To Stuff A Shoulder Or Leg Of Mutton Wth Oysters
From the treasured pages of Mrs. Knight's receipt book
Written by Mrs. Knight
To Stuff A Shoulder Or Leg Of Mutton Wth Oysters
"Take a little grated bread some beef suet yolks of hard egg 3 anchovies a bit of onion salt thyme & winter savory 12 oysters some nutmeg grated mix these together & shred ym very fine worke ym up wth raw eggs like a past stuff ye mutton under ye skin in ye thickest place or where you please & roast it for sauce take some of ye oyster liquor some claret 2 or 3 anchovies a little nutmeg a bit of onion ye rest of ye oysters & stew all these together take out ye onion & put it under ye dish"
Note on the Original Text
The recipe, as was the norm for the time, is written in a loose, conversational tone, intended for an experienced cook who would interpret amounts and method based on custom and judgement. Spelling may appear odd to modern eyes, with abbreviations like 'wth' for 'with', 'ym' for 'them', 'ye' for 'the', and various contractions. Instructions are somewhat sequential but expect the reader to understand basic household cookery tasks without explicit detail.
Title
Mrs. Knight's receipt book (1740)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Mrs. Knight
Era
1740
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step into the refined kitchens of 18th-century England with Mrs. Knight’s culinary collection, where time-honored recipes, hearty roasts, and elegant pastries await the enterprising cook.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This delightful recipe hails from the kitchen of Mrs. Knight, a mid-18th-century Englishwoman, written around 1740. During this period, British cuisine delighted in robust, savory flavours, often combining land and sea—hence the pairing of oysters and mutton. Oysters were both plentiful and affordable in Britain at the time, making them a common addition to meat dishes. The use of anchovies, claret, and rich herbal notes speaks to the fashionable influences of French cookery seeping into British kitchens alongside local tradition.
Back in 1740, cooks would have used a sturdy kitchen knife and a wooden chopping board to finely mince the ingredients. Hard-boiled eggs would be prepared in a large pot over an open hearth or fire. The mixture would be worked together in a wide wooden bowl using a large wooden spoon or one’s hands. The mutton would be stuffed using fingers or perhaps a simple implement like the handle of a spoon, then roasted on a spit over an open fire or in a brick oven, frequently basted with its juices. The accompanying sauce would be simmered in a small iron or copper saucepan and strained before serving.
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 45 mins
Servings
8
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
- 2oz fresh breadcrumbs
- 2oz beef suet (or vegetable suet)
- 2 hard-boiled egg yolks
- 6 anchovy fillets (divided)
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped onion (divided)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried winter savory (or additional thyme)
- 24 oysters (about 5-7oz total, shucked)
- 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 2 raw eggs
- 3-4lb shoulder or leg of mutton
- 3 1/2 fl oz red wine (claret or similar)
- 3 1/2 fl oz oyster liquor (or light fish stock)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Begin by finely grating about 2oz of fresh breadcrumbs and mixing them with 2oz of beef suet (vegetable suet can substitute).
- Chop the yolks of 2 hard-boiled eggs and add to the bowl, along with 3 finely chopped anchovy fillets, a teaspoon of finely diced onion, and a pinch each of salt, dried thyme, and winter savory (about 1/2 teaspoon each).
- Add 12 shucked oysters (drained, reserving the liquor) and grate in a small amount of nutmeg—about 1/4 teaspoon.
- Chop this mixture together until well blended and then bind it with 1 or 2 raw eggs to create a stiff stuffing.
- Gently loosen the skin or make an incision in the thickest part of a shoulder or leg of mutton (about 3-4lb) and stuff the mixture inside, reshaping if neccessary.
- Roast in a preheated oven at 350°F, basting occassionally.
- For the sauce, combine around 3 1/2 fl oz oyster liquor (or light fish stock if needed), 3 1/2 fl oz red wine (claret-style), 2 to 3 more anchovy fillets, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, a small piece of onion, and the remainder of the oysters (about another 12).
- Simmer gently for 10 minutes, remove the onion, and serve the sauce beneath the roasted, stuffed mutton.
Estimated Calories
520 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing and stuffing the mutton takes about 40 minutes, including chopping, mixing, and assembling. Roasting the mutton takes about 1 hour 45 minutes, and the sauce simmers while the meat finishes. Each serving has about 520 calories, and the recipe makes 8 servings.
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.
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