A Victorian British housekeeper once wrote a book called Household Management. In it, she mentioned the art of carving meat, something that had largely been neglected. Yet carving was important to every household's comfort and economy. Proper carving could not only satisfy every guest's preferences at a gathering, but also make good use of leftover meat for the next meal.
First, to carve meat cleanly and neatly, one needed a sharp knife with a medium-sized blade, not one that was too heavy.
Second, the meat should be placed on a large platter that could be turned, and the platter should be firmly secured to the table. It should be close to the carver, with only enough space between them to place the dish holding the roast.
Third, before removing the innards, the loins, breasts, and necks of mutton, lamb, and veal had to be properly divided, or even the most skilled carver would run into trouble. Nor should guests' plates be piled too full while serving.
Different cuts had different textures. Haunch meat should be sliced thinly. Anyone who had eaten fine Spanish ham would have seen that it was usually cut into slices as thin as cicada wings. That was tougher meat, and thin slices made it easier to chew.
Ribs were more tender and could be cut thicker. But the parts where bone and meat were joined could not simply be gnawed by hand; that was improper etiquette. Yet throwing them away for the sake of manners would be wasteful, so they could be shaved into thin slices with a boning knife.
The most delicious meat on an animal was beneath the ears, close beside the eyes and cheeks. Even on a cow, there was not much meat there. That cut was often reserved for the most distinguished