All pieces, unless very salt, should be plunged into boiling water,
and boiled rapidly for fifteen minutes, to harden the albumen that is
on the outside, and thus keep in the juices. The kettle should then be
put back where it will just simmer, for meat that is boiled rapidly
becomes hard and stringy, while that which is kept just at the boiling
point (where the water hardly bubbles) will cut tender and juicy,
provided there is any juiciness in it at the beginning. White meats,
like mutton and poultry, are improved in appearance by having rice
boiled with them; or, a still better way is to thickly flour a piece
of coarse cotton cloth, pin the meat in it, and place in the boiling
water. Meat cooked in this way will be extremely juicy.
Leg of Mutton.
Cook, as directed, in boiling water to cover. A leg that weighs eight
or nine pounds will cook in one hour and a quarter if it is wanted
done rare. Allow five minutes for every additional pound. Save the
water for soups.
Lamb.
Cook the same as mutton. Serve with drawn butter.
Boiled Ham.
Wash the ham very clean, and put on with cold water to cover. Simmer
gently five hours, and set the kettle aside for one or two hours. When
nearly cold, take out the ham and draw off the skin. Cover with
cracker crumbs and about three table-spoonfuls of sugar. Place in the
oven, in a baking-pan, for thirty or forty minutes. Many people stick
cloves into the fat part of the ham, and use only a few crumbs. The
time given is for a ham weighing about twelve pounds; every pound over
that will require fifteen minutes more. The fish kettle comes next to
a regular ham kettle, and answers quite as well as both. If you have
neither kettle, and no pot large enough to hold all the meat, cut off
the knuckle, which will cook in about two hours. But this rather hurts
the flavor and appearance of the dish.
Salt Tongue.
Soak over night, and cook from five to six hours. Throw into cold
water and peel off the skin.
Fresh Tongue.
Put into boiling water to cover, with two table-spoonfuls of salt.
Cook from five to six hours. Skin the same as salt tongue.
Corned Beef.
Wash, and put into cold water, if very salt; but such a piece as one
finds in town and city shops, and which the butchers corn themselves,
put into boiling water. Cook very slowly for six hours. This time is
for a piece weighing eight or ten pounds. When it is to be served cold
let it stand for one or two hours in the water in which it was boiled.
If the beef is to be pressed, get either a piece of the brisket, flank
or rattle-ran. Take out the bones, place in a flat dish or platter,
put a tin sheet on top, and lay on it two or three bricks. If you have
a corned beef press, use that, of course.