Recipe Manuscript

To Dress A Leg Of Mutton To Eate Like Venison

Name: To Dress A Leg Of Mutton To Eate Like Venison
Prep time: PTPT3H
Cook time: PTPT3H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 leg of fresh mutton (2–2.5 kg, bone-in); 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt; 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper; 240 ml elderberry vinegar (substitute: berry-infused or red wine vinegar); 240 ml white wine vinegar or cider vinegar; 1 liter double (heavy) cream; 2–3 cloves garlic, crushed; water, as needed for basting

1775

From the treasured pages of Cookery and medicinal recipes of M.W.

Unknown Author

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

To Dress A Leg Of Mutton To Eate Like Venison

Original Recipe • 1775

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Dress A Leg Of Mutton To Eate Like Venison

"Take a Leg of mutton that is fresh Filled rub it very well with peper & Salt the Day it is to be drest let the peper & Salt lie thick upon it for two hours then take it & rub it with half a pint of Elder vinager & half a pint of Comon vinager for half an hour then drey it & rub it again with peper & Salt & let it hang up till it is time to lay it down to the fire which must be an hour before you would lay a Comon Leg of mutton Down & when you put it down you must Wipe the Seasoning & Well drest Put a quart of Creame with a Clove or two of Garlicke into the dripping pan and bast it with it when the Creame is all wasted then put on a little water & rost it as any other Leg of mutton it is very Delicious it Should be eat like a Haunch of venison"

Note on the Original Text

Written in the straightforward parlance of an early modern English kitchen, the recipe unfolds as a single, continuous paragraph. Measurements are often approximate or based on experience ('half a pint', 'a quart of cream', 'rub it very well'), as standardization was rare. Words like 'rost' for roast, 'eate' for eat, and 'drest' for dressed reflect pre-standard spelling conventions. Instructions rely on sensory cues—look, feel, and timing—rather than precise numbers, highlighting craftsmanship, tradition, and adaptation in the kitchen.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookery and medicinal recipes of M.W. - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookery and medicinal recipes of M.W. (1775)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1775

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful glimpse into British kitchens of yesteryear, this manuscript collection—attributed simply to 'M. W.'—whisks readers through cherished recipes and culinary wisdom passed down between 1700 and 1850. A treasure trove for those who savor the artistry of historical cookery.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from an English household collection dating roughly from 1700 to 1850, a time when mutton was a staple meat and cooks were keen to emulate the prized flavor of venison—then a delicacy reserved for the privileged. Using distinctive spicing, acidulated baths, and lavish basting, thrifty cooks transformed ordinary mutton into something reminiscent of wild game. Such recipes often appear under the guidance of skilled women householders, as shown by its attribution to 'M. W.'. The domestic kitchen then was both inventive and resourceful, making the best use of what was available while aspiring to noble tastes.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks would have used a large open hearth or range with a sturdy spit for roasting the leg of mutton, turning it steadily before a hot fire. A large drip or roasting pan would be positioned underneath to collect flavorful juices and to hold the basting cream. Heavy iron basters or long-handled spoons enabled frequent basting. Strong hooks and cool pantries allowed for short periods of hanging and airing the meat before roasting, a crucial step in flavor development.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

3 hrs

Cook Time

3 hrs

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 leg of fresh mutton (4½–5½ lb, bone-in)
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 cup elderberry vinegar (substitute: berry-infused or red wine vinegar)
1 cup white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 quart double (heavy) cream
2–3 cloves garlic, crushed
water, as needed for basting

Instructions

Begin with a fresh leg of mutton, preferably bone-in and weighing about 4½–5½ pounds.
On the day you plan to cook it, liberally rub the surface with 2 tablespoons each of freshly ground black pepper and coarse sea salt, ensuring the meat is well coated.
Leave it to rest with this seasoning for 2 hours.
Next, make a marinade by mixing 1 cup of elderberry vinegar and 1 cup of good-quality wine or cider vinegar (if elderberry vinegar is unavailable, substitute with a berry-infused vinegar or use all wine vinegar).
Rub this mixture thoroughly into the mutton and let it sit for 30 minutes.
Pat the leg dry and give it another rub with pepper and salt.
Hang the meat in a cool, airy place (or, for modern kitchens, loosely cover and refrigerate) until ready to roast.
Roasting time is notably long; place the mutton in a preheated oven about 1 hour earlier than you would for regular roast mutton—approximately 3 hours at 350°F (for medium doneness).
As it begins roasting, wipe off excess seasoning, then baste frequently with 1 quart of double cream into which 2–3 smashed garlic cloves have been infused.
Allow the cream to baste and drip into the pan, replenishing once or twice as needed until absorbed or evaporated.
When the cream is gone, add a little water to the pan and continue to roast and baste.
Carve and serve in thick slices, much as you would a haunch of venison, and savor its rich, gamey character.

Estimated Calories

850 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Prep involves seasoning, marinating, and resting the meat, which takes about 3 hours. Roasting takes around 3 hours. The mutton serves 8 people, and each serving is estimated at about 850 calories due to the use of heavy cream and mutton.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.