The Art of German Cooking and Baking/Mutton
CHAPTER 4.
MUTTON.
- 1. Leg.
- 2-3. Loin and small Ribs, or Loin Chops and Rib Chops.
- 4-5. Shoulder and Round Shoulder.
- 6. Neck.
- 7. Breast.
- 8. Head
Boiled and roasted mutton.
How scraps of mutton may be utilized.
The best time for lambs is from beginning of December to the end of April. Good lamb meat is hard or firm and white and the fat also. Avoid buying soft, reddish meat of lamb or mutton. The forequarter is the. most tender part of lamb.
The wether furnishes the best meat when he is 3 to 3 years old. Up to one year it is called lamb meat or lamb, older than that it is called mutton. Good mutton must be juicy, red and covered with a layer of white fat.
Best parts for roasts are leg and loin.
Best pieces for braising and stews are leg, loin and breast.
Small pieces for frying, cutlets and steaks from leg.
Best meat to make bouillon is all lean meat, the feet, scraps of cutlets and bones.
Mutton is less nourishing than beef. It may be kept fresh in vinegar, buttermilk or sweet milk.
Especially old mutton will be more palatable after being kept in vinegar or milk for a while.
Quantity for 6–8 Persons.
- 6 lbs. of leg of mutton
- Salt
- 1 pinch of pepper
- 1 tbsp. of butter
- 1 small bunch of peppermint
- Some vinegar and sugar
Preparation: Remove some fat from the leg of mutton, wash it well, pound it, salt and pepper it, and put into oven with ½ pint of boiling water. Add 1 tablespoonful of butter and roast 1½ hours, basting frequently; the roast will be quite rare inside. If you wish it well done, roast 2 to 2¼ hours.
Wash the peppermint well and chop it very fine, stir it with vinegar and sugar and serve with the meat. If you do not like peppermint sauce, pour off all fat from the roast, add 1½ tablespoonfuls of flour, brown it and pour in 1 cup of water, ¼ cup of cream and let this boil ; then season with salt, strain the gravy and serve it with the meat.
Quantity for 6–8 Persons.
- 6 lbs. of leg of mutton
- 2–3 qts. of milk
- ⅛ lb. of bacon for larding
- Salt, pepper
- 2 cloves
- ½ onion
- ½ bay-leaf
- ⅛ lb. of butter
- 2 tbsps. of flour
- ½ cup of sweet or sour cream
- A few drops of lemon juice
- 1 cup of water
Preparation: The membrane and fat are removed from the leg of mutton and it is then well pounded and put into sweet milk for 2 or 3 days, turning it twice every day. The milk should cover the roast. In winter leave it in the milk for 3 days, in summer only 2. After this wash it off, lard it, salt and pepper it, put into oven with water, the spices and onion. After roasting it for ½ hour, add the butter, roast for 2 hours, basting frequently.
During the last ½ hour take off some fat, stir in 3 tablespoonfuls of flour and add 1 cup of water, gradually, also the cream and a few drops of lemon juice; now leave it in the oven a little longer. If the gravy has boiled down too much in the last ½ hour, add some more water. The gravy must be. smooth and strained before serving with the roast. This is a very good dish.
Quantity for 6–8 Persons.
- 6 lbs. of leg of mutton
- ⅛ lb. of bacon
- 10 sardines
- 1 qt. of thin vinegar
- 2 small onions
- 3 cloves
- 10 pepper-corns
- ⅛ lb. of butter
- Salt
- 1½ tbsps. of flour
- ½ pt. of red wine
- ½ pt. of water
- 1 bay-leaf
Preparation: The leg of mutton is cleared from all membrane and fat, pounded and larded. The sardines are drained and cut lengthwise into halves and the leg of mutton larded with them. The thus prepared leg of mutton is covered with 1 qt. of vinegar, onion slices, cloves, pepper-corns and bay-leaf and left in the vinegar for 24 hours, turning it over once in a while.
After this time the leg of mutton is fried with the butter and after ½ hour the flour is stirred in, add salt and pepper, the ½ pint of water and gradually the red wine. The roast is cooked slowly for 2 or 2½ hours and turned and basted several times until well done. The gravy is strained and served with the roast.
Remarks: If you do not like the taste of sardines, lard witlh bacon only.
Quantity for 6–8 Persons.
