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Classic
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page 141
yolk of an egg or in melted butter, and then rolled in bread crumbs, inside each
bird. Allow thirty minutes to roast or longer if stuffed. Wild ducks, pheasants
and grouse are always best roasted.
To lard game, cut fat salt pork into thin, narrow strips, thread a
larding-needle with one of the strips, run the needle under the skin and a
little of the flesh of the bird, and draw the pork half way through, so that the
ends of the strips exposed will be of equal length. The strips should be about
one inch apart. The larding interferes with the natural flavor of the bird, but
renders it more juicy.
Many prefer tying a piece of bacon on the breast instead.
Pigeons should be cooked a long time as they are usually quite lean and tough,
and they are better to lie in salt water half an hour, or to be parboiled in it
for a few moments. They are nice roasted or made into a pie.
If the "wild flavor" of the larger birds, such as pheasants, prairie chickens,
etc., is disliked, they may be soaked over night in salt water, or two or three
hours in soda and water,
or parboiled with an onion or two in the water, and then cooked as desired.
The coarser kinds of game, such as geese, ducks, etc., may lie in salt water for
several hours, or be parboiled in it with an onion inside each to absorb the
rank flavor, and afterwards thoroughly rinsed in clear water, stuffed and
roasted;
or pare a fresh lemon without breaking the thin, white, inside skin, put inside
the game for a day or two, renewing the lemon every twelve hours. This will
absorb unpleasant flavors from almost all meat and game.
Some lay slices of onion over game while cooking, and remove before serving.
In preparing fat wild ducks, for invalids, it is a good plan to remove the skin,
and keep a day or two before cooking.
Squirrels should be carefully skinned and laid in salt water a short time before
cooking; if old, parboil. They are delicious broiled, and are excellent cooked
in any way with thin slices of bacon. Venison, as in the days of good old Isaac,
is still justly considered a "savoury dish." The haunch, neck, shoulder and
saddle should be roasted; roast or broil the breast, and fry or broil the
steaks. Venison requires more time for cooking than
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