Roast Black-Cock

Ingredients

• Black-cock
• butter
• toast
• ROAST BLACK-COCK.]

Instructions

1. Let these birds hang for a few days, or they will be tough and tasteless, if not well kept.
2. Pluck and draw them, and wipe the insides and outsides with a damp cloth, as washing spoils the flavour.
3. Cut off the heads, and truss them, the same as a roast fowl, cutting off the toes, and scalding and peeling the feet.
4. Trussing them with the head on, as shown in the engraving, is still practised by many cooks, but the former method is now considered the best.
5. Put them down to a brisk fire, well baste them with butter, and serve with a piece of toast under, and a good gravy and bread sauce.
6. After trussing, some cooks cover the breast with vine-leaves and slices of bacon, and then roast them.
7. They should be served in the same manner and with the same accompaniments as with the plainly-roasted birds.