Irish Stew

Cut up about four pounds of either neck or loin of mutton into eight or ten neatly trimmed chops, paring away all excess of fat and rough bone; season plentifully with pepper, and moderately with salt; place the chops in a deep stewpan or saucepan, with sufficient water to cover in their surface, add eight good sized onions, put the lid on and set the whole on the fire to stew gently for half fin hour; the stew must then be removed from the fire, the liquor poured into a basin, and after being freed from all grease, is to be poured back to the chops; add a dozen peeled potatoes, and a pint of good stock or gravy, if handy, or tailing that, (in case that the moisture has been reduced to half its original quantity) a like quantity of water will do. The whole is then to be placed on the fire to boil gently for about three quarters of an hour, due care being taken that the moisture does not become wholly absorbed by the stew, or burnt at the bottom of the stewpan, as this latter accident would entirely spoil the dish. As soon as the Irish stew is done, let it be dished up as follows, viz.: first remove the potatoes carefully on to a plate, and then use a fork and spoon to place the cutlets or chops neatly round the dish, add the potatoes in their centre, and pour the gravy and onions, &c, over the whole, and serve hot.

Note.—A less expensive method of making Irish stew, is to use the scrag end of a neck of mutton, or indeed any inferior pieces of meat most convenient, as well as the remains of a cooked joint of beef, mutton, or veal.