DIRECTIONS FOR TRUSSING POULTRY, &c.
THERE are various reasons why the experienced and prudent housekeeper should be properly acquainted with this necessary preparation to the Art of Cookery. In London every article is generally trussed by the poulterer of whom it is bought; but it frequently happens that, either from inexperience or negligence of the servants, and want of knowledge in the cook, the article appears on the table with disgrace. Another very substantial reason for the cook having this knowledge is, that the families in which they serve are frequently in counties where there are no poulterers, and consequently they are under the necessity of killing and trussing their own poultry. To be prepared, therefore, for the execution of this business, we recommend a proper attention to the following general rules: be careful that all the stubs are perfectly taken out; and when you draw any kind of poultry, you must be very particular to avoid breaking the gall, for should that happen, no means can be used to take away that bitterness, which will totally destroy the natural and proper taste of the article dressed. Great care should likewise be taken that you do not break the gut joining to the gizzard; for, should this happen, the inside will be gritty, and the whole spoiled. These are to he attended to as general matters. We shall proceed to particulars, beginning with
Turkeys.
HAVING properly picked your turkey, break the leg bone close to the foot, and draw out the strings from the thigh, for which purpose you must hang it on a hook fastened against the wall. Cut off the neck close to the back; but be careful to leave the crop skin sufficiently long to turn over the back. Then proceed to take out the crop, and loosen the liver and gut at the throat end with your middle finger. Then cut off the vent, and take out the gut. Pull out the gizzard with a crooked, sharp pointed iron, and the liver will soon follow; but be careful not to break the gall. Wipe the inside perfectly clean with a wet cloth; having done which, cut the breast-bone through on each side close to the back, and draw the legs close to the crops. Then put a cloth on the breast, and beat the high bone down with a rolling-pin till it lies flat. If the turkey is to be trussed for boiling, cut the legs off; then put your middle finger into the inside, raise the skin of the legs, and put them under the apron of the turkey. Put a skewer into the joint of the wing and the middle joint of the leg, and run it through the body and the other leg and wing. The liver and gizzard must be put in the pinions; but be careful first to open the gizzard and take out the filth, and the gall of the liver. Then turn the small end of the pinion on the back, and tie a packthread over the ends of the legs to keep them in their places. If the turkey is to be roasted, leave the legs on, put a skewer in the joint of the wing, tuck the legs close up, and put the skewer through the middle of the legs and body. On the other side, put another skewer in at the small part of the leg. Put it close on the outside of the sidesman, and put the skewer through, and the same on the other side. Put the liver and gizzard between the pinions, and turn the point of the pinion on the back. Then put, close above the pinions, another skewer through the body of the turkey.
If turkey-poults, they must be trussed as follow: take the neck from the head and body, but do not remove the neck skin. They are drawn in the same manner as a turkey. Put a skewer through the joint of the pinion, tuck the legs close up, run the skewer through the middle of the leg, through the body, and so on the other side. Cut off the under part of the bill, twist the skin of the neck round, and put the head on the point of the skewer, with the bill-end forwards. Another skewer must be put in the sidesman, and the legs placed between the sidesman and apron on each side. Pass the skewer through all, and cut off the toe-nails. It is very common to lard them on the breast. The liver and gizzard may or may not be used, as you like.
Fowls.
WHEN you have properly picked your fowls, cut off the neck close to the back. Then take out the crop, and with your middle finger loosen the liver and other matters. Cut off the vent, draw it clean, and beat the breast-bone flat with a rolling-pin. If your fowl is to be boiled, cut off the nails of the feet, and tuck them down close to the legs. Put your finger into the inside, and raise the skin of the legs; then cut a hole in the top of the skin, and put the legs under. Put a skewer in the first joint of the pinion, bring the middle of the leg close to it, put the skewer through the middle of the leg, and through the body; and then do the same on the other side. Having opened the gizzard, take out the filth, and the gall out of the liver. Put the gizzard and the liver in the pinion, turn the points on the back, and tie a string over the tops of the legs to keep them in their proper place. If your fowl is to be roasted, put a skewer in the first joint of the pinion, and bring the middle of the leg close to it. Put the skewer through the middle of the leg, and through the body, and do the same on the other side. Put another skewer in the small of the leg, and through the sidesman; do the same on the other side, and then put another through the skin of the feet. You must not forget to cut off the nails of the feet.
Chickens.
WITH respect to picking and drawing, they must be done in the same manner as fowls. If they are to be boiled, cut off the nails, give the sinews a nich on each side of the joint, put the feet in at the vent, and then peel the rump. Draw the skin tight over the legs, put a skewer in the first joint of the pinion, and bring the middle of the leg close. Put the skewer through the middle of the legs, and through the body, and do the same on the other side. Clean the gizzard, and take out the gall in the liver; put them into the pinions, and turn the points on the back. If your chickens are to be roasted, cut off the feet, put a skewer in the first joint of the pinions, and bring the middle of the leg close. Run the skewer through the middle of the leg, and through the body, and do the same on the other side. Put another skewer into the sidesman, put the legs between the apron and the sidesman, and run the skewe through. Having cleaned the liver and gizzard, put them in the pinions, turn the points on the back, and pull the breast skin over the neck.
Geese.