- 6 lbs. leg of mutton
- ⅛ lb. of butter
- 2 tbsps. of flour
- 2 wine glasses of
- ½ pt. champignons
- 8 pepper-corns
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 cloves
- Madeira ½ bay-leaf
- Water or bouillon
- Salt
Preparation: The leg of mutton is freed from all fat and membrane, salted and fried in the ⅛ lb. of butter to a nice brown on both sides, and placed on a platter. Brown the flour in the same butter, add ⅛ onion and water or bouillon, salt and spices. Put the meat back into this gravy, it must be half way covered with it, cover it up and roast in oven 2½ hours. Then take meat out again, strain the gravy, take off all fat, pour the gravy back into the roaster, add Madeira and lemon juice, place the meat into it, cover, and cook it ½ hour longer. Finally cut up the champignons and put them into the gravy. Leg of mutton and gravy may be served on the same platter or separately. The gravy must be smooth, not thick.
Quantity for 6–8 Persons.
The preparation and contents are the same as No. 4.
The bone is taken out, the cavity is filled with a stuffing as described in No. 11, of the previous chapter, Stuffed Veal Breast, and is cooked just the same as No. 4, of this chapter. You may omit the champignons.
Quantity for 8 Persons.
- 5 lbs. of leg of mutton
- ½ tbsp. of caraway seeds
- Salt
- 1 large onion sliced
- ½ carrot
- ¼ parsley root
- Water
- A thin white cloth
Preparation: The leg of mutton must be of a good quality. It is pounded, washed and tied into a thin white cloth; then put into boiling water; salt, onion, carrot, parsley root, caraway seeds added and cooked slowly for 2½ hours. The leg of mutton must be white outside and pink inside and juicy. Garnish with parsley and serve. A mustard or caper gravy is served with this meat.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 6 lbs. of saddle of mutton
- ⅛ lb. of butter
- ⅛ lb. of bacon for larding
- ½ pt. sweet or sour cream
- A few drops of lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. of flour
- Salt, pepper
Preparation: The ribs of the saddle of mutton are chopped off, the outer hard membrane is trimmed off and the bones cut out. Then the meat is pounded and larded, strewn with salt and pepper and put into the pan with the ⅛ lb. of butter with which it is basted very often. Water is added from time to time and cooked one hour. Now the flour is stirred in, ½ cup of water and the cream and lemon juice added and boiled again ½ hour. The meat must be basted very often. The gravy is then strained and served with the meat.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 6 lbs. of saddle of mutton
- 1 pt. of water
- Salt, pepper, soupgreens
Preparation: The saddle of mutton is pounded and skinned. The ribs are chopped off a little, the fat is left on. Now the meat is salted and peppered and put into the oven with 1 pint of boiling water, and soupgreens. Let it roast 1 hour, basting frequently. Then serve.
For the gravy, take 1 tablespoonful of flour, stir it into the drippings and add ¼ cup of cream. Skim the gravy. You can also serve a peppermint sauce as in No. 1. A Bearnaise gravy is nice too.
Quantity for 4 Persons.
- 2 mutton fillets
- ⅛ lb. of bacon
- Salt, pepper
- 3 tbsps. of butter
- ½ tbsp. of flour
- 1 cup of water
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tbsps. of white wine
- Bouillon
Preparation: The two fillets are cut from a saddle of mutton, (they are situated below the ribs alongside of the back). Cut the fillets lengthwise and crosswise so they make 8 pieces. Lard each piece nicely with the bacon, salt and pepper it, put the butter into the pan and fry quickly. Then stir in ½ tablespoonful of flour and pour in enough bouillon or water mixed with meat extract so the fillets are almost covered. Cover the pan and cook slowly ½ hour. Finally add the lemon juice and wine. Strain the gravy and pour it on the fillets or serve separately.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 4 lbs. rack or rib piece
- ½ carrot
- ½ parsley root
- ½ kohlrabi
- ½ onion
- ⅛ celery root
- Salt
- 3 qts. of water
Preparation: The rib-bones are partly chopped through and the whole piece of meat bound with string, then boiled slowly in 3 qts. of boiling water, salt and soupgreens. When done, put on a hot platter. A mustard or morel gravy is nice with it. The remnant of bouillon is used to cook vegetables in or for soup.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 4 lbs. of lean mutton
- 1 large head of white cabbage
- 2 tbsps. of butter
- Water
- Salt
Preparation: The cabbage is cut into 12 parts and put on the fire with boiling water, then cooked for 10 minutes. The water is then drained off and fresh boiling water put on. The meat is washed and salted, put in and cooked with the cabbage slowly for 2½ hours. Then it is "served on a hot platter. The cabbage must not have too much gravy. If it is not rich enough, add more butter. Serve it with the meat and potatoes.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 4 lbs. of mutton chops or cutlets
