It was about the year 1820 that the scientific consideration
of the principles of cookery was for the first time attempted.
For the first time broth was spoken of as extract or essence
of meat, the strength and value of which stood in direct
proportion to the weights of the essential ingredients used
in its preparation. A standard was established by means
of which all cooks could compare facts, processes, and pro-
ducts, and work within reasonable outlines drawn by
economy as well as hygienic, and even elegant nutrition.
Before considering more closely the details of this discovery,
we must notice the scientific and practical forerunners of
this movement.
Claude Joseph Geoffroy, the younger brother of Etienne
Francois (a Parisian chemist, lP86 to 1752), made some
researches* in 1730 to 1732, the object of which was to
ascertain the amount and nature of the matters which
boiling water extracted from meat ordinarily consumed ; he
endeavoured to weigh the proportion of extract soluble in
water in the dry state, and compare it to the quantity of
insoluble residue also reduced to and weighed in the dry state.
The residues of both processes were afterwards subjected to
Examen chimique des viandes, qu’on emploie ordinairement dans les
bouillons, par lequel ou peut reconnaitre la quantite d’extraifc qu’elles four-
nissen et determiner ce que chaque bouillon doit contenir de sue nouris-
sant. IVI^m. de 1 Acad. d. Sc., 1732. [Lavoisier published ‘Note ,sur le
bouillon, in ‘ M^in. de la Soc. Hoy. de Med.’ vii.]
io8
THE SPIRIT OF COOKER!
dry distillation, a process in which all further scientific
inquiry, which had begun so promisingly, perished. The
watery distillate of the extract of beef had the flavour of
bouillon of beef.
Ten years after Geoffrey’s ‘ Memoir ’ was published the
following recipe for ‘ Extract of Meat in Dry Tablets, which
can ha easily transported and preserved during a year and
longer.’* These tablets dissolved in water form grand
bouillon, and are made as follows : Take a quarter of an ox,
an entire calf, or part of one if it be large, two sheep, and
two dozen of old hens or cocks ; prepare all in the usual
manner ; parboil and clean the feet of the calf and sheep,
remove all visible fat, and put the whole in a large copper ;
add the decoction already prepared of from 12 Ib. to 15 lb. of
hartshorn shavings ; cover the meat, etc., with spring water,
and cover the boiler, weighting the lid with 60 lb. Let
the meat boil over a gentle fire quietly, without skimming,
during six hours or more, until all meat is thoroughly done
and all soft parts are easily detached from the bones.
Eemove the large bones, leaving all the rest on the fire ;
take out all the meat, mince it, and put it into a great press
with (hotted) iron plates, to extract all juice. Eeturn the
pressed-out liquid to the bouillon in the caldron, pass all
through a horsehair tamis; let cool, and remove the fat.
You can now salt and spice the bouillon ; continue to boil
while constantly stirring it, until a portion placed on a cold
plate sets to a jelly, and the extract becomes thick like
honey and brown in colour. Take it off the fire, let it cool
somewhat, and put it into glazed earthenware vessels of a
long and flat shape (pans) not exceeding three inches in
depth. ✪ Extract of Meat in Dry Tablets
Page 78 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
It was about the year 1820 that the scientific consideration of the principles of cookery was for the first time attempted. For the first time broth was spoken of as extract or essence of meat, the strength and value of which stood in direct proportion to the weights of the essential ingredients used in its preparation. A standard was established by means of which all cooks could compare facts, processes, and products, and work within reasonable outlines drawn by economy as well as hygienic, and even elegant nutrition. Before considering more closely the details of this discovery, we must notice the scientific and practical forerunners of this movement.
Claude Joseph Geoffroy, the younger brother of Etienne Francois (a Parisian chemist, 1686 to 1752), made some researches* in 1730 to 1732, the object of which was to ascertain the amount and nature of the matters which boiling water extracted from meat ordinarily consumed ; he endeavoured to weigh the proportion of extract soluble in water in the dry state, and compare it to the quantity of insoluble residue also reduced to and weighed in the dry state. The residues of both processes were afterwards subjected to
Examen chimique des viandes, qu'on emploie ordinairement dans les bouillons, par lequel on peut reconnaître la quantité d'extrait qu'elles fournissent et déterminer ce que chaque bouillon doit contenir de sue nourrissant. Mém. de l'Acad. d. Sc., 1732. [Lavoisier published 'Note sur le bouillon,' in 'Mém. de la Soc. Roy. de Méd.' vii.]
io8
dry distillation, a process in which all further scientific inquiry, which had begun so promisingly, perished. The watery distillate of the extract of beef had the flavour of bouillon of beef.
Ten years after Geoffrey's 'Memoir' was published the following recipe for 'Extract of Meat in Dry Tablets, which can be easily transported and preserved during a year and longer.'* These tablets dissolved in water form grand bouillon, and are made as follows : Take a quarter of an ox, an entire calf, or part of one if it be large, two sheep, and two dozen of old hens or cocks ; prepare all in the usual manner ; parboil and clean the feet of the calf and sheep, remove all visible fat, and put the whole in a large copper ; add the decoction already prepared of from 12 Ib. to 15 lb. of hartshorn shavings ; cover the meat, etc., with spring water, and cover the boiler, weighting the lid with 60 lb. Let the meat boil over a gentle fire quietly, without skimming, during six hours or more, until all meat is thoroughly done and all soft parts are easily detached from the bones. Remove the large bones, leaving all the rest on the fire ; take out all the meat, mince it, and put it into a great press with (hotted) iron plates, to extract all juice. Return the pressed-out liquid to the bouillon in the caldron, pass all through a horsehair tamis; let cool, and remove the fat. You can now salt and spice the bouillon ; continue to boil while constantly stirring it, until a portion placed on a cold plate sets to a jelly, and the extract becomes thick like honey and brown in colour. Take it off the fire, let it cool somewhat, and put it into glazed earthenware vessels of a long and flat shape (pans) not exceeding three inches in depth.
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Extract of Meat in Dry Tablets