﻿52 BULLETIN 20, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 



it up tight and working the other Avith fist closed between the pelt and the body. The 

 "fisting off" should be downward over the fore quarters and upward and backward 

 over the hind quarters and legs. It is unwise to pull down on the skin over the hind 

 legs, as the membrane covering the flesh is sure to be ruptured and an unsightly 

 appearance given to the carcass. The wool should always be held away from the 

 flesh for the sake of cleanliness. The skin on the legs should be pulled away from the 

 body rather than toward it, in order to preserve the covering of the meat. When the 

 pelt has been loosened over the sides and back it should be stripped down over the 

 neck and cut off close to the ears. The head may then be removed without being- 

 skinned by cutting through the atlas joint. 



Gutting. — Begin removing the entrails by cutting around the rectum and allowing 

 them to drop down inside. Do not split the pelvis. Open down the belly line from 

 the cod to the breastbone and take out the paunch and intestines, leaving the liver 

 attached to the diaphragm. If the mutton is for home use, split the breastbone and 

 remove the heart, lungs, and diaphragm together. For marketing it is best not to 

 split the breast. Reach up into the pelvis and pull out the bladder. Wipe all blood 

 and dirt from the carcass with a coarse cloth wrung nearly dry from hot water. Double 

 up the front legs and slip the little cord, found by cutting into the fleshy part of the 

 forearm, over the ankle joints. 



CARE OF THE MEAT. 



After dressing, the carcass should be cooled to 40°, or as near that 

 as possible. In the summer it will be necessary to have ice for this 

 purpose. Where there is a farm refrigerator the carcass can be placed 

 in it, provided there is a circulation of dry air and no objectionable 

 odors are present. Mutton can be kept for a week or ten days under 

 these conditions. In the majority of cases, however, ice is not avail- 

 able on the farm. Under these conditions the sheep or lamb, as the 

 case may be, should be slaughtered in the evening, the carcass allowed 

 to hang out overnight (where nothing will disturb it), and taken to 

 a cool dry room or cellar in the morning, before the flies are about. 

 If the carcass is split it will cool out more rapidly. Under these 

 conditions it is a good plan for two or more farmers to club together, 

 each taking a part of the* carcass, so that there will be no danger of 

 the meat spoiling before it can be used. 



In the winter there is little difficulty about keeping the meat. A 

 good way to keep mutton at this time is to allow it to freeze up and 

 to cut off enough for use from time to time with a saw. A single 

 freezing does not injure the quality, but alternate freezing and thawing 

 is harmful and should be avoided. 



Lamb and mutton should never be used for food until it is 

 thoroughly cooled out. Lamb is as good as it ever will.be as soon as 

 it is thoroughly cooled, but mutton improves with ripening for a week 

 at 40° to 45° F. Mutton can be corned, but it is not as palatable nor 

 is it as nutritious as the fresh meat. The hams are sometimes spiced 

 and are considered by many to be a delicacy when prepared in this 

 way. 



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