Mrs. Beeton's Oxford Sausage (OLD AND NEW RECIPES)

[Parson Snows]

The following recipe is from Mrs. Beeton�s Book of Household Management (1859-1861)

TO MAKE SAUSAGES.
(Author's Oxford Recipe.)

837. INGREDIENTS.-1 lb. of pork, fat and lean, without skin or gristle; 1 lb. of lean veal, 1 lb. of beef suet, 1/2 lb. of bread crumbs, the rind of 1/2 lemon, 1 small nutmeg, 6 sage-leaves, 1 teaspoonful of pepper, 2 teaspoonfuls of salt, 1/2 teaspoonful of savory, 1/2 teaspoonful of marjoram.

Mode.-Chop the pork, veal, and suet finely together, add the bread crumbs, lemon-peel (which should be well minced), and a small nutmeg grated. Wash and chop the sage-leaves very finely; add these with the remaining ingredients to the sausage-meat, and when thoroughly mixed, either put the meat into skins, or, when wanted for table, form it into little cakes, which should be floured and fried.

Average cost, for this quantity, 2s. 6d.

Sufficient for about 30 moderate-sized sausages.

Seasonable from October to March.

It is obviously out dated now. Ward Lock who still own the copyright (and have since several years after the death of Mr. Beeton) were aware of this and in 1997 published a book entitled "Mrs. Beeton's Best of British Home Cooking" As they stated in the introductional text "This collection of recipes required remarkably few adjustments when tested in a modern kitchen, and proved to be every bit as delicious as when they were written over a century ago".

The "revised" Oxford Sausage recipe follows

450 g (1 lb) boneless belly of pork, minced
450 g (1 lb) minced veal
225 g (8 oz) shredded suet
450 g (1 lb) fresh white breadcrumbs
5 ml (1 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
5 ml (1 tsp) salt
grated rind of 1/2 lemon
*** My note: or the grated rind of two limes if lemons are not available

2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) grated nutmeg
6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) chopped fresh savory
2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) dried marjoram
sausage skins (optional) for filling

Mix all the ingredients until they are thoroughly combined. Fill sausage skins, following the instructions below (I'll post this part tomorrow), or shape mixture into small cakes. To prevent the mixture from sticking while you are shaping the cakes, run your hands under cold running water occasionally. Cakes should be floured before being fried.

When cooking home-made sausages, do not prick the skins. Fry or grill them, using moderate heat so that the skins do not burst. Alternatively, set the oven at 200 degrees C (400 degrees F/gas 6) and lightly grease a roasting tin with oil. Place the sausages in the tin and bake them for about 30 minutes, turning once, until they are browned and crisp. Drain the sausages on absorbent kitchen paper before serving them.

Kind Regards

Parson Snows