Page:The English housekeeper, 6th.djvu/78

50 the target. For this purpose, put the fork firmly into the shoulder joint, and then cut underneath the blade-bone beginning at a (Fig. 5), and continue all round in the direction of a circular line, and pretty close to the under part of the blade-bone. Some people like to cut the shoulder large, while others take off no more meat with it than is barely necessary to remove the blade-bone. It is most convenient to place the shoulder on a separate dish. This is carved in the same way as the shoulder of mutton. (See Fig. 7.) When the shoulder is removed, a lemon may be squeezed over that part of the remainder of the joint where the knife had passed: this gives a flavour to the meat which is generally approved.—Then, proceed to cut completely through from b to c, following the line across the bones as cracked by the butcher; and this will divide the ribs (d) from the brisket (e). Tastes vary in giving preference to the ribs or to the brisket.



Leg of Mutton, either boiled or roasted, is carved as in Fig. 6. You begin, by taking slices from the most meaty part, which is done by making cuts straight across the joint, and quite down to the bone (a, b), and thus continuing on towards the thick end, till you come to c, the cramp-bone (or, as some call it, the edge-bone). Some