Hard and Soft Water. — Many cooks also do not understand the
action of different waters on meat. For making soup, or broth, soft
water, unsalted, is best to use, because that more readily penetrates
the tissues and extracts the juices; but for cooking meat to be eaten,
where it is desired to retain the juices in the meat, hard water is
best, or if soft water is used, put a little salt in it. Salt added to the
water in which meat or fish is cooked acts in 3 ways: (1) It helps
MEATS 125
to coagulate the surface albumen. (2) Water containing salt boils
at a little higher temperature than pure water. (3) It increases the
density of the water, and the juices flow out less readily. Although
each action is rather small, they all combine to keep in the juices.
The Disagreeable Odor of Boiling.— This may be kept from filling
the house by putting into the water a pod of red pepper. A lump of
charcoal wrapped in muslin and dropiDed in the kettle will also
absorb the odor and prevent its permeating the house.
Burning Fat.— When, in brcwling meat, fat drops down on the
coals, and you fear it may give the meat a smoky taste, take off the
gridiron for a minute or two, and put a little salt on the coals.
To Thaw Frozen Meat. — Put it in cold water, and do not try to
cook it until it is fully thawed. Do not thaw it until just before it is
to be cooked. To ascertain whether the thawing is complete, drive
an iron skewer through the thickest part of the joint; if there is a
core of ice within, it will be distinctly felt by the resistance it offers.
If the meat is cooked before it is perfectly thawed, it will often dis-
play a raw center when done. Meat that has been frozen decom-
poses easily when thawed, and it is apt to be insipid and dry when
cooked.
Cold Meat. — Cold, sliced meats are much relished by many, but
need not, necessarily, be entirely cold when served, especially in cold
weather. Arrange the slices neatly on a platter, then set the platter
in the oven with the door open, and warm just enough to take off the
chill, but not to start the fat from the meat. Serve it with tomato
or chili sauce. Cold meat cuts better after it is entirely cold.
Kemember that in re^warming all kinds of meat, it must not be
re^cooked, as that has a tendency to harden it. By placing thinly
cut bits of cold meat in a hot dish, or platter, and pouring over it the
hot sauce or gravy, and then serving in hot plates in cold weather,
the meat will be sufficiently heated. Cold butcher's meat of all
kinds can be treated in this way; also fish, shelhfish, poultry and
game, each covered with its appropriate hot sauce or gravy. Mutton
particularly calls for hot x^lates nearly all the year round, as thf^ fat
hardens immediately on a cold plate.
GRAVY — Gravy differs from a meat sauce in that it is made of
the juices which drip from roasted or baked meats; or from tliose
extracted in the iDrocess of frying or sauteing; or from the broth
from boiled meats, in contradistinction from a sauce made frc^m
something foreign to the meat.
Gravy for roasted meat is made by adding water to the drippings✪ Gravy for Roasted Meat
pan in which the meat is roasted; the juices of the meat which liav(^
126 MEATS
Page 93 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1902. 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
Hard and Soft Water. — Many cooks also do not understand the action of different waters on meat. For making soup, or broth, soft water, unsalted, is best to use, because that more readily penetrates the tissues and extracts the juices; but for cooking meat to be eaten, where it is desired to retain the juices in the meat, hard water is best, or if soft water is used, put a little salt in it. Salt added to the water in which meat or fish is cooked acts in 3 ways: (1) It helps
to coagulate the surface albumen. (2) Water containing salt boils at a little higher temperature than pure water. (3) It increases the density of the water, and the juices flow out less readily. Although each action is rather small, they all combine to keep in the juices.
The Disagreeable Odor of Boiling.— This may be kept from filling the house by putting into the water a pod of red pepper. A lump of charcoal wrapped in muslin and dropped in the kettle will also absorb the odor and prevent its permeating the house.
Burning Fat.— When, in browling meat, fat drops down on the coals, and you fear it may give the meat a smoky taste, take off the gridiron for a minute or two, and put a little salt on the coals.
To Thaw Frozen Meat. — Put it in cold water, and do not try to cook it until it is fully thawed. Do not thaw it until just before it is to be cooked. To ascertain whether the thawing is complete, drive an iron skewer through the thickest part of the joint; if there is a core of ice within, it will be distinctly felt by the resistance it offers. If the meat is cooked before it is perfectly thawed, it will often display a raw center when done. Meat that has been frozen decomposes easily when thawed, and it is apt to be insipid and dry when cooked.
Cold Meat. — Cold, sliced meats are much relished by many, but need not, necessarily, be entirely cold when served, especially in cold weather. Arrange the slices neatly on a platter, then set the platter in the oven with the door open, and warm just enough to take off the chill, but not to start the fat from the meat. Serve it with tomato or chili sauce. Cold meat cuts better after it is entirely cold.
Kemember that in rewarming all kinds of meat, it must not be recooked, as that has a tendency to harden it. By placing thinly cut bits of cold meat in a hot dish, or platter, and pouring over it the hot sauce or gravy, and then serving in hot plates in cold weather, the meat will be sufficiently heated. Cold butcher's meat of all kinds can be treated in this way; also fish, shellfish, poultry and game, each covered with its appropriate hot sauce or gravy. Mutton particularly calls for hot plates nearly all the year round, as the fat hardens immediately on a cold plate.
GRAVY — Gravy differs from a meat sauce in that it is made of the juices which drip from roasted or baked meats; or from those extracted in the process of frying or sauteing; or from the broth from boiled meats, in contradistinction from a sauce made from something foreign to the meat.
Gravy for roasted meat is made by adding water to the drippings pan in which the meat is roasted; the juices of the meat which have
Records on this page
Gravy for Roasted MeatGravy for Roasted Meat