An}' uncooked fat, such as suet, the fat from chickens,
and all superfluous beef fat, should be saved and clarified,
or made pure and clear. Cut the fat into small pieces,
cover with cold water, and cook over a slow fire until the
fat has melted, and the water nearly all evaporated. Then
strain and press all the fat from the scraps. When cool,
remove the cake of hard fat, or, if soft, draw it to one side
and let the water underneath run off. You may put with
the new fat any fat from soup stock, corned beef, drippings
from roast beef, veal, fresh pork, or chicken ; in fact, an}'-
thing except the fat from mutton, turkey, and smoked
meat. If there be any sediment adhering to the fat, add
a little very cold water, and, after stirring well, pour the
water off, or skim the fat from the water. Place the fat
in a pan over the fire, and, when melted, add one small
raw potato, cut into thin slices. Let it stand on the top
The Boston Cook Book.
19
of the stove or in the oven till the fat has stopped bub-
bling, is still, and the scraps are brown and crisp and
rise to the top. Strain through a fine strainer, and keep
in a cool place. Fat thus cleared will keep sweet for
weeks, if melted occasionally, w^hich should alwa3^s be
done when any new fat is added.
Boiling the fat causes the water in it to evaporate, and
the organic matters or impurities to be decomposed, and
deposited as sediment; the potato, owing to its porosity
and power of absorption (being mostly starch and carbon),
absorbs any odors or gases, unites with the sediment, and
thus cleanses the fat, very much as charcoal purifies water.
Clarified fat (or dripping, as it is usually termed) an-
swers for many purposes in cooking, — frying, sauteing,
basting roast meat, greasing pans ; and as shortening for
bread, plain pastr}^, and gingerbread.
Egg and Bread Crumbing.
Hints on saving bread crusts and stale pieces, for egg
and bread crumbing, are given on page 75. The crumbs
should be sifted through a fine sieve. For fish or meat
mix a little salt, pepper, and chopped parsle}^ with them.
Beat the eggs slightl}^ with a fork in a shallow dish. Add
one tablespoonful of water or two tablespoonfuls of milk
for each egg. Add a little sugar if they are to be used for
sweet dishes, and salt and pepper for all others. Sprinkle
the crumbs on a board, and roll the chop, fish, or cro-
quettes first in the crumbs ; shake off all that do not adhere.
Cover all the articles with the crumbs and let them stand
till dry, then dip into the beaten egg, and be careful to
have every part covered. Drain from the egg, and roll
again in the crumbs. Croquettes or any soft mixture
should be held on a broad knife w^iile being placed in the
egg. Then dip the egg over them, and slip the knife again
lengthwise under the croquette, drain, and put it carefully
into the crumbs. Scallops and very small oysters can be
more easily crumbed by placing them with the crumbs in a
20
The Boston Cook Book.
sheet of paper, and tossing or turning till all are crumbed.
Eemember the order : crumbs first, then egg, then crumbs
again.
Koasting.
Koasting (meaning to heat violently" ) is cooking be-
fore an open fire ; it implies the action of a much greater
degree of heat than that emplo3^ed in any of the previously
specified methods of cooking. The heat of an open fire is
about 1,000°. ✪ Clarified Fat
Page 15 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1884. 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
An}' uncooked fat, such as suet, the fat from chickens, and all superfluous beef fat, should be saved and clarified, or made pure and clear. Cut the fat into small pieces, cover with cold water, and cook over a slow fire until the fat has melted, and the water nearly all evaporated. Then strain and press all the fat from the scraps. When cool, remove the cake of hard fat, or, if soft, draw it to one side and let the water underneath run off. You may put with the new fat any fat from soup stock, corned beef, drippings from roast beef, veal, fresh pork, or chicken ; in fact, an}'- thing except the fat from mutton, turkey, and smoked meat. If there be any sediment adhering to the fat, add a little very cold water, and, after stirring well, pour the water off, or skim the fat from the water. Place the fat in a pan over the fire, and, when melted, add one small raw potato, cut into thin slices. Let it stand on the top
The Boston Cook Book.
of the stove or in the oven till the fat has stopped bubbling, is still, and the scraps are brown and crisp and rise to the top. Strain through a fine strainer, and keep in a cool place. Fat thus cleared will keep sweet for weeks, if melted occasionally, which should always be done when any new fat is added.
Boiling the fat causes the water in it to evaporate, and the organic matters or impurities to be decomposed, and deposited as sediment; the potato, owing to its porosity and power of absorption (being mostly starch and carbon), absorbs any odors or gases, unites with the sediment, and thus cleanses the fat, very much as charcoal purifies water. Clarified fat (or dripping, as it is usually termed) answers for many purposes in cooking, — frying, sauteing, basting roast meat, greasing pans ; and as shortening for bread, plain pastry, and gingerbread.
Egg and Bread Crumbing.
Hints on saving bread crusts and stale pieces, for egg and bread crumbing, are given on page 75. The crumbs should be sifted through a fine sieve. For fish or meat mix a little salt, pepper, and chopped parsley with them. Beat the eggs slightly with a fork in a shallow dish. Add one tablespoonful of water or two tablespoonfuls of milk for each egg. Add a little sugar if they are to be used for sweet dishes, and salt and pepper for all others. Sprinkle the crumbs on a board, and roll the chop, fish, or croquettes first in the crumbs ; shake off all that do not adhere. Cover all the articles with the crumbs and let them stand till dry, then dip into the beaten egg, and be careful to have every part covered. Drain from the egg, and roll again in the crumbs. Croquettes or any soft mixture should be held on a broad knife while being placed in the egg. Then dip the egg over them, and slip the knife again lengthwise under the croquette, drain, and put it carefully into the crumbs. Scallops and very small oysters can be more easily crumbed by placing them with the crumbs in a
The Boston Cook Book.
sheet of paper, and tossing or turning till all are crumbed. Remember the order : crumbs first, then egg, then crumbs again.
Roasting.
Roasting (meaning to heat violently) is cooking before an open fire ; it implies the action of a much greater degree of heat than that employed in any of the previously specified methods of cooking. The heat of an open fire is about 1,000°.
Records on this page
Clarified FatEgg and Bread Crumbing