Trussing: Pigeons, to be good, should be eaten fresh (if kept a little, the flavour goes off), and they should be drawn as soon as killed. Cut off the heads and necks, truss the wings over the backs, and cut off the toes at the first joint previous to trussing, they should be carefully cleaned, as no bird requires so much washing.
Wipe the birds very dry
Season them inside with pepper and salt
Put about 3/4 oz. of butter into the body of each: this makes them moist
Put them down to a bright fire, and baste them well the whole of the time they are cooking (they will be done enough in from 20 to 30 minutes)
Garnish with fried parsley, and serve with a tureen of parsley and butter
Source: The Book of Household Management by Isabella Beeton (1859)
Pigeon, Fricasee
