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To Stew a Sheep's Head
405. Split a sheep's head open, and after browning it in a Dutch oven, stew it for two hours or more in a gallon of water, with a quarter , stew it for two hours or more in a gallon of water, with a quarter of a pound of Scotch barley or rice, three onions, three turnips, a little parsley; then mix a quarter of a pound of oatmeal in a pint of water, pour it in, and let it all boil up together.
HODGE-PODGE. 406. Take a scrag of mutton, and half a pound of green split peas, and two pints of water, and let it boil two hours; strain the soup two pints of water, and let it boil two hours; strain the soup through a cloth, then add carrots, turnips, lettuce, onions, mutton chops ( without any fat), a table-spoonful of sugar, and salt to your taste; half a pound of dried green peas; or, in their season, peas from the garden . If the dried peas are used, they must be put into
A Scotch-broth style dish built on a split sheep's head, thickened twice — once with barley or rice, again with oatmeal at the end. The head is the whole point: it gives gelatine and marrow that no cut of shoulder will match.
- Getting the headAsk a halal or Greek butcher, or a whole-animal supplier, and order it split and the brain removed. Have the butcher take out the eyes; scrub the ears and nostrils, and singe or scrape away any remaining wool stubble before browning.
- Soak and blanch firstMany older recipes for sheep's head direct this, though this one does not: soak the split head in cold salted water for several hours, changing it once, then cover with cold water, bring to a boil, skim hard and drain. Skipping it tends to give a cloudy, mutton-heavy broth.
- "Browning it in a Dutch oven"In British books of this period a Dutch oven is often the tin reflector oven stood open before the fire rather than a cast-iron pot, though the name was also used for the lidded bake kettle; the text does not say which is meant. Either way, the aim is to colour the halves before stewing: brown them cut side down under a hot broiler or in a hot oven.
- A gallon of waterFour quarts is right for a whole head in a large stockpot, and it will reduce noticeably over two hours. Keep the bones just covered; top up with boiling water rather than cold.
- Scotch barleyThis is pot barley, milled less than pearl barley so that more of the grain is left intact. It takes longer and stays firmer; pearl barley works but will break down and cloud the broth, so add it in the last 45 minutes.
- Timing"Two hours or more" is the low end. Reckon on 2.5 to 3 hours at a bare simmer, until the cheek and tongue meat pulls away from the bone easily.
- The oatmeal finishSlake a quarter pound (about 3/4 cup) of medium or coarse oatmeal in a pint of cold water first, as directed, then stir it in and boil only briefly. Tipped in dry it will lump, and long boiling afterwards makes the broth gluey.
- ServingLift the head out, pick off the cheek, tongue and jaw meat, discard the bones, and return the meat to the pot. Season generously with salt and pepper at the end. Serves six to eight as a main course.