No. 986 — Roast Chamois or Venison
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 986 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Take a rack or hindquarter cut of chamois or deer, pound well, wash and clean. Rub thoroughly with salt, crushed allspice, cloves and juniper berries, sprinkle with bay leaves and, if desired, rosemary.
Pour boiling vinegar over it and leave for an entire week in a cool place, turning the meat daily.
Take out, lard with strips of pork fat and roast on a baking sheet, surrounding the meat with additional pork fat and brushing it with butter.
When browned in a hot oven, start basting with the collected juices every ten minutes; lower the heat to finish roasting.
Baste once more when done, sprinkle with grated stale white bread and do not baste again. Once the breadcrumbs are browned, in five to ten minutes, remove the roast and let it rest for ten minutes.
Slice the flesh thinly across the grain and arrange it on the bones. Serve with currant or cherry sauce, apple compote or another fruit salad.
The source estimates two to two and a half hours for a five-Russian-pound roast and considers it ready when a fork or larding needle penetrates easily without bloody juice.