458 PREPARING MUTTON ON THE FARM 



cut of mutton and lamb before it is cooked. It is very tough and 

 the woolly flavor is often attributed to its presence. 



For home use, the carcass should first be divided into halves. 

 With the carcass hanging, the aitch bone is cut through with a 

 knife. The hind legs are spread apart and the carcass sawed down 

 the center of the backbone. Each half of the carcass may then be 

 further divided into the following cuts: 



Breast. The breast consists of the flank, plate, and front shank. 

 It is the cheapest cut of the carcass and is used principally for 

 stews. To remove this cut the operator starts at the cod (or udder) 

 and cuts straight forward through a point just above the elbow- 

 joint. The excess fat is then trimmed off and the thin, tough mem- 

 brane on the inside of the flank is removed, after which the ribs are 

 cracked with a cleaver and the fore shank is sawed through in one 

 or two places. 



Leg. The leg of mutton is used chiefly as a roast, but may be 

 used for steaks. Because of the thick lean and small amount of 

 bone, it is the most popular roast cut of the carcass. The point at 

 which it is removed varies with the size of roast desired. Ordinarily 

 it is cut off on a line parallel with, the ribs at the point where the 

 spinal cord bends upward. The shank may either be removed at the 

 stifle joint and the strip of shank meat skewered ov.er the joint 

 (American or plain trimmed), or it may be sawed off just above the 

 hock and the meat scraped off the bone for a distance of three- 

 fourths to one inch (French trimmed). The most desirable roast 

 for carving is made by removing all bones and tying the meat in a 

 roll. In all cases the thin flank muscles, the tail bones, and excess 

 fat should be trimmed off. 



Loin. The most palatable mutton or lamb chops are cut from 

 the loin because it contains the most tender muscles of the carcass. 

 It extends from the leg to the twelfth or next to the last rib. In 

 preparing this cut the kidney is removed and the chops are cut 

 across the loin about three-fourths of an inch thick. The loin also 

 makes a good roast, although the lean is not as thick as that of the 

 leg or shoulder. To prepare a loin roast, the joints of the backbone 

 are cut through with the cleaver or may be removed and the roast 

 tied in a roll. Boneless rolled chops may be cut from a boned loin, 

 skewers being used to hold them in shape. 



Rib. The rib extends from the last to the fourth or fifth rib 

 and is used for chops and roasts. Rib chops are cut one rib wide, 

 and the roasts prepared in the same manner as those of the loin. A 



