Continue roasting for nearly or quite three hours.
23. Remove the twine before serving.
24. Send the mutton very hot to table with some rich brown gravy.