Enquire within upon everything by Robert Kemp Philp

In different parts of the kingdom the method of cutting up carcases varies. That which we describe below is the most general, and is known as the English method. i. Beef. Fore Quarter Fore rib (five ribs); middle rib (four ribs); chuck (three ribs). Shoulder piece (top of fore leg); brisket (lower or belly part of the ribs); clod (fore shoulder blade); neck; shin (below the shoulder); cheek. Hind Quarter. Sirloin; rump; aitch-bone these are the three divisions of the upper part of the quarter; buttock and mouse-buttock, which divide the thigh; veiny piece, joining the buttock; thick flank and thin flank (belly pieces) and leg. The sirloin and rump of both sides form a baron. _Beef is in season all the year; best in winter._ [THE MISER FASTS WITH GREEDY MIND TO SPARE.] ii. Mutton. Shoulder; breast (the belly); over which are the loin (chump, or tail end): loin (best end): neck (best end); neck (scrag end); leg; haunch, or leg and chump end of loin; and head. A chine is two necks; a saddle, two loins. _Mutton is best in winter, spring, and autumn._ iii. Lamb is cut into fore quarter and hind quarter; saddle; loin; neck; breast; leg; and shoulder. _Grass lamb is in season from Easter to Michaelmas; house lamb from Christmas to Lady-day._ iv. Pork is cut into leg, hand or shoulder; hind loin; fore loin; belly-part; spare-rib, or neck; and head. _Pork is in season nearly all the year round, but is better relished in winter than in summer._ v. Veal is cut into neck (scrag end); neck (best end); loin (best end); loin (chump, or tail end); fillet (upper part of hind leg); hind knuckle, which joins the fillet; knuckle of fore leg; blade (bone of shoulder); breast (best end); and breast (brisket end). _Veal is always in season, but dear in winter and spring._ vi. Venison is cut into haunch; neck; shoulder; and breast. _Doe venison is best in January, October, November, and December, and buck venison in June, July, August, and September._ vii. Scottish Mode of Division. According to the English method the carcase of beef is disposed of more economically than upon the Scotch plan. The English plan affords better steaks, and better joints for roasting; but the Scotch plan gives a greater variety of pieces for boiling. The names of pieces in the Scotch plan, not found in the English, are: the hough, or hind leg; the nineholes, or English buttock; the large and small runner, taken from the rib and chuck pieces of the English plan; the shoulder-lyer, the English shoulder, but cut differently; the spare-rib or fore-sye, the sticking piece, &c. The Scotch also cut mutton differently. viii. Ox-tail is much esteemed for purposes of soup; so also is the Cheek. The Tongue is highly esteemed. The Heart, stuffed with veal stuffing, roasted, and served hot, with red currant jelly as an accompaniment, is a palatable dish. When prepared in this manner it is sometimes called 'Smithfield Hare', on account of its flavour being something like that of roast hare. ix. Calves' Heads are very useful for various dishes; so also are their Knuckles, Feet, Heart, &c.