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A Boned Turkey

For this purpose you must have a fine, large, tender turkey; and after it is drawn and washed and wiped dry, place it on a table, take a very sharp knife, with a narrow blade and point. Begin at the neck; then go round to the shoulders and wings, and carefully separate the flesh from the bone, scraping it down as you proceed. Next, loosen the flesh from the breast and back and body, and lastly from the thighs. Use great care and patience, to avoid breaking or tearing the skin. Be careful that the knife always penetrates to the bone, scraping loose the flesh carefully. After you have finished your work with the knife, and the flesh has been well loosened, take a firm hold on the neck, pulling it gently, and the whole skeleton will come out from the flesh with the greatest ease. After this process the flesh will fall. With a needle and thread sew up any holes that may have been torn in the skin. Make a stuffing as follows: Take three small loaves of bread; grate the crumb, and soak the crust in water. When very soft mix it with the bread crumbs, and a pound of butter, cut into pieces. Two bunches of sweet marjoram, same of basil, one bunch of parsley (mince parsley very fine), and rub to a powder the leaves of the marjoram and basil. Two large spoonfuls of each will not be too much. Chop two onions, mixing with the herbs.

Beat fine a quarter of an ounce of mace, a quarter of an ounce of cloves and one large nutmeg. Mix spices together, adding a teaspoonful of salt and a teaspoonful of black pepper. Then mix herbs and spice well into the bread crumbs, and add by degrees three or four beaten eggs, to hold the ingredients together. Proceed to stuff the turkey, beginning at the wings; next do the body, and then the thighs. Stuff very tightly, form the turkey into its natural shape by filling out properly the wings, breast and body. When you have stuffed the body, sew and skewer the bird into the usual shape in which they are trussed; so that, if skilfully done, it will look as natural as if it had not been boned. Tie it well with tape and bake at least three hours, basting frequently with fresh butter. Make a gravy of the giblets, chopped and stewed in a little water. When done, add to it the gravy that is in the dish about the turkey (having first skimmed off the fat), and just before you remove from the fire, add two beaten yolks of eggs, with a glass of white wine stirred into the gravy. If turkey is to be eaten cold, drop tablespoonfuls of cranberry jelly (or currant) in the dish over and around it. A young roasting pig is very nice prepared in the same manner