Leg of Mutton Boned and Forced

Ingredients

• 1 joint of mutton (South Down or similar)
• 1 pound inside meat from the mutton
• 6 ounces delicate striped bacon
• ¾ ounce parsley, minced
• ¼ ounce thyme, minced
• ¼ ounce winter savory, minced
• ½ teaspoon black pepper (or ⅙ teaspoon cayenne)
• ½ teaspoon mace
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• grated rind of 1 small lemon or 4 eschalots, finely shredded

Directions

1. Lay the mutton joint skin-side down on a clean cloth.

2. Use a sharp boning knife to cut through the skin from the knuckle to the first joint.

3. Carefully raise the skin from the flesh along the bone, cutting down to the bone.

4. Work the knife around the bone until you reach the socket, then remove the flat bone.

5. Loosen the skin around the middle joint and draw out the two bones without dividing them.

6. Fill the cavities with forcemeat, adding seasoning of eschalot, garlic, or onion.

7. Chop the inside meat with bacon, parsley, thyme, winter savory, pepper, mace, salt, nutmeg, and lemon rind or eschalots.

8. Sew the skin neatly together where it was cut open and tie tightly to prevent gravy escape.

9. Replace the flat bone at the large end.