Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1820

1634 of the neck in this motion. Then cut through the skin of the back of the neck at the place where the first incision was made and through the underneath skin about three inches from the breast, leaving the two flaps of neck skin to fold over the jagged opening (see Figs. 2 and 3), and draw out the neck. Then take out the crop, and well loosen the entrails by placing the forefinger inside the body, and working it round from left to right (see Fig. 4). Put the fowl on the table tail upwards and make a deep cut straight across the body between the tail and the vent. The vent can then be easily cut out, and the opening will be found sufficiently large to enable the fingers to be put inside the bird to take hold of the gizzard, etc. (see Fig. 5), and if the loosening at the other end has been properly performed, the whole of the inside of the fowl can be easily drawn away in one mass. Care should be taken not to draw away the fat on gizzard. This can be felt with the fingers and may be easily left inside the bird.

Be very careful not to break the gall-bladder, for this accident may ruin the bird by imparting a very bitter taste to the flesh. Now wipe out the inside with a clean cloth, but do not wash the bird, unless any part of the inside has been broken in drawing; dip the legs of the bird in boiling water, scrape them, and cut off the claws.

Place the fowl upon the table as shown in illustration, and pass the needle and string through the centre of the fowl, just above the thigh-bone, exactly in the centre of the two joints (see Fig. 1), leaving the end of the string protruding from the place where the needle entered the bird. Turn the fowl over on to its breast, and carrying the twine on, pass it in a slanting direction between the two centre bones of the wing, catching the underneath part of the pinion (see Fig. 2), and then over the bird through the pinion and then the wing of the other side, and the string will come out near the point where it first entered the fowl; then tie the two ends together, but not too tightly or the bird will not lie flat on the dish (Fig. 3). Next take the fowl in the left hand, breast downwards, and pass the needle and twine through the back, close to the end of the thigh-bones (Fig. 4); put the legs into position shown, turn the fowl on its back, and carry the string over the leg and then through the breast, catching up a small portion of the bone as the needle passes through. Take the string on over the other leg and tie the ends together, and the bird will be ready for roasting (see Fig. 5).

Now again singe the bird, going over it very carefully, so that no feathers remain; then, after cleaning and washing the gizzard and liver, put one in each of the pinions.