To Force A Legg Of Mutton

This recipe hails from late 17th-century England, a time when the wealthy enjoyed elaborate, show-stopping presentations at the table. 'Forcing' (stuffing) was a prized culinary technique, intended to make the most of prized cuts, add richness, and display the cook’s skill. Dishes like this were centerpieces, both in flavor and visual spectacle, often gracing the tables of the well-to-do during feasts and celebrations. The use of anchovies, capers, and pickled oysters reveals the period's love for bold, umami flavors, and access to imported or preserved ingredients. The recipe comes from a manuscript collection (c. 1680–1700), reflecting the tastes and culinary techniques popular among English society’s upper echelons.

Historically, cooks would have used a strong, sharp knife and possibly a cleaver to bone out the leg and chop the meat and suet by hand. A large wooden chopping block, a sturdy mixing bowl, and a coarse cloth or needle and thread to sew up the leg were essential. The mixture was pressed into the skin by hand, then wrapped in caul fat (animal membrane). The roasting or stewing was done in broad, heavy metal stew pans (usually copper or iron) set over a hearth or in a brick oven. Frying pans made of wrought iron or copper were used for the cutlets. Today, a sharp chef’s knife, kitchen twine, a heavy roasting pan, and a modern oven will suffice; food processors can speed up the mincing process.