HAVING picked and stubbed your goose clean, cut the feet off at the joint, and the pinion off the first joint. Then cut off the neck almost close to the back; but leave the skin of the neck long enough to turn over the back. Pull out the throat, and tie a knot at the end. With your middle finger loosen the liver and other matters at the breast end, and cut it open between the vent and the rump. Having done this, draw out all the entrails, excepting the soul. Wipe it out clean with a wet cloth, and beat the breast bone flat with a rolling-pin. Put a skewer into the wing, and draw the legs close up. Put the skewer through the middle of the leg, and through the body, and the same on the other side. Put another skewer in the small of the leg, tuck it close down to the sidesman, run it through, and do the same on the other side. Cut off the end of the vent, and make a hole large enough for the passage of the rump, as by that means it will much better keep in the seasoning.
Ducks are trussed in the same manner, except that the feet must be left on, and turned close to the legs.
Pigeons.
WHEN you have picked them, and cut off the neck close to the back, then take out the crop, cut off the vent, and draw out the guts and gizzard, but leave the liver, for a pigeon has no gall. If they are to be roasted, cut off the toes, cut a slit in one of the legs, and put the other through it. Draw the leg tight to the pinion, put a skewer through the pinions, legs, and body, and with the handle of the knife break the breast flat. Clean the gizzard, put it in one of the pinions, and turn the points on the back. If you intend to make a pie of them, you must cut the feet off at the joint, turn the legs, and stick them in the sides close to the pinions. If they are to be stewed or boiled, they must be done in the same manner.
Wild Fowl.
HAVING picked them clean, cut off the neck close to the back, and with your middle finger loosen the liver and guts next the breast. Cut off the pinions at the first joint, then cut a slit between the vent and the rump, and draw them clean. Clean them properly with the long feathers on the wing, cut off the nails, and turn the feet close to the legs. Put a skewer in the pinion, pull the legs close to the breast, and run the skewer through the legs, body, and the other pinion. First cut off the vent, and then put the rump through it. The directions here given are to be followed in trussing every kind of wild fowl.
Pheasants and Partridges.
HAVING picked them very clean, cut a slit at the back of the neck, take out the crop, and loosen the liver and gut next the breast with your fore-finger, then cut off the vent and draw them. Cut off the pinion at the first joint, and wipe out the inside with the pinion you have cut off. Beat the breast bone flat with a rolling-pin, put a skewer in the pinion, and bring the middle of the legs close. Then run the skewer through the legs, body, and the other pinion, twist the head, and put it on the end of the skewer, with the bill fronting the breast. Put another skewer into the sidesman, and put the legs close on each side the apron, and then run the skewer through all. If you would wish to make the pheasant (if it is a cock) have a pleasing appearance on the table, leave the beautiful feathers on the head, and cover them gently with paper to prevent their being injured by the heat of the fire. You may likewise save the long feathers in the tail to stick in the rump when roasted. If they are for boiling, put the legs in the same manner as in trussing a fowl.
All kinds of moor game must be trussed in the same manner.
Woodcocks and Snipes.
As these birds are remarkably tender to pick, especially if they should not happen to be quite fresh, the greatest care must be taken how you handle them; for even the heat of the hand will sometimes take off the skin, which will totally destroy the beautiful appearance of the bird. Having picked them clean, cut the pinions of the first joint, and with the handle of a knife beat the breast-bone flat. Turn the legs close to the thighs, and tie them together at the joints. Put the thigh close to the pinions, put a skewer into the pinions, and run it through the thighs, body, and the other pinion. Skin the head, turn it, take out the eyes, and put the head on the point of the skewer, with the bill close to the breast. Remember, that these birds must never be drawn.
Larks.
WHEN you have picked them properly, cut off their heads, and the pinions of the first joint. Beat the breast-bone flat, and turn the feet close to the legs, and put one into the other. Draw out the gizzard, and run a skewer through the middle of the bodies. Tie the skewer fast to the spit when you put them down to roast. Wheat ears, and other small birds, must be done in the same manner.
Hares.
HAVING cut off the four legs at the first joint, raise the skin of the back, and draw it over the hind legs. Leave the tail whole, draw the skin over the back, and slip out the fore-legs. Cut the skin off the neck and head; but take care to leave the ears on, and mind to skin them. Take out the liver, lights, &c. and be sure to draw the gut out of the vent. Cut the sinews that lie under the hind-legs, bring them up to the fore-legs, put a skewer through the hind-leg, then through the fore-leg under the joint, run it through the body, and do the same on the other side. Put another skewer through the thick part of the hind-legs and body, put the head between the shoulders, and run a skewer through to keep it in its place. Put a skewer in each ear to make them stand erect, and tie a string round the middle of the body over the legs to keep them in their place. A young fawn must be trussed just in the same manner, except that the ears must be cut off.
Rabbits must be cased much in the same manner as hares, only observing to cut off the ears close to the head. Cut open the vent, and slit the legs about an inch up on each side of the rump. Make the hind-legs lie flat, and bring the ends to the fore-legs. Put a skewer into the hind-leg, then into the fore-leg, and through the body. Bring the head round, and put it on the skewer. If you want to roast two together, truss them at full length with six skewers run through them both, so that they may be properly fastened on the spit.