Extracting. — It must be obvious from the above, that
when the object is to extract from meat its juices, that the
proper method to be pursued is to cut it into small pieces,
exposing it for half an hour to the action of cold water. It
should then be covered, put on the stove, and gradually
brought to the simmering point. Let it simmer for five or
six hours. The brown scum that accumulates on the surface
is coagulated albumen, and thro^vn away only by the ignorant.
The meat which is left has lost its extractives (useful
chiefly for flavor), its salts, and its water, and a small part
of its fats and albuminoids. It will not sustain life if used
as an exclusive diet, but at the same time it is great ex-
travagance to throw it away. The chief objection to it is
that it is not palatable. To make it so, and also to restore
to it part of its lost nutritive value, salt it, and use it for
meat cakes or croquettes.
Roasting. — In roasting, as in boiling, the object is to sear
the surface of the meat by subjecting it suddenly to intense
heat, and then to cook it thoroughly by long exposure to a
much lower temperature. This is done by putting it into a
hot oven for about a half-hour. Then, when the outside is
browned, close all drafts, opening the checks, if necessary,
to lower the temperature for the slow cooking that will de-
velop its flavors.
Potatoes, containing as they do so much moisture, may be
roasted. Some means of escape must be provided for the
steam. This is usually accomplished by piercing them with
a fork, when they are half done.
Broiling. — Broiling depends on the same principles as
roasting, but the cooking is done over coals instead of in
the oven.
PRINCIPLES OF COOKING 171
Frying. — Frying, too, depends upon the same principles,
but the searing medium here is hot fat. The hotter the fat,
the more efficiently will it sear the meat. Therefore, olive
oil, which does not burn until it reaches a temperature of
608° F., is the best material to use. Cotton-seed oil, lard,
drippings, suet, butter (to give them in the order of their
burning temperatures), are the next best frying media.
Doughnuts and batters generally need a lower tempera-
ture than breaded meats. These in turn do not require as
high a temperature as potatoes. Fish and all watery articles
must be fried at the highest possible temperature.
The rule for all is that the fat should be " smoking hot."
" Smoking hot," however, may be divided into three classes:
1st, when a faint blue smoke rises from the centre ; 2d, a
stronger smoke; and 3d, a still stronger smoke. The last
is of course the hottest, and the fat must be in this condi-
tion before it can be used for fish.
Why does fish require a higher temperature ? Because
it contains much water, which will lower the temperature.
Water in the fat means that the temperature will be so
lowered that it is no longer capable of searing the food, and
for these reasons penetrates into the interior and soaks it
with grease. Therefore, in frying any wet food, watch the
fat carefully. When it has bubbles of steam, let every drop
of water evaporate by keeping it hot.
A draft of air cooling the surface of the article to be fried
will also cause it to absorb the grease. This is the reason
why it is important to fry only in deep fat.
Page 82
Presented as published in 1900. 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
Extracting. — It must be obvious from the above, that when the object is to extract from meat its juices, that the proper method to be pursued is to cut it into small pieces, exposing it for half an hour to the action of cold water. It should then be covered, put on the stove, and gradually brought to the simmering point. Let it simmer for five or six hours. The brown scum that accumulates on the surface is coagulated albumen, and thrown away only by the ignorant.
The meat which is left has lost its extractives (useful chiefly for flavor), its salts, and its water, and a small part of its fats and albuminoids. It will not sustain life if used as an exclusive diet, but at the same time it is great extravagance to throw it away. The chief objection to it is that it is not palatable. To make it so, and also to restore to it part of its lost nutritive value, salt it, and use it for meat cakes or croquettes.
Roasting. — In roasting, as in boiling, the object is to sear the surface of the meat by subjecting it suddenly to intense heat, and then to cook it thoroughly by long exposure to a much lower temperature. This is done by putting it into a hot oven for about a half-hour. Then, when the outside is browned, close all drafts, opening the checks, if necessary, to lower the temperature for the slow cooking that will develop its flavors.
Potatoes, containing as they do so much moisture, may be roasted. Some means of escape must be provided for the steam. This is usually accomplished by piercing them with a fork, when they are half done.
Broiling. — Broiling depends on the same principles as roasting, but the cooking is done over coals instead of in the oven.
Frying. — Frying, too, depends upon the same principles, but the searing medium here is hot fat. The hotter the fat, the more efficiently will it sear the meat. Therefore, olive oil, which does not burn until it reaches a temperature of 608° F., is the best material to use. Cotton-seed oil, lard, drippings, suet, butter (to give them in the order of their burning temperatures), are the next best frying media.
Doughnuts and batters generally need a lower temperature than breaded meats. These in turn do not require as high a temperature as potatoes. Fish and all watery articles must be fried at the highest possible temperature.
The rule for all is that the fat should be " smoking hot." " Smoking hot," however, may be divided into three classes: 1st, when a faint blue smoke rises from the centre ; 2d, a stronger smoke; and 3d, a still stronger smoke. The last is of course the hottest, and the fat must be in this condition before it can be used for fish.
Why does fish require a higher temperature ? Because it contains much water, which will lower the temperature. Water in the fat means that the temperature will be so lowered that it is no longer capable of searing the food, and for these reasons penetrates into the interior and soaks it with grease. Therefore, in frying any wet food, watch the fat carefully. When it has bubbles of steam, let every drop of water evaporate by keeping it hot.
A draft of air cooling the surface of the article to be fried will also cause it to absorb the grease. This is the reason why it is important to fry only in deep fat.