Grilling or broiling may be done over or in front of the fire.
A clear fire is necessary, and the gridiron must be warmed.
This method of cooking is suitable for chops and steaks,
which take from ten to fifteen minutes to cook, the time
varying according to the thickness of the meat. When turn-
ing the meat, forks must not be used ; if steak tongs are not
available, use the blade of a knife.
Baking is the term applied to cooking in a closed oven.
The oven should be well ventilated and very clean, or the
meat will be sodden and unpalatable. A double baking
tin, fitted with a grid, should be used' The meat must be
weighed, wiped with a damp cloth, and placed upon the grid.
The joint is placed in the hottest part of the oven from five
to ten minutes to harden the surface so that the juices do not
escape. Reduce the heat by pushing in the oven damper,
and remove the meat to a cooler part of the oven. Baste
8
THE PRINCIPLES OF COOKING
9
frequently to keep tlie joint moist, to prevent charring, and
to improve the taste.
Time allowed for baking : poultry, fifteen minutes to the
pound and fifteen over. Beef and mutton, twenty minutes
to the pound and twenty minutes over. Pork and veal,
twenty-five minutes to the pound and twenty-five minutes
over.
Boiling. The meat to be boiled must be plunged into
rapidly boiling water to harden the outside and retain the
juices in the joint. After the first five minutes reduce the
heat and simmer, allowing the same time as for baking.
Salt meat must be put into warm water to extract some of
the salt, brought to the boil, and then simmered. Frozen
meat should hang for several hours before cooking, and a
longer time allowed for boiling. For thick pieces of meat,
allow five minutes extra to each pound. Fish should be
placed in hot water ; if it is plunged into boiling water the
extreme heat will cause it to break. A teaspoonful of lemon
juice is put into the water to keep the fish a good colour.
Frying. The food is cooked by immersion or contact with
hot fat. Frying may be divided into two classes.
(1) Shallow. The food to be cooked is placed in a frying
pan, and as little fat as possible is used. This method is
used for sausages, bacon and pancakes.
(2) Deep. The food is immersed in hot fat — oil, dripping,
clarified fat or butter are the best mediums. The food must
be protected by a coating of batter, or egg and breadcrumbs.
The fat is raised to a temperature of 351° F., or what is gener-
ally termed “ smoking hot ” ; a blue smoke rising from the
surface. A better result is obtained from this method ; the
food, when cooked, has a nice even colour and is not so greasy.
It is also more economical, the fat being strained and used
several times.
Steaming. The food to be steamed is not brought into
contact with the hot water. This method should be used as
far as possible when cooking for invalids, because very little
of the nourishment escapes from the food. Fish, vegetables
and puddings may be steamed.
Stewing. Stewing is an economical and easy way of cook-
ing. Small pieces of tough or sinewy meat may be made
10
THE PRINCIPLES OF COOKING
palatable, the juices being partially extracted, the tissues
softened and made eatable. To stew meat successfully, the
temperature should not exceed 170° F., and must never be
allowed to reach boiling point.
APPROXIMATE TIMES ALLOWED FOR BOILING
Page 2
Presented as published in 1906. 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
Grilling or broiling may be done over or in front of the fire. A clear fire is necessary, and the gridiron must be warmed.
This method of cooking is suitable for chops and steaks, which take from ten to fifteen minutes to cook, the time varying according to the thickness of the meat. When turning the meat, forks must not be used ; if steak tongs are not available, use the blade of a knife.
Baking is the term applied to cooking in a closed oven. The oven should be well ventilated and very clean, or the meat will be sodden and unpalatable. A double baking tin, fitted with a grid, should be used. The meat must be weighed, wiped with a damp cloth, and placed upon the grid. The joint is placed in the hottest part of the oven from five to ten minutes to harden the surface so that the juices do not escape. Reduce the heat by pushing in the oven damper,
and remove the meat to a cooler part of the oven. Baste
frequently to keep the joint moist, to prevent charring, and to improve the taste.
Time allowed for baking : poultry, fifteen minutes to the
pound and fifteen over. Beef and mutton, twenty minutes to the pound and twenty minutes over. Pork and veal, twenty-five minutes to the pound and twenty-five minutes over.
Boiling. The meat to be boiled must be plunged into rapidly boiling water to harden the outside and retain the juices in the joint. After the first five minutes reduce the heat and simmer, allowing the same time as for baking.
Salt meat must be put into warm water to extract some of the salt, brought to the boil, and then simmered. Frozen meat should hang for several hours before cooking, and a longer time allowed for boiling. For thick pieces of meat, allow five minutes extra to each pound. Fish should be placed in hot water ; if it is plunged into boiling water the extreme heat will cause it to break. A teaspoonful of lemon juice is put into the water to keep the fish a good colour.
Frying. The food is cooked by immersion or contact with hot fat. Frying may be divided into two classes.
(1) Shallow. The food to be cooked is placed in a frying pan, and as little fat as possible is used. This method is used for sausages, bacon and pancakes.
(2) Deep. The food is immersed in hot fat — oil, dripping, clarified fat or butter are the best mediums. The food must be protected by a coating of batter, or egg and breadcrumbs. The fat is raised to a temperature of 351° F., or what is generally termed “ smoking hot ” ; a blue smoke rising from the surface. A better result is obtained from this method ; the food, when cooked, has a nice even colour and is not so greasy. It is also more economical, the fat being strained and used several times.
Steaming. The food to be steamed is not brought into contact with the hot water. This method should be used as far as possible when cooking for invalids, because very little of the nourishment escapes from the food. Fish, vegetables and puddings may be steamed.
Stewing. Stewing is an economical and easy way of cooking. Small pieces of tough or sinewy meat may be made
palatable, the juices being partially extracted, the tissues softened and made eatable. To stew meat successfully, the temperature should not exceed 170° F., and must never be allowed to reach boiling point.
APPROXIMATE TIMES ALLOWED FOR BOILING