When to Cook Which Meats

According to The Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchin (published in 1594), here is when it's ideal to cook different meat.


"To knowe the due seasons for the vse of al maner of meats throughout the yeare.
BRawn is best from holy Rood day til Lent, and at no other time commonlie vsed for seruice. Bacon, Beefe and Mutton, is good at all tymes, but the woorst tyme for Mutton is from Easter to Midsommer. A fatte yoong Pig is neuer out of season. A Goose is worst at Midsommer, & best in stubble tyme, but they be best of all when they be yoong green Geese. Veale is all tymes good, but best in Januarie and Februarie. Kidde and yoong Lambe is best between Christmasse & Lent, & good from Easter to Whitsontide, but Kid is euer good. Hennes be all times good, but best from Alhallowntyde to Lent. Fatte Capons be euer good. Peacocks bee euer in season, but when they be yoong and of a good stature, they be as good as Feasants, & so be yoong Grouces. Sinets be best betweene Alhallowen day and Lent. A Mallard is good after a frost, til Candlemas, so is a Teal and other wild foule that swimmeth. A Woodcocke is best from October to Lent, and so be all other birdes, as Ousels, Thrushes and Robins, and such other. Herons, Curlewes, Crane, Bittour, Bussard, be at all times good, but best in Winter. Feasant, Partridge and Raile, be euer good, but best when they bee taken with a Hawke, Quaile & Larks be euer good Connies be euer in season, but best from October to Lent A gelded Deare, whether he be fallow or red, is euer good. A Pollard is speciallie good in May, at Midsommer he is a Bucke, and verie good till Holy Rood day before Michaelmas, so like wise is a Stagge, but he is principal in Maie. A barren Doe is best in Winter. A Pricket and a Sorell syster is euer in season. Chickens bee euer good: and so be yoong Pigeons." (Dawson)



                                                    My Interpretation

Boar meat is best from September 14th (Holy Rood Day) until Ash Wednesday (Lent lasts 46 days until Easter), and at no other time is commonly used for service. Bacon, beef, and mutton are good at all times, but the worst time for mutton is from Easter to Midsummer (the Summer Solstice, which is between June 19th-25th depending on the year). A fat young pig is never out of season. A goose is worst at Midsummer, and best in stubble time (September 29th ... stubble refers to when they have grazed on the stubble after the harvest). Geese are the best of all when they are young green geese. Veale is good anytime, but best in January and February. Kids (young goats) and young lambs are best between Christmas and Lent, and good from Easter to Whitsuntide (known as White Sunday, it is the 7th Sunday after Easter). But kids are always good. Hens are always good, but best from All Hallow's Tide (October 31st) to Lent (Ash Wednesday). Fat capons (castrated male chicken) area always good. Peacocks are always in season, but when they are young and of a good stature, they are as good as pheasant and so are young grouses (a medium to large game bird). Sinets are best between All Hallow's Day (October 31st) and Lent (Ash Wednesday). A mallard is good after a frost until Candlemas (February 2nd), as well as a teal and other wild foul that swim. A woodcock is best from October to Lent (Ash Wednesday), and so be all other birds, such as ouzels, thrushes, and robins, and such. Herons, curlews, crane, bittern, and buzzards are at all times good, but best in winter. Pheasant, partridge, and rails are always good, but best when they are taken with a hawk. Quail and larks are always good. Connies are always in season, but best from October to Lent (Ash Wednesday). A gelded deer, whether he be fallow or red, is always good. A pollard is especially good in May, at Midsummer if he is a buck, and very good until Holy Rood Day (September 14th) before Michaelmas. So is the stag, but he is best in May. A barron doe is best in winter. A pricket (a male fallow deer in its second year) and a sorrel sister is always in season. Chickens are always good, and so are young pigeons.




                                                      Works Cited

Dawons, Thomas. The Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchin. London. 1594. http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/book1594huswife.htm.