1954—Venison Roasts

I have already pointed out that Roebuck is not very much eaten in England, and that this excellent ground game must be used without having been No. 168, Cooked Marinade for Venison. Every piece of roebuck must be trimmed and cleared of tendons, larded with larding bacon, or, at least, carefully wrapped in the latter; and roasted before a fierce fire and kept underdone towards the centre.

The joints of roebuck most commonly roasted are the Legs and the Saddle.

The fallow Deer and the Stag supply the greater part of the Venison consumed in England; and when these animals are of good quality their flesh is covered by a thick coat of white fat, which is very highly esteemed by connoisseurs. Only the neck and the haunch are roasted, and the latter consists of one leg with half of the saddle attached.

This venison is never No. 168, Cooked Marinade for Venison, but it should be kept for as long as possible in a dry and well-aired place, that the meat may be gamy.

Before hanging the joint, dredge it well with a mixture of flour and pepper, that it may keep dry and free from the flies.

When about to prepare this Venison, scrape off the coating of flour; wrap it in an envelope of firm suet dough. Cover the whole with oiled paper, tied on with string; and place the joint before a regular, red fire, concentrated and fierce.

When the joint is thought to be cooked, peel off its envelope; season it with salt; sprinkle it with a few pinches of flour, and plenty of melted butter, and brown it as quickly as possible.

Large joints of Venison allow of the following adjuncts:—Poivrade sauce and its derivatives, such as Venison sauce and Grand-Veneur sauce; also the Cumberland and Oxford sauces of English cookery. Generally a sauceboat of red-currant jelly is sent with these joints, unless the accompanying sauce already contains some of it.