- 1 piece of butter
- Salt, pepper
Preparation: The cutlets are pounded well, and the bones all trimmed out. A pan is larded with some mutton fat and heated. The meat is put in and fried on the stove ¼ hour, turning it over often. Serve on a hot platter, salt and pepper, and butter. A peppermint sauce, as in No. 1, is good with this meat.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 4 lbs. of mutton chops
- ⅛ lb. of butter
- Salt, pepper
- ½ cup of water
Preparation: The real cutlet piece is the loin with the upper ends of the ribs. Every cutlet must have a rib and be one inch thick. They are pounded, skinned and the fat cut off, salted and peppered. The butter is melted in a pan and the cutlets put in and fried 3 to 5 minutes. Then they are served on a hot platter. For gravy pour some hot water or bouillon into the frying butter and perhaps a little more salt. Pour the gravy over the cutlets and serve hot.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 4 lbs. of mutton chops
- 1 piece of fresh butter
- Salt, pepper
Preparation: The cutlets are pounded and placed on a broiler 5 minutes, turning them once; placed on a hot platter, seasoned with salt and pepper, buttered and served at once.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 4 lbs. mutton chops
- Salt, pepper
- 1 cup grated rolls
- 3 tbsps. of Parmesan cheese
- ⅛ lb. of butter
Preparation: Trim off the skin and fat, pound, salt and pepper the cutlets. Heat some butter and dip each cutlet into it, then into a mixture of roll crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Now broil to a light brown on a broiler, which requires 5 minutes. Serve on a hot platter and pour the rest of the melted butter over them.
Remarks: You can also fry the cutlets in a pan; then you need an additional ⅛ lb. of butter.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 3½ lbs. mutton chops
- Salt, pepper
- 1 pt. cream or milk
- ⅛ grated onion
- 2 tbsps. of Parmesan or Swiss cheese
- ⅛ lb. of butter
- 2 lbs. boiled, chopped potatoes.
- 3 yolks of eggs
Preparation: There should be 12 pieces of chops; salt and pepper them and fry them brown on both sides in butter. The boiled potatoes are pressed through a potato masher and mixed well with the remainder of the butter, which is creamed with the yolks of 3 eggs, salt, grated onion, cheese, cream and the rest of the butter which is left in the pan. Half of this mixture is placed into a casserole, the fried cutlets are placed on top and the remainder of the mixture put on to cover them. Then strew bread crumbs over the whole and small pieces of butter and bake in a medium hot oven for ½ to ¾ hour. Serve in the casserole.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 4 lbs. of mutton cutlets
- Salt, pepper
- Some bacon for larding
- ½ pt. of champignons
- 1 tbsp. of flour
- Some bouillon or water mixed with ½ tsp. meat extract
- 2 tbsps. of butter
- 4 truffles
- 1 small wineglassful of Madeira or red wine
Preparation: The cutlets must be 3 inches thick. They are pounded and larded with bacon strips after the skin and fat have been removed from them, then peppered and salted and dipped in flour. Now they are quickly fried in butter and placed on a hot platter.
For the gravy, brown the flour in the butter, add bouillon, wine, salt, and the cutlets. Cover and stew until done. ¼ hour before they are done, skim the fat off and add the sliced champignons and chopped truffles. Serve the cutlets and gravy on the same hot platter. It is best to warm the plates with such a dish.
Remarks: You can prepare the cutlets more simply by omitting the champignons and truffles and putting 4 tomatoes into the gravy. Strain the gravy.
Mutton Cutlets stewed with all kinds of vegetables and Potatoes.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 3 lbs. of mutton chops
- 1 head of Savoy cabbage
- 5 kohlrabis
- 3 small onions
- 2 lbs. of raw potatoes
- Bouillon or water
- ¼ lb. of butter
- Salt, pepper
- ¼ head white cabbage
Preparation: The vegetables and potatoes are cleaned and peeled well and cut into small pieces. In an iron kettle, which has been buttered, the vegetables are placed in layers, then a layer of cutlets, seasoned with salt and pepper; on this a layer of potatoes and onions; repeat this twice, taking care that you do not season too highly with salt. Potatoes must be the last layer. Fill up with hot bouillon or water. Place a piece of butter on top. Stew or boil for 3 hours, well covered.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 10 mutton kidneys
- 1 piece of butter
- Salt, pepper
- ½ tbsp. of mustard
- Grated rye bread
Preparation: The kidneys are cut half way through, skinned and rubbed with salt and pepper. Melted butter mixed with mustard is put over them and then they are dipped in rye bread crumbs, basted with butter and baked 15 minutes.
