Roast Saddle of Mutton is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic whole saddle of mutton that's part roasted, dusted with flour and oven roasted before being seasoned with salt and served with a thin gravy made from the pan juices and served with redcurrant jelly. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Roast Saddle of Mutton.
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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
ROAST SADDLE OF MUTTON.
738. INGREDIENTS.—Saddle of mutton; a little salt.
Mode.—To insure this joint being tender, let it hang for ten days or a fortnight, if the weather permits. Cut off the tail and flaps and trim away every part that has not indisputable pretensions to be eaten, and have the skin taken off and skewered on again. Put it down to a bright, clear fire, and, when the joint has been cooking for an hour, remove the skin and dredge it with flour. It should not be placed too near the fire, as the fat should not be in the slightest degree burnt. Keep constantly basting, both before and after the skin is removed; sprinkle some salt over the joint. Make a little gravy in the dripping-pan; pour it over the meat, which send to table with a tureen of made gravy and red-currant jelly.
Time.—A saddle of mutton weighing 10 lbs., 2-1/2 hours; 14 lbs., 3-1/4 hours. When liked underdone, allow rather less time.
Average cost, 10d. per lb.
Sufficient.—A moderate-sized saddle of 10 lbs. for 7 or 8 persons.
Seasonable all the year; not so good when lamb is in full season.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 saddle of mutton (about 5kg), well hung
plain flour
salt, to taste redcurrant jelly, to serve
Method:
Trim the joint neatly then remove the skin and lay it back on top of the meat, skewering it in place. Set the joint on a rack in a roasting tin then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 220°C and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C and continue roasting for 20 minutes per kg (rare), 30 minutes per kg (medium) or 40 minutes per kg (well done).
When the meat has been roasting for 60 minutes, remove the skin and dust the joint with flour then return to the oven and continue cooking (discard the skin). During the cooking process baste frequently with the pan juices, to ensure the saddle remains moist.
Remove the meat from the roasting tin, place on a cutting block, cover with kitchen foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
Strain the dripping from the roasting tin, pour in 60ml boiling lightly-salted water then strain into a jug. Scatter fine sea salt over the joint, place on a serving plate then pour over the pan juices and bring to the table accompanied by redcurrant jelly.
