Use the broiling oven in the gas range for roasting, placing rack sufficiently low. Have the oven hot enough to brown the meat quickly, then reduce the heat so that it will cook evenly; turn the roast three times during this process.
Allow one-half an hour after placing meat in the oven before counting time. This is necessary so that the meat may reach the required temperature to start cooking.
To bake (oven roast) use same process, using regular oven.
Start counting time after meat is one-half hour in oven and allow twelve minutes to the pound for very rare, fifteen minutes for rare, eighteen minutes for medium and twenty for well done.
Baste the meat with the liquid in the pan every fifteen minutes. Do not add seasoning to the meat while cooking. It is a well-known fact that salt will cause the juices and flavoring of the meat to dissolve and therefore become lost. Season steaks and chops just before serving. Season roasts five minutes before removing from the oven.
Always make the gravy after removing the meat from the pan.
NOTE.--Never dish meat on a cold platter. The contact of a cold dish with the hot meat will injure its delicate aroma.
In many portions of France and England chops and steaks are served upon platters set over a bowl of hot water or a special fuel that can be burned in a container that holds the platter. When serving a large steak always have a cover of metal or another hot dish turned over the meat to prevent it chilling.
CORRECT METHOD OF BOILING MEAT
Place the meat in a saucepan of boiling water and then keep the water boiling rapidly for five minutes after the meat is added. Then place the saucepan in a position where it will cook just below the boiling point for the required length of time. Constant and rapid boiling will cause the alb.u.men in the meat to harden; therefore, no amount of cooking afterward will soften the fibre. It will only cause the meat to fall apart without being tender.
It is important to keep the saucepan closely covered. This will prevent the delicate aroma from evaporating.
Braising: Meat is placed in a hot saucepan and turned quickly and frequently. It is cooked in its own juices in a closely covered saucepan.
Steaming: Cooking meat by placing in steam bath or steamer.
Grilling: Cooking meat over a hot fire on a grill made for the purpose.
Broiling: A very hot fire is necessary for this mode of cooking meat.
Only the choicest, tenderest, and most delicate cuts are suitable for cooking by this method. The strong heat instantly coagulates the alb.u.men by searing it, thus retaining all its juices and flavor. That this method may be successful it is very necessary that the meat be turned every few minutes. This also insures it being cooked evenly.
Pan Broiling: This is another method of cooking the fine cuts of meat when it is not possible to broil them. Broiled meat is more healthful and also less wasteful than any other form of cooked meat.
TO PAN BROIL
Heat an iron frying pan red hot, then place in it the meat. Turn it constantly.
TIME FOR ROASTING MEAT IN GAS BROILER
Beef, eighteen minutes to the pound.
Lamb and mutton, twenty-one minutes to the pound.
Veal, twenty-five minutes to the pound.
Chicken or duck, eighteen minutes to the pound without filling and twenty-five minutes to the pound with filling.
Fish, fifteen minutes to the pound.
Au gratin dishes, meat pie and various vegetables may be cooked at the same time.
PORK
Pork should be sweet-smelling--the fat clear white and flesh good pinkish color. Loin for chops, crown roast.
BOILED PORK
Plunge pork in boiling water and cook, allowing twenty-five minutes to the pound.
TO ROAST LOIN
Wipe with damp cloth, pat in plenty of flour, place in a roasting pan, place in hot oven for thirty minutes. Now reduce heat to moderate and roast, allowing thirty minutes to the pound; baste with boiling water after meat is in oven one-half hour.
Fresh ham and shoulder may be roasted in same manner.
SPANISH KIDNEY STEW
Cut three pork kidneys in one-inch pieces, rejecting the tubes and fat, and then soak in warm water and one tablespoon of lemon juice for one hour. Drain, and then parboil and drain and blanch under cold water. Now return to saucepan and add just sufficient boiling water to cover. Cook until tender, and then add
One-half cupful of chopped onions, Two red or green peppers, chopped fine, One cupful of tomatoes, One-half cup of cornstarch dissolved in One-half cup of cold water.
Bring to boiling point and then add
One cupful of cooked beans, One and one-half teaspoons of salt, One-half teaspoon of paprika, One-quarter teaspoon of thyme.
Heat to the boiling point and then serve.
BRAISED SWEETBREADS
Prepare sweetbreads as directed on Page 164 and then remove the tubes and fat and cut into slices. Place two tablespoons of b.u.t.ter in a saucepan and add the sweetbreads and one tablespoon of grated onions, one cup of mushrooms, toss gently until nicely browned and then lift on squares of toast and cover with supreme sauce.
SAUSAGE CAKES
One-quarter pound of pork sausage, One-half pound of hamburg steak, Four onions, minced fine, Three-quarters cup of prepared bread, Two teaspoonfuls of salt, One teaspoon of paprika, Three tablespoons of finely minced parsley.
Mix to thoroughly blend and then form into round sausages. Roll in flour and brown quickly, and then add
One-half cup of boiling water, One cup of canned tomatoes.
Bring to the boiling point and cook for five minutes. Serve, lift the sausages on fried mush.