68 Practical Sheep Husbandry 



or a half, either of which supplies a variety of cuts, can be conveniently utilized in a 

 household of moderate size with ordinary refrigerating facilities, and the price pel 

 pound is commonly less when the meat is bought in this way. There is a certain 

 advantage, too, in the fact that the leg, which has the smallest percentage of wasta 

 of any of the cuts of mutton, is of suitable size for family use, for a piece of meat 

 which has not been cut up keeps better than one which has been cut. On the other 

 hand, the rather genei'al belief, which, however, seems unfounded, that all kinds of 

 mutton fat are unsuitable for culinary purposes, has tended somewhat to an un- 

 economical use of this meat. 



How to Flavor and Utilize Mutton Fat 



One of the most satisfactory methods found is to mix some leaf lard with the 

 suet and render with milk. The suet and leaf lard mixture is finely divided by 

 passing it through a meat grinder, and then heated in a double boiler with about 

 one-half of its weight of whole milk. The fat can quickly be released from the tis- 

 sues, and, when allowed to cool, forms a cake on the surface of the liquid, which is 

 easily removed. Mutton suet and leaf lard, fresh and of good quality, "tried out' 

 in this way, possesses little, if any, of the characteristic mutton odor and flavor. 

 The best results are obtained with a mixture of two parts of mutton suet and one 

 of leaf lard, finely ground, and rendered with whole milk in proportion of % pint 

 to 2 pounds of the mixed mutton and lard. This fat has an exceptionally good odor 

 and flavor, which it will retain when kept for weeks in an ordinary refrigerator. II 

 is also of good color and texture, being softer than the mutton fat alone, owing to 

 the milk fat and lard which it contains. If such fats are rendered in an open kettle, 

 a moderate heat is desirable, since they "burn on" very readily. Rendering in a 

 double boiler is much more convenient. 



Another way of utilizing mutton fat for frying and other culinary purposes is 

 in the form of savory fat, similar to that made from beef drippings and other fats. 

 For each pound of the carefully rendered mutton fat, allow an onion, a sour apple, 

 and a teaspoon of ground thyme or mixed herbs tied up in a small piece of cloth. 

 Cook these in the fat, at a low temperature in the oven or on top of the stove, until 

 the onion and apple are thoroughly browned. Then strain off the fat, which will 

 be found well seasoned and may be used in place of butter or other savory fat for 

 seasoning or for warming of potatoes, cooking vegetables, and in other ways. 



CARE OF MUTTON IN THE HOME 



Because of the facility with which mutton absorbs odors and flavors, special 

 care should be taken of it in the home. When it comes into the house, it should be 

 wiped thoroughly with a damp cloth, and all portions that have the slightest unpleas- 

 ant odor about them should be cut off. Such portions are most likely to be found 

 where the layer of meat is thin as, for example, on the lower end of the leg, on the 

 flank, or on the ribs. When a large piece of mutton is bought, these facts should be 

 kept in mind in determining which parts should be used first. It is well, for example, 

 to remove the flank end of the loin and part of the rib bones first, and use them for 

 soups or stews. The removal of the membrane and the red skin from the sur- 

 face of (he meat before it is cooked is also desirable. In roasting mutton, many 

 housekeepers believe that it is well to keep the meat well up from the pan by means 

 of a rack, for if this is not done the fat of the meat is likely to become scorched 

 and to affect the flavor of the meat itself. 



METHODS OF COOKING MUTTON 



In the following pages are given a large number of recipes which have been 

 brought together from many sources. Most of them are for standard dishes. Some 

 of them, however, are for dishes which, though highly esteemed in other countries, 

 are not well known in the United States, and a few are for rather complicated dishes. 

 The insertion of these recipes for unfamiliar and elaborate dishes should not be taken 

 to indicate that a greater value is placed upon them than upon mutton prepared by 

 the simple methods of boiling, roasting, or broiling. They are included because tests 

 have shown them to be palatable, and because a knowledge of many ways of pre- 

 paring any given food is an easy way of securing variety in the diet. More necessary 

 than to know how to prepare mutton in a variety of ways is to keep in mind the 