This dish is very nice garnished with cooked vegetables.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 8 raw mutton kidneys
- 1 small onion
- Salt, white pepper
- 2 tbsps. of butter
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp. of flour
- 18 champignons
- ⅛ cup of rice
- Bouillon or water
- 1 tbsp. of butter
- 2 yolks of eggs
- ⅛ pt. gravy or broth from the meat
Preparation: The kidneys are sliced ⅛ inch thick. Butter, onions and sliced champignons are cooked; flour, gravy, salt and pepper are added. The sliced kidneys are put in and cooked slowly 15 minutes. Add lemon juice.
The ⅛ cup of rice is boiled until soft in bouillon or water to a thick mush, then the butter and finally the 2 yolks of eggs are stirred into it. A pudding-mold is buttered and strewn with roll crumbs, then put in a layer of rice and a layer of meat, alternately, until all is in; the last layer should be rice. Cover and cook in a steamer over a kettle of boiling water for 2 hours. After it is done, dump it on a hot platter and serve with Dutch gravy.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 2 lbs. of mutton, lean, without bones
- 1 large onion
- ⅛ lb. of butter
- Salt, pepper
- 2 tbsps. of flour
- ¾ qt. bouillon or water
- 1 wineglass red wine
Preparation: The meat is cut into 1½ inch pieces. Butter stewed with onion and the pieces of meat are put in to cook 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook another few minutes, then add bouillon or water, salt and pepper and cook until well done. During the last 15 minutes, pour in the red wine and serve with a wreath of boiled rice. (Boil 1 cupful of rice in salt water until tender but retaining its firmness and add a piece of butter).
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 1½ lbs. left-over mutton roast
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1½ lbs. sliced raw potatoes
- Salt, pepper
- Left-over gravy
- 1 small piece of butter
Preparation: The meat is cut into small thin slices, also the peeled potatoes. A casserole is buttered and filled with 1 layer of raw potatoes, 1 layer of meat, salt, pepper and sliced onion. Repeat twice, with potatoes for the last layer. Pour the gravy over, (if it is too thick, dilute with cream or milk) put a few small pieces of butter on top, bake in oven for 1½ hours.
If you have no left over gravy, make one of 1 tablespoonful of browned butter, flour, water or bouillon, cream, pepper and salt. Pour over the contents of the casserole and bake it.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 1½–2 lbs. of mutton roast or boiled mutton remnants
- Scant ⅛ lb. of butter
- 2 tbsps. of flour
- ¼ small onion, sliced
- 1 pt. thin gravy or bouillon
- ½ tsp. of meat extract
- Salt, pepper
- 1 clove,
- ½ bay-leaf
- 1 tbsp. of wine vinegar
- 3 sweet-sour pickles
- 3 tbsps. of pickled pearl onions
- 1 tsp. of sugar
Preparation: The cold, fried or boiled mutton is cut into small pieces. The butter and onions are browned, then flour stirred in. Add salt, pepper, cloves, bay-leaf, vinegar, sugar and bouillon or thin gravy and boil until quite thick. The pickles, cut into small cubes, and onions, are now put in, stewed a little while; add the pieces of meat, heat, but do not boil, then serve. If the gravy is too light, add some meat extract or sugar coloring. Fresh boiled, peeled potatoes go well with this dish.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 1 lb. mutton roast
- 2 yolks of eggs
- Salt, pepper
- Some wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. of mustard
- ½ pt. cream
- 4 mustard pickles
- 1 vinegar pickle
- 2 tbsps. of pearl onions
- 2 tbsps. of oil
Preparation: Meat, pickles, onions, all this cut into small pieces and mixed well with the other ingredients, then garnished with hard-boiled eggs.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 3–4 lbs. of mutton from the leg
- 1 qt. water
- 1/6 part of a small celery root
- 2 small onions
- Some salt
- 2½ tbsps. of flour
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 pinch of white pepper
- 3 doz. oysters
- ½ pt. can of champignons
- 2 tbsps. of chopped parsley
- 2 tbsps. of butter
The Paste.
- ½ lb. fresh butter
- ¼ lb. lard
- ¾ lb. of flour
- 2 tbsps. of brandy
- 1½ glasses water
Preparation: The meat is cut into pieces the size of cutlets, boiled until tender in 1 qt. of water, celery root, 2 small onions, salt. Cook 3 tablespoonfuls of butter and flour and add veal bouillon; then add lemon juice, salt and pepper, if necessary, boil a few minutes, but do not let the gravy get thick.
