butter hot in a pan; rub the steaks over with a mixture of a little
salt and pepper; dip them in wheat flour, or rolled crackers, and fry
a rich brown; when both sides are done, take them up on a dish, and
put a tin cover over; dredge a heaping teaspoonful of flour into the
butter in the pan, stir it with a spoon until it is brown, without
burning; put to it a small teacupful of boiling water, with a
tablespoonful of currant jelly dissolved into it; stir it for a few
minutes, then strain it over the meat and serve. A glass of wine, with
a tablespoonful of white sugar dissolved in it, may be used for the
gravy, instead of the jelly and water. Venison may be boiled, and
served with boiled vegetables, pickled beets, etc., and sauce.
[Illustration]
MEATS.
In the selection of meat it is most essential that we understand how
to choose it; in beef it should be a smooth, fine grain, of a clear
bright red color, the fat white, and will feel tender when pinched
with the fingers. Will also have abundant kidney fat or suet. The most
choice pieces for roast are the sirloin, fore and middle ribs.
Veal, to be good, should have the flesh firm and dry, fine grained and
of a delicate pinkish color, and plenty of kidney fat; the joints
stiff.
Mutton is good when the flesh is a bright red, firm and juicy and a
close grain, the fat firm and white.
Pork, if young, the lean will break on being pinched smooth when
nipped with the fingers, also the skin will break and dent; if the
rind is rough and hard it is old.
In roasting meat, allow from fifteen to twenty minutes to the pound,
which will vary according to the thickness of the roast. A great deal
of the success in roasting depends on the heat and goodness of the
fire; if put into a cool oven it loses its juices, and the result is a
tough, tasteless roast; whereas, if the oven is of the proper heat, it
immediately sears up the pores of the meat and the juices are
retained.
The oven should be the hottest when the meat is put into it, in order
to quickly crisp the surface and close the pores of the meat, thereby
confining its natural juices. If the oven is too hot to hold the hand
in for only a moment, then it is right to receive the meat. The roast
should first be washed in pure water, then wiped dry with a clean dry
cloth, placed in a baking pan without any seasoning; some pieces of
suet or cold drippings laid under it, but _no water_ should be put
into the pan, for this would have a tendency to soften the outside of
the meat. The water can never get so hot as the hot fat upon the
surface of the meat, and the generating of the steam prevents its
crispness, so desirable in a roast.
It should be frequently basted with its own drippings, which flow from
the meat when partly cooked, and well seasoned. Lamb, veal and pork
should be cooked rather slower than beef, with a more _moderate_ fire,
covering the fat with a piece of paper, and _thoroughly_ cooked till
the flesh parts from the bone, and nicely browned, without being
burned. An onion sliced and put on top of a roast while cooking,
especially roast of pork, gives a nice flavor. Remove the onion before
serving.
Larding meats is drawing ribbons of fat pork through the upper surface
of the meat, leaving both ends protruding. This is accomplished by the
use of a larding needle, which may be procured at house-furnishing
stores.
Boiling or stewing meat, if fresh, should be put into _boiling_ water,
closely covered and boiled _slowly_, allowing twenty minutes to each
pound, and, when partly cooked, or when it begins to get tender,
salted, adding spices and vegetables.
Salt meats should be covered with _cold_ water, and require thirty
minutes _very slow_ boiling, from the time the water boils, for each
pound; if it is very salt, pour off the first water and put it in
another of boiling water, or it may be soaked one night in cold water.
After meat commences to boil the pot should _never stop_ simmering and
always be replenished from the _boiling_ tea-kettle.
Frying may be done in two ways. One method, which is most generally
used, is by putting one ounce or more (as the case requires) of beef
drippings, lard or butter into a frying pan, and when at the _boiling
point_ lay in the meat, cooking both sides a nice brown. The other
method is to _completely immerse_ the article to be cooked in
sufficient _hot_ lard to cover it, similar to frying doughnuts.
Broiled meats should be placed over clear, red coals free from smoke,
giving out a good heat, but not too brisk, or the meat will be
hardened and scorched; but if the fire is dead the gravy will escape
and drop upon the coals, creating a blaze, which will blacken and
smoke the meat. Steaks and chops should be turned often, in order that
every part should be evenly done--never sticking a fork into the lean
part, as that lets the juices escape; it should be put into the outer
skin or fat. When the meat is sufficiently broiled it should be laid
on a _hot_ dish and seasoned. The best pieces for steak are the
porterhouse, sirloin and rump.
