Charles Dickens' Favourite Dish
Cooking the oyster-stuffed mutton that Catherine Dickens recorded as Charles's favourite dish in her 1851 dinner-planning book.
Dickens’ Documented Favourite
Mutton stuffed with oysters is one of the clearest food links we have to Charles Dickens. In Catherine Dickens’s dinner planning book What Shall We Have for Dinner? (published 1851 under the pen name Lady Maria Clutterbuck), a family appendix flags leg of mutton stuffed with oysters as Charles Dickens’s favourite dish. This would have been during the established London years at Devonshire Terrace near Regent’s Park, when the household was busy, social, and regularly entertaining guests. Catherine’s book was her system for planning these events, and this particular dish was the one Dickens returned to.
Oysters in Victorian London
Oysters might seem like a strange pairing with mutton today, but in Victorian London they were a familiar, widely eaten food sold fresh from markets and street vendors. They were inexpensive and not considered a luxury. Dickens even nods to that everyday status in The Pickwick Papers with the line “poverty and oysters always seem to go together.”
Shucking the Oysters
Start by shucking the oysters. Go in at the hinge end with a shucking knife or small paring knife. Apply steady downward pressure and gently work the blade until the shell gives. Remove the oyster meat, give it a rough chop, and set aside. Save any oyster liquor for the stuffing if you like.
Building the Stuffing
In a large bowl combine roughly 2 cups of torn stale bread chunks, 3 egg yolks, 8 tbsp beef dripping, 2 tbsp fresh marjoram, 14 roughly chopped oysters, the zest of 1 lemon, black pepper, 3 tbsp breadcrumbs, and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly. If the bread feels too dry, add a splash of the reserved oyster liquor or stock. The stuffing should hold together without being wet.
Rolling the Lamb Shoulder
Take a 1.5 kg boneless lamb shoulder and lay it flat. Season the inside with salt and pepper. Spread the oyster stuffing evenly over the meat, leaving a small border. Roll the lamb tightly around the stuffing and truss with butcher’s knots at regular intervals so it holds its shape during roasting.
Roasting
Insert a probe thermometer if you have one to monitor doneness. Roast in a 220C (430F) oven for 30 minutes to brown the outside, then reduce to 160C (320F) and continue cooking until the internal temperature hits 60 to 65C (140 to 150F) for medium, roughly 40 more minutes depending on size. Rest the meat under foil for 15 minutes before carving.
Serving Suggestions
Slice the rolled lamb to reveal the oyster stuffing spiral. Serve with roasted root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, turnips), roast potatoes, a turnip and horseradish mash, meat gravy, and mint sauce. The combination of rich lamb and briny oysters is classic Victorian comfort food, and it tastes even better the next day when turned into a stew.
Recipes from this Episode
Oyster-Stuffed Lamb Shoulder
Oyster-stuffed mutton was recorded as Charles Dickens's favourite dish in his wife Catherine's 1851 dinner-planning book. This recipe uses lamb shoulder as a modern substitute for mutton, stuffed with bread, oysters, marjoram, and beef dripping, then roasted until tender.