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Mrs Beeton Boiled Neck of Mutton

Boiled Neck of Mutton is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of a boiled neck of mutton served with turnips and carrots that are cooked with the meat and caper sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Boiled Neck of Mutton.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

100 minutes

Total Time:

210 minutes

Serves:

8

Rating:

Tags : Sauce RecipesMutton RecipesVegetable RecipesBritish Recipes

This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.

Original Recipe

BOILED NECK OF MUTTON.

730. INGREDIENTS.—4 lbs. of the middle, or best end of the neck of mutton; a little salt.

Mode.—Trim off a portion of the fat, should there be too much, and if it is to look particularly nice, the chine-bone should be sawn down, the ribs stripped halfway down, and the ends of the bones chopped off; this is, however, not necessary. Put the meat into sufficient boiling water to cover it; when it boils, add a little salt and remove all the scum. Draw the saucepan to the side of the fire, and let the water get so cool that the finger may be borne in it; then simmer very slowly and gently until the meat is done, which will be in about 1-1/2 hour, or rather more, reckoning from the time that it begins to simmer.

Serve with turnips and caper sauce, No. 382, and pour a little of it over the meat. The turnips should be boiled with the mutton; and, when at hand, a few carrots will also be found an improvement. These, however, if very large and thick, must be cut into long thinnish pieces, or they will not be sufficiently done by the time the mutton is ready. Garnish the dish with carrots and turnips placed alternately round the mutton.

Time.—4 lbs. of the neck of mutton, about 1-1/2 hour.

Average cost, 8-1/2 d. per lb.

Sufficient for 6 or 7 persons.

Seasonable at any time.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

2kg middle or best end of neck of mutton
salt
12 turnips, peeled
6 carrots, scraped and quartered lengthways
1 batch caper sauce, No. 382

Method:

Trim off any excess fat from the meat then trim the chine bones and skin the ribs halfway down. Bring a pan of water to a boil, add the meat (ensure there is enough water to cover) then return to a boil, add a little salt and skim off the surface until there's no more scum. Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool to blood heat.

Return to the heat this point, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer slowly for about 90 minutes, or until the meat is done. About 20 minutes before the meat is due to be ready add the turnips and carrots.

When ready, remove the mutton from the pan and arrange on a serving dish. Take out the carrots and turnips with a slotted spoon and arrange around the meat.

Pour a little of the caper sauce over and around the joint, pour the remainder in a sauce boat and serve with the meat.

Find more Mrs Beeton Recipes Hereand more Traditional Victorian Recipes Here.