THAWING FROZEN MEAT, ETC.
If meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, or any other article of food, when
found frozen, is thawed by putting it into _warm water_ or placing it
before the fire, it will most certainly spoil by that process, and be
rendered unfit to eat. The only way to thaw these things is by
immersing them in _cold_ water. This should be done as soon as they
are brought in from market, that they may have time to be well thawed
before they are cooked. If meat that has been frozen is to be boiled,
put it on in cold water. If to be roasted, begin by setting it at a
distance from the fire, for if it should not chance to be thoroughly
thawed all through to the centre, placing it at first too near the
fire will cause it to spoil. If it is expedient to thaw the meat or
poultry the night before cooking, lay it in cold water early in the
evening, and change the water at bed-time. If found crusted with ice
in the morning, remove the ice, and put the meat in fresh cold water,
letting it lie in it till wanted for cooking.
Potatoes are injured by being frozen. Other vegetables are not the
worse for it, provided they are always thawed in cold water.
TO KEEP MEAT FROM FLIES.
Put in sacks, with enough straw around it so the flies cannot reach
through. Three-fourths of a yard of yard-wide muslin is the right size
for the sack. Put a little straw in the bottom, then put in the ham
and lay straw in all around it; tie it tightly and hang it in a cool,
dry place. Be sure the straw is all around the meat, so the flies
cannot reach through to deposit the eggs. (The sacking must be done
early in the season before the fly appears.) Muslin lets the air in
and is much better than paper. Thin muslin is as good as thick, and
will last for years if washed when laid away when emptied.
_National Stockman._
ROAST BEEF.
One very essential point in roasting beef is to have the oven well
heated when the beef is first put in; this causes the pores to close
up quickly, and prevents the escape of the juices.
Take a rib piece or loin roast of seven or eight pounds. Wipe it
thoroughly all over with a clean wet towel. Lay it in a dripping-pan,
and baste it well with butter or suet fat. Set it in the oven. Baste
it frequently with its own drippings, which will make it brown and
tender. When partly done season with salt and pepper, as it hardens
any meat to salt it when raw, and draws out its juices, then dredge
with sifted flour to give it a frothy appearance. It will take a roast
of this size about two hours' time to be properly done, leaving the
inside a little rare or red--half an hour less would make the inside
quite rare. Remove the beef to a heated dish, set where it will keep
hot; then skim the drippings from all fat, add a tablespoonful of
sifted flour, a little pepper and a teacupful of boiling water. Boil
up once and serve hot in a gravy boat.
Some prefer the clear gravy without the thickening. Serve with mustard
or grated horse-radish and vinegar.
YORKSHIRE PUDDING.
This is a very nice accompaniment to a roast of beef; the ingredients
are, one pint of milk, four eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately,
one teaspoonful of salt, and two teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted
through two cups of flour. It should be mixed very smooth, about the
consistency of cream. Regulate your time when you put in your roast,
so that it will be done half an hour or forty minutes before dishing
up. Take it from the oven, set it where it will keep hot. In the
meantime have this pudding prepared. Take two common biscuit tins, dip
some of the drippings from the dripping-pan into these tins, pour half
of the pudding into each, set them into the hot oven, and keep them in
until the dinner is dished up; take these puddings out at the last
moment and send to the table hot. This I consider much better than the
old way of baking the pudding under the meat.
BEEFSTEAK. No. 1.
The first consideration in broiling is to have a clear, glowing bed of
coals. The steak should be about three-quarters of an inch in
thickness, and should be pounded only in extreme cases, _i.e._, when
it is cut _too_ thick and is "stringy." Lay it on a buttered gridiron,
turning it often, as it begins to drip, attempting nothing else while
cooking it. Have everything else ready for the table; the potatoes and
vegetables dished and in the warming closet. Do not season it until it
is done, which will be in about ten to twelve minutes. Remove it to a warm
platter, pepper and salt it on both sides and spread a liberal lump of
butter over it. Serve at once while hot. No definite rule can be given
as to the _time_ of cooking steak, individual tastes differ so widely
in regard to it, some only liking it when well done, others so rare
that the blood runs out of it. The best pieces for broiling are the
porterhouse and sirloin.
BEEFSTEAK. No. 2.
Take a smooth, thick-bottomed frying pan, scald it out with hot water,
and wipe it dry; set it on the stove or range, and when _very_ hot,
rub it over the bottom with a rag dipped in butter; then place your
steak or chops in it, turn often until cooked through, take up on a
warm platter, and season both sides with salt, pepper and butter.
Serve hot.
Many prefer this manner of cooking steak rather than broiling or
frying in a quantity of grease.
BEEFSTEAK AND ONIONS.
Prepare the steak in the usual way. Have ready in a frying pan a dozen
onions cut in slices and fried brown in a little beef drippings or
butter. Dish your steak, and lay the onions thickly over the top.
Cover and let stand five minutes, then send to the table hot.
BEEFSTEAK AND OYSTERS.
Broil the steak the usual way. Put one quart of oysters with very
little of the liquor into a stewpan upon the fire; when it comes to a
boil, take off the scum that may rise, stir in three ounces of butter
mixed with a tablespoonful of sifted flour, let it boil one minute
until it thickens, pour it over the steak. Serve hot.
_Palace Hotel, San Francisco._
TO FRY BEEFSTEAKS.
Beefsteak for frying should be cut much thinner than for broiling.
Take from the ribs or sirloin and remove the bone. Put some butter or
nice beef dripping into a frying pan and set it over the fire, and
when it has boiled and become hot lay in the steaks; when cooked quite
enough, season with salt and pepper, turn and brown on both sides.
Steaks when fried should be thoroughly done. Have ready a hot dish,
and when they are done take out the steaks and lay them on it, with
another dish cover the top to keep them hot. The gravy in the pan can
be turned over the steaks, first adding a few drops of boiling water,
or a gravy to be served in a separate dish made by putting a large
tablespoonful of flour into the hot gravy left in the pan after taking
up the steaks. Stir it smooth, then pour in a pint of cream or sweet
rich milk, salt and pepper, let it boil up once until it thickens,
pour hot into a gravy dish and send to the table with the steaks.
POT ROAST. (Old Style.)
This is an old-fashioned dish, often cooked in our grandmothers' time.
Take a piece of fresh beef weighing about five or six pounds. It must
not be _too fat_. Wash it and put it into a pot with barely sufficient
water to cover it. Set it over a slow fire, and after it has stewed an
hour salt and pepper it. Then stew it slowly until tender, adding a
little onion if liked. Do not replenish the water at the last, but let
all nearly boil away. When tender all through take the meat from the
pot and pour the gravy in a bowl. Put a large lump of butter in the
bottom of the pot, then dredge the piece of meat with flour and return
it to the pot to brown, turning it often to prevent its burning. Take
the gravy that you have poured from the meat into the bowl and skim
off all the fat; pour this gravy in with the meat and stir in a large
spoonful of flour wet with a little water; let it boil up ten or
fifteen minutes and pour into a gravy dish. Serve both hot, the meat
on a platter. Some are very fond of this way of cooking a piece of
beef which has been previously placed in spiced pickle for two or
three days.
SPICED BEEF. (Excellent.)
For a round of beef weighing twenty or twenty-four pounds, take
one-quarter of a pound of saltpetre, one-quarter of a pound of coarse
brown sugar, two pounds of salt, one ounce of cloves, one ounce of
allspice and half an ounce of mace; pulverize these materials, mix
them well together, and with them rub the beef thoroughly on every
part; let the beef lie for eight or ten days in the pickle thus made,
turning and rubbing it every day; then tie it around with a broad
tape, to keep it in shape; make a coarse paste of flour and water, lay
a little suet finely chopped over and under the beef, inclose the beef
entirely in the paste, and bake it six hours. When you take the beef
from the oven, remove the paste, but do not remove the tape until you
are ready to send it to the table. If you wish, to eat the beef cold,
keep it well covered that it may retain its moisture.
BEEF Á LA MODE.
Mix together three teaspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, one of ginger,
one of mace, one of cinnamon, and two of cloves. Rub this mixture into
ten pounds of the upper part of a round of beef. Let this beef stand
in this state over night. In the morning, make a dressing or stuffing
of a pint of fine bread crumbs, half a pound of fat salt pork cut in
dice, a teaspoonful of ground thyme or summer savory, two teaspoonfuls
sage, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one of nutmeg, a little cloves, an
onion minced fine, moisten with a little milk or water. Stuff this
mixture into the place from whence you took out the bone. With a long
skewer fasten the two ends of the beef together, so that its form will
be circular, and bind it around with tape to prevent the skewers
giving way. Make incisions in the beef with a sharp knife; fill these
incisions very closely with the stuffing, and dredge the whole with
flour.
Put it into a dripping-pan and pour over it a pint of hot water; turn
a large pan over it to keep in the steam, and roast slowly from three
to four hours, allowing a quarter of an hour to each pound of meat. If
the meat should be tough, it may be stewed first in a pot, with water
enough to cover it, until tender, and then put into a dripping-pan and
browned in the oven.
If the meat is to be eaten hot, skim off the fat from the gravy, into
which, after it is taken off the fire, stir in the beaten yolks of two
eggs. If onions are disliked you may omit them and substitute minced
oysters.
TENDERLOIN OF BEEF.
To serve tenderloin as directed below, the whole piece must be
extracted before the hind-quarter of the animal is cut out. This must
be particularly noted, because not commonly practiced, the tenderloin
being usually left attached to the roasting pieces, in order to
furnish a tidbit for a few. To dress it whole, proceed as follows:
Washing the piece well, put it in an oven; add about a pint of water,
and chop up a good handful of each of the following vegetables as an
ingredient of the dish, _viz._, Irish potatoes, carrots, turnips and a
large bunch of celery. They must be washed, peeled and chopped up
raw, then added to the meat; blended with the juice, they form and
flavor the gravy. Let the whole slowly simmer, and when nearly done,
add a teaspoonful of pounded allspice. To give a richness to the
gravy, put in a tablespoonful of butter. If the gravy should look too
greasy, skim off some of the melted suet. Boil also a lean piece of
beef, which, when perfectly done, chop fine, flavoring with a very
small quantity of onion, besides pepper and salt to the taste. Make
into small balls, wet them on the outside with eggs, roll in grated
cracker or fine bread crumbs. Fry these force meat balls a light
brown. When serving the dish, put these around the tenderloin, and
pour over the whole the rich gravy. This dish is a very handsome one,
and, altogether, fit for an epicurean palate. A sumptuous dish.
STEWED STEAK WITH OYSTERS.
Two pounds of rump steak, one pint of oysters, one tablespoonful of
lemon juice, three of butter, one of flour, salt, pepper, one cupful
of water. Wash the oysters in the water and drain into a stewpan. Put
this liquor on to heat. As soon as it comes to a boil, skim and set
back. Put the butter in a frying pan, and when hot, put in a steak.
Cook ten minutes. Take up the steak, and stir the flour into the
butter remaining in the pan. Stir until a dark brown. Add the oyster
liquor and boil one minute. Season with salt and pepper. Put back the
steak, cover the pan, and simmer half an hour or until the steak seems
tender, then add the oysters and lemon juice. Boil one minute. Serve
on a hot dish with points of toast for a garnish.
SMOTHERED BEEFSTEAK.
Take _thin_ slices of steak from the upper part of the round or one
large thin steak. Lay the meat out smoothly and wipe it dry. Prepare a
dressing, using a cupful of fine bread crumbs, half a teaspoonful of
salt, some pepper, a tablespoonful of butter, half a teaspoonful of
sage, the same of powdered summer savory, and enough milk to moisten
it all into a stiff mixture. Spread it over the meat, roll it up
carefully, and tie with a string, securing the ends well. Now fry a
few thin slices of salt pork in the bottom of a kettle or saucepan,
and into the fat that has fried out of this pork, place this roll or
rolls of beef, and brown it on all sides, turning it until a rich
color all over, then add half a pint of water, and stew until tender.
If the flavor of onion is liked, a slice may be chopped fine and added
to the dressing. When cooked sufficiently, take out the meat, thicken
the gravy, and turn over it. To be carved cutting crosswise, in
slices, through beef and stuffing.
BEEFSTEAK ROLLS.
This mode is similar to the above recipe, but many might prefer it.
Prepare a good dressing, such as you like for turkey or duck; take a
round steak, pound it, but not very hard, spread the dressing over it,
sprinkle in a little salt, pepper, and a few bits of butter, lap over
the ends, roll the steak up tightly and tie closely; spread two great
spoonfuls of butter over the steak after rolling it up, then wash with
a well-beaten egg, put water in the bake-pan, lay in the steak so as
not to touch the water, and bake as you would a duck, basting often. A
half-hour in a brisk oven will bake. Make a brown gravy and send to
the table hot.
TO COLLAR A FLANK OF BEEF.
Procure a well-corned flank of beef--say six pounds. Wash it, and
remove the inner and outer skin with the gristle. Prepare a seasoning
of one teaspoonful each of sage, parsley, thyme, pepper and cloves.
