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Turkey, Potted

Take a small turkey weighing about five pounds; pluck, singe, draw, and bone it, open it, and cut off the neck and legs. Lay it skin downwards on a table, season with pepper, salt, and powdered mace, spread a layer of forcemeat all over it, and roll it round. Choose a potting-pan of a suitable size for the turkey. Place a layer of forcemeat at the bottom, put in the bird, and cover with forcemeat. Lay three or four thin slices of fat bacon and a bay-leaf on the top. Cover the pan, and place it in a large saucepan with boiling water two inches deep, and as this evaporates add more boiling water to keep it to the same depth. Put it into the oven, and let the turkey cook gently until done enough. To ascertain when this point is reached, push a trussing-needle right through the body of the bird, and when it enters easily the turkey may be taken out. Let it get cold, and cover the surface with a layer of good dripping or lard. Set it in a cool place for several hours, and it will be ready for use. The forcemeat may be made as follows. Cut in slices the meat from the legs of the bird free from skin and sinew. Put with them half a pound of lean veal and a pound of fat bacon. Mince all finely together, and pound the mixture till it is quite smooth, and whilst pounding keep adding pepper, salt, and spice until it is pleasantly flavoured. The quantity of salt must be regulated by the quality of the bacon. Time to bake, three hours.