FoodNetArchive

The Worcester domestic science school's one year course laboratory cook book

1914

Page 25

Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Staring is cooking in a small amount of water for a long time at a low temperature. It is the most economical method of cooking meats, as all the nutriment is retained and is the ordinary way of cooking the cheaper cuts. DEEP FAT FRYING Deep fat frying is cooking by immersion in deep fat raised to the temperature of from 400° to 450° Fahrenheit. Various fats used : (1) Olive oil — best but is too expensive. (2) Mixture of beef drippings and lard — next best. (3) Cottolene. Be sure that the fat is hot enough ; otherwise the food absorbs the fat. Nearly all foods not containing eggs are dipped first in crumbs, then in beaten egg and crumbs, before frying. The intense heat of the LABORATORY COOK BOOK. 17 fat hardens the albumen i i. e. the white) of the egg, so forming a coat- tug which makes the food impervious to fat. Never put the cold food directly into hot fat. It decreases the temperature of the fat so i; will soak into the food. Croquettes are almost always made of eooked mixtures. Crumbs: (1) Shredded wheat crumbs rolled fine — best for croquettes, etc., and make a very nice brown. (2) Dried bread passed through a meat chopper — next best. \:\ i Cracker crumbs — last. A point of economy in making croquettes: Instead of dipping the croquettes in crumbs the lirst time; dip them in Hour if von have only a few crumbs; then dip them finally in egg and crumbs as usual. This will use much fewer crumbs and less egg- than the usual way. However, crumbs preferably if you have enough. (ireat care must be taken not to put too much food in the fat at one time, as it causes the fat to bubble over the sides of the kettle, and that causes fire. It is always best to have a pail of salt or sand (the latter is best i handy near the stove to pour on the fat if it burns. It is not the fat that boils over, but water which the fat has re- ceived from the food. All tried food should be dried on brown paper. To test the proper heat: When the fat begins to smoke, drop in a one inch cube of soft bread. If in one minute it conies out a golden brown, the fat is of the right temperature — 300° F. Fat can be used over and over for meats; but we generally use fresh or clarified fat for dough and batter mixtures, potatoes and fish- balls. To Clarify Fat: First melt the fat in a saucepan over a slow heat. For 2 quarts melted fat, add a little raw potato pared and cut in small pieces* Tut tat in oven (not too hot) cover it and let is slay until clear. The po- tato will be covered with a brown sediment ; it collects the impurities in the fat. Trying Out: Note: The white fat, or suet, becomes all melted and cooked in; remove the scum which forms on top in the trying out process. Trying out means to cut off the suet, or white fat, from beef or pork fat; put it in a double boiler top and slowly cook it out, leaving the tissues behind. This is the method used for leaf lard. The fat that is tried out is absolutely pure, and is fine for frying and sauteing, and also for shortening purposes. (Three minutes — long enough time to cook croquettes. A specially devised frying kettle has an upright stand ard of metal with a hook on a top, on which to hang frying basket.) Poultry How to Tell a Young Chick: