A manual of home-making

The second and third extractions may be mixed. The mixture should be boiled down until the juice approximates in pectin-content the riclmcss of the first ex- traction, as shown by the pectin test. The juice should then be measurwl, and the sugar should l>e added in the proportion BUggested for the first extraction. The proportion of sugar to juice, the proportion of pectin in the juice, and possii>ly the proportion of acid in the juice, govern the length of time for boiling the juice to produce good jelly. Boiling from 8 to 10 minutes may be sufficient for currant juice, while from 20 to 30 minutes may l>e required for juice from raspberries, blackberries, a[>])lcs, and the like. The juice in any case should be boiled rapidly. 622 A MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING The sugar should he added to the juice when the junr*] >f boiling is about half eompleteii. If the sugar is hot, the mr^ki * process is not delayed. Care should be taken not to ^(f r r the sugar, however. The juice should be stirred fmrly i\i> stantly, after the sugar is added, in order to prevent buminic. A giKnl jelly test m to allow juice to drop from the skleafa spoon and when it sheets off, or breiiksoff^ to stop the cooking. If jellies are to stand any length of time before tising^ ihef sliould be scaled properly from the air» After the been filled completely with the hot jelhes, they should in a cool place for the contents to harden. Jellies slightly cooked may lie covered with panes of gla^s and allowied harden in the sun. In either case, when the jelliejj are weU flei« the glasses should l>e filled wnth hot paraffin — the jelly will haft shrunken, leaving space for this — not merely melt^l p&nlEsi^ l>ut hot paraffin so that all gemis that may have fallen on tliB surface of the jelly may be killed and future trouble with tliflB obviated. The glasses should be closed with hot, clean tifl covers, and kept in a dry, cool place* lould bmM ghtlytioSS allowied ImM Jams. The methotf of making jams is to cook the fruit until tender, add sugar in the proportion of equal quantities or thnee-fouftke as much as fruit, an*! cook the mixture until a drop will jeBf on a cold dish. It shoultl then l>e poun-d into aterilijed and seale<J. PRESERVATION OF MEAT* Directions for canning meat are given on page 613. Keeping fresh meai All meat to be preserved, either fresh or cured, should be thoroughly cooUh] after the animal is slaughtered, for tml^ this is done the meat will not cure well mir will it be poasi keep it in a fresh state for any length of time. I • Seulke, K. J. The Curing of Meat and MvM Pmducts on tlie I Oimell Reading-Course for the Farm, Bull 1 19» FOOD PRESERVATION 623 In cold weather meat may he kept by hanging it in a dark, cool place, where dogs, cats, and rwlents cannot reach it. If a temperature below 40° F, is mairitiLiiKHl, meat may be kept for weeks; but with the temperature alternating between low and high, it will not keep well. Meat that is frozen will keep in-* definitely so long as it remains frozen. Alternate freezing and thawing will spoil the flavor anil cause early decomposition. It is impoHant that tlie meat Ijc kept in a place where the air is dry. A darkt cool cellar, or an attic that is dry and free from odors, is the profx^r place for keeping meat on the faiTU.