Lay your meat upon a board and spread this mixture over the inside.
Roll the beef up tight, fasten it with small skewers, put a cloth over
it, bandage the cloth with tape, put the beef into the stewpot, cover
it with water to the depth of an inch, boil gently six hours; take it
out of the water, place it on a board without undoing it; lay a board
on top of the beef, put a fifty pound weight upon this board, and let
it remain twenty-four hours. Take off the bandage, garnish with green
pickles and curled parsley, and serve.
DRIED BEEF.
Buy the best of beef, or that part which will be the most lean and
tender. The tender part of the round is a very good piece. For every
twenty pounds of beef use one pint of salt, one teaspoonful of
saltpetre, and a quarter of a pound of brown sugar. Mix them well
together, and rub the beef well with one-third of the mixture for
three successive days. Let it lie in the liquor it makes for six days,
then hang up to dry.
A large crock or jar is a good vessel to prepare the meat in before
drying it.
BEEF CORNED OR SALTED. (Red.)
Cut up a quarter of beef. For each hundred weight take half a peck of
coarse salt, a quarter of a pound of saltpetre, the same weight of
saleratus and a quart of molasses, or two pounds of coarse brown
sugar. Mace, cloves and allspice may be added for spiced beef.
Strew some of the salt in the bottom of a pickle-tub or barrel, then
put in a layer of meat, strew this with salt, then add another layer
of meat, and salt and meat alternately, until all is used. Let it
remain one night. Dissolve the saleratus and saltpetre in a little
warm water, and put it to the molasses or sugar; then put it over the
meat, add water enough to cover the meat, lay a board on it to keep it
under the brine. The meat is fit for use after ten days. This recipe
is for winter beef. Rather more salt may be used in warm weather.
Towards spring take the brine from the meat, make it boiling hot, skim
it clear, and when it is cooled, return it to the meat.
Beef tongues and smoking pieces are fine pickled in this brine. Beef
liver put in this brine for ten days, and then wiped dry and smoked,
is very fine. Cut it in slices, and fry or broil it. The brisket of
beef, after being corned, may be smoked, and is very good for boiling.
Lean pieces of beef, cut properly from the hind-quarter, are the
proper pieces for being smoked. There may be some fine pieces cut from
the fore-quarter.
After the beef has been in brine ten days or more, wipe it dry, and
hang it in a chimney where wood is burned, or make a smothered fire of
sawdust or chips, and keep it smoking for ten days; then rub fine
black pepper over every part to keep the flies from it, and hang it in
a _dry, dark, cool place_. After a week it is fit for use. A strong,
coarse brown paper, folded around the beef, and fastened with paste,
keeps it nicely.
Tongues are smoked in the same manner. Hang them by a string put
through the root end. Spiced brine for smoked beef or tongues will be
generally liked.
ROAST BEEF PIE WITH POTATO CRUST.
When you have a cold roast of beef, cut off as much as will half fill
a baking-dish suited to the size of your family; put this sliced beef
into a stewpan with any gravy that you may have also saved, a lump of
butter, a bit of sliced onion and a seasoning of pepper and salt, with
enough water to make plenty of gravy; thicken it, too, by dredging in
a tablespoonful of flour; cover it up on the fire, where it may stew
gently, but not be in danger of burning. Meanwhile there must be
boiled a sufficient quantity of potatoes to fill up your baking-dish,
after the stewed meat has been transferred to it. The potatoes must be
boiled done, mashed smooth, and beaten up with milk and butter, as if
they were to be served alone, and placed in a thick layer on top of
the meat. Brush it over with egg, place the dish in an oven, and let
it remain there long enough to be brown. There should be a goodly
quantity of gravy left with the beef, that the dish be not dry and
tasteless. Serve with it tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce or any
other kind that you prefer. A good, plain dish.
ROAST BEEF PIE.
Cut up roast beef, or beefsteak left from a previous meal, into thin
slices, lay some of the slices into a deep dish which you have lined
_on the sides_ with rich biscuit dough, rolled very thin (say a
quarter of an inch thick); now sprinkle over this layer a little
pepper and salt; put in a small bit of butter, a few slices of cold
potatoes, a little of the cold gravy, if you have any left from the
roast. Make another layer of beef, another layer of seasoning, and so
on, until the dish is filled; cover the whole with paste leaving a
slit in the centre, and bake half an hour.
BEEFSTEAK PIE.