The Paste: Butter and lard must be very cold. You may omit the lard and use more butter instead if you wish. Both are cut into the flour, the very cold water and brandy poured in and then stirred to a light paste and rolled out on a well floured board. The butter must be visible all through the paste. Do not knead much. Roll out, line a baking-dish with half of the paste, then put in layers of meat, oysters, then sliced champignons, chopped parsley,, the gravy poured over the whole and then covered up with the other half of the paste in which make a few cuts, finish off the edge and bake in medium hot oven 1 to 1½ hours.
Remarks: Leave some of the gravy, mix with oyster liquor and the juice of ½ lemon and serve with the pie.
The preparation of this pie is just the same as in No. 25, but instead of oysters and champignons, take raw, very thinly sliced potatoes.
Quantity for 6–8 Persons.
- 6 lbs. of lamb quarter
- Salt, pepper
- ½ lb. of butter
- ½ pt. sour or sweet cream
- 2 tbsps. of lemon juice
- 1 cup of water
- 1 tbsp. of flour
Preparation: The lamb meat must be two days old. It is pounded, salted, peppered and put into the oven with the cup of water. After 10 minutes the browned butter is poured hot over the meat. Baste frequently, gradually adding the cream and lemon juice, and roast for 1½ to 2 hours.
For the gravy, stir into the butter some flour and a little water and cook (if necessary) a while longer. Serve the gravy with the roast after straining.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 4 lbs. of lamb quarter
- Salt, pepper
- 2 eggs
- Finely sifted roll crumbs
- 1½ cups of sour cream
- 1 tbsp. of flour
- 1 tbsp. of lemon juice
- 1 cup of water
- ½ lb. of butter
Preparation: The meat is pounded, rubbed with salt and pepper, then rolled in beaten egg and bread crumbs. Heat the butter and fry the meat quickly on top of the stove, then put it into the oven, basting it often and adding the cream in spoonfuls, also a little water, if the butter should get too brown. Cook in slow heat 1½ hours until the roast looks golden yellow; then serve.
For the gravy, stir 1 tablespoonful of flour into the butter, add water, cook and strain. You can also add chopped champignons.
Quantity for 6 Persons.
- 3 lbs. of mutton or lamb
- ⅛ lb. of butter
- Salt
- 6 pepper-corns
- 2 cloves
- 1 bay-leaf
- ¼ carrot
- 1½ qts. of water
- 3 tbsps. of flour
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 wineglass red wine
- ½ pt. can champignons
- 5 truffles, chopped and peeled
- ½ tsp. of sugar
- ½ onion
Preparation: The mutton or lamb, which should be from the breast, is cut into equal sized pieces, stewed a little in 2 tablespoonfuls of butter, then add 1½ qts. of water, carrot, onion, salt, pepper, cloves, bay-leaf and cook the meat until tender.
For the gravy, take the rest of the butter, brown it with flour, add the strained mutton bouillon, the red wine, lemon juice, some of the champignon juice and boil slowly ½ hour. The gravy should be quite thick. Now put in the meat, champignons, truffles and spices and boil 15 minutes longer. Taste it for salt and spices. Serve on a hot platter, and garnish the rim with crescents of puff paste and small fried meat dumplings. The dumplings are prepared the same way as the Ox-tongue Ragout in No. 35, Chapter 2.
Quantity for 6–8 Persons.
- Head, liver, lungs and heart
- Salt
- 8 whole pepper-corns
- 1 onion
- 1 bay-leaf
- ⅛ lb. of butter
- 1 egg
- Roll crumbs
- 2 tbsps. of flour
- Some herb vinegar
- 2 cloves
Preparation: The head is split in two, brain and tongue taken out and soaked in water. The tongue is boiled until tender in water with salt, pepper, bay-leaf, cloves and onion. In the same water, cook the brain and also. the heart, liver, lungs and head until tender.
When the tongue, heart and lungs are well done, cut them into cubes. All the meat is put into a pot. Season with salt, pepper and a piece of butter, pour in some bouillon and stew. Cut the meat off the head, season with salt and pepper, dip in egg and roll crumbs and fry in butter to a golden yellow. The same is done with the brains. The liver is cut into slices, salted, peppered, dipped in flour and also fried.
The hash of tongue, lung and heart is placed in the middle of a hot platter, the liver slices placed in a wreath around it, the meat from the head, which has been cut into neat pieces, and the brains placed on top of the hash.
The gravy should be prepared before dishing out the hash. For the gravy, take one tablespoonful of flour, stir it in the butter in which the meat, brains and liver have been fried, add some of the bouillon and a little vinegar, lemon juice or white wine. Serve the gravy with the meat.
The preparation is the same as in No. 29. Instead of wine, take wine vinegar or herb vinegar and leave off the champignons and truffles.
Contents and preparation are the same as No. 42 of previous chapter, Veal Crown Roast.