RULES to be observed in ROASTING.
IN the first place, take great care the spit be very clean; and be sure to clean it with nothing but sand and water. Wash it clean, and wipe it with a dry cloth; for oil, brick-dust, and such things will spoil your meat.
BEEF.
To roast a piece of beef about ten pounds will take an hour and a half, at a good fire. Twenty pounds weight will take three hours, if it be a thick piece; but if it be a thin piece of twenty pounds weight, two hours and a half will do it; and so on according to the weight of your meat, more or less. Observe, in frosty weather your beef will take half an hour longer.
MUTTON.
A leg of mutton of sis pounds will take an hour at a quick fire; if frosty weather an hour and a quarter; nine pounds an hour and a half, a leg of twelve pounds will take two hours; if frosty two hours and a half; a large saddle of mutton will take three hours, because of papering it; a small saddle will take an hour and a half, and so on, according to the size; a breast will take half an hour at a quick fire; a neck, if large, an hour; if very small, a little better than half an hour; a shoulder much about the same time as a leg.
PORK.
PORK must be well done. To every pound allow a quarter of an hour: for example; a joint of twelve pounds weight three hours, and so on; if it be a thin piece of that weight, two hours will roast it.
Directions concerning beef, mutton, and pork.
THESE three you may baste with fine nice dripping. Be sure our fire be very good and brisk; but don't lay your meat too near the fire, for fear of burning or scorching.
