Manual for army cooks

Having removed the joint, put the pan on the fire, remove the floating grease and save it as dripping; pour into the pan from a half pint to a pint or more of boiling water. Mix well ; then stir into the mixture quickly two or more tablespoonfuls of blended browned flour ; boil up once ; season with pepper and salt, and serve. If the gravy is preferred with the grease in it omit the skimming. GRAVY. Place the required quantity of stock in a stew pan, bring the contents to a boil, make the thickening by mixing four ounces of flour for each gallon of gravy required with cold water, or stock, into a smooth batter, add the thickening, keeping it well stirred to prevent it burning; allow it to simmer gently for thirty minutes, add the bay leaves or mixed herbs and seasoning according to taste, and allow the leaves to remain for a few minutes, remove tliem, and color tlie gravy by adding a small quantity of caramel made as follows : Place four ounces of sugar in a small stew pan, place it on the fire, and allow it to remain until tlie sugar is of a very dark color, when it will be seen to boil or bubble ; add about one and one-half pints of water and simmer for a few minutes, allow it to partly cool, and place in a bottle ready for use.. ONION JUICE FOR MEAT DISHES. Take outside skin from a large onion and then trim off the bottom. Press the onion firmly against a large grater and quickly draw it uj) and down, allowing the juice to drop from one corner of the grater. TO THICKEN GRAVIES. To one-half quart of flour add one quart cold water, a little salt and pepper, and stir to a batter. Remove the meat and vegetables (to keep hot) and put the pan on the fire. Stir into your gravy the batter, boil ten minutes, and serve. TO COLOR SOUPS, GRAVIES, STEWS, ETC., TO A RICH BROWN. Take a few handfuls of sugar, or flour, and put into a pan or ladle, lay close to the fire and stir until it browns or darkens to a rich brown, dark, but do not burn black. Into this stir some hot gravy until dissolved, then to your gravy, soup, or stew add this liquid until the color suits you. Time for making this, about ten minutes. CREOLE SAUCE. Juice of 1 lemon. 3 tablespoonfuls powdered sugar. 1 teaspoonful mustard. 3 tablespoonfuls tomato catsup. Heat all to near the boiling point and use hot with meats. SAUCE FOR BOILED MUTTON. Rub together in a pan two tablespoonfuls of flour and butter or beef dripping twice the size of an egg ; season with pepper and salt to suit taste. Put the pan over the fire ; stir gradually into the pan one pint of boiling water or liquor in which the mutton was boiled ; mix in a half cupful of chopped, pickled cucumbers or green nasturtium seed and three tablespoonfuls of vinegar. Stir well, let it boil one minute, and serve in a separate dish. BROWN SAUCE. Slice one-fourth pound bacon, put it into a frying pan, and try out all the fat. Take bacon out, add one tablespoonful flour, and stir until smooth ; add one-half pint stock; stir constantly until it boils; add tablespoonful Worcestershire sauce; salt and pepper to taste ; serve. CURRANT-JELLY SAUCE.