In the days of open fireplaces this was the general way
of cooking large pieces of meat ; but now it is adopted
only in large establishments, or by those who can afibrd
the additional expense of a tin kitchen, and a range con-
structed especiall}^ for roasting. Baking, or roasting in a
very hot oven, being a cheaper and more convenient way,
is more generally used. Ovens in stoves and ranges are
now well ventilated ; and meat when properly cooked in a
very hot oven, and basted often, is nearly equal in flavor
to that roasted before an open fire. The fire for roasting
should be clear and bright, and of sufficient body to last,
with only a slight sprinkling of coal, through the time for
roasting.
The meat is placed on a spit, and hung in the jack in a
tin kitchen, and made to revolve slowly before the fire by
winding a spring in the jack, or b}^ turning the spit at
regular intervals. The meat should be rubbed with salt
and flour, and placed on the spit, ver}^ near the fire at
first, to harden the albumen ; then removed a little dis-
tance to prevent the meat from burning, before the inside
is cooked. Place two or three spoonfuls of dripping in
the pan to use in basting the meat ; baste often, and
dredge two or three times with flour. When the joint is
very large, place a buttered paper over it.
As the juices of meat are composed largely of water,
the water will be evaporated as soon as it reaches the
boiling-point, or 212°. When meat is placed in a moder-
ate oven, the heat is not suflScient to harden the albumen
The Boston Cook Book,
21
on the outer surface ; the watery juices evaporate, the
steam escapes, and the meat becomes dry and tasteless.
But when meat is exposed to the intense heat of an open
fire, or a very hot oven, the albumen hardens ; and if
basted frequently with hot fat, the meat is completely en-
veloped in a varnish of hot melted fat, which assists in
communicating the heat to the inside, and checks the
evaporation of the juices ; this prevents the escape of the
steam, so that the inside of properl}^ roasted meat is
really cooked in the steam of its own juices. The evapo
ration of juices is proportionate to the amount of surface
exposed. A small joint has a larger surface in proportion
to its weight than a large joint weighing double or treble
the amount ; therefore the smaller the joint to be roasted,
the higher the temperature to which its surface should be ex-
posed, that the evaporation may be more quickly arrested.
For very thin pieces of meat, which have a still larger
surface in proportion to the weight, such as steaks and
chops, a greater heat is required. This is accomplished
by hroiling^ which should be done near the burning-
point, the highest degree of heat emploj^ed in any form of
cooking.
Broiling. ✪ Clarified Fat
Page 16 · 1 recipe record 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
In the days of open fireplaces this was the general way of cooking large pieces of meat ; but now it is adopted only in large establishments, or by those who can afford the additional expense of a tin kitchen, and a range constructed especially for roasting. Baking, or roasting in a very hot oven, being a cheaper and more convenient way, is more generally used. Ovens in stoves and ranges are now well ventilated ; and meat when properly cooked in a very hot oven, and basted often, is nearly equal in flavor to that roasted before an open fire. The fire for roasting should be clear and bright, and of sufficient body to last, with only a slight sprinkling of coal, through the time for roasting.
The meat is placed on a spit, and hung in the jack in a tin kitchen, and made to revolve slowly before the fire by winding a spring in the jack, or b}^ turning the spit at regular intervals. The meat should be rubbed with salt and flour, and placed on the spit, ver}^ near the fire at first, to harden the albumen ; then removed a little distance to prevent the meat from burning, before the inside is cooked. Place two or three spoonfuls of dripping in the pan to use in basting the meat ; baste often, and dredge two or three times with flour. When the joint is very large, place a buttered paper over it.
As the juices of meat are composed largely of water, the water will be evaporated as soon as it reaches the boiling-point, or 212°. When meat is placed in a moderate oven, the heat is not sufficient to harden the albumen
The Boston Cook Book,
on the outer surface ; the watery juices evaporate, the steam escapes, and the meat becomes dry and tasteless. But when meat is exposed to the intense heat of an open fire, or a very hot oven, the albumen hardens ; and if basted frequently with hot fat, the meat is completely enveloped in a varnish of hot melted fat, which assists in communicating the heat to the inside, and checks the evaporation of the juices ; this prevents the escape of the steam, so that the inside of properly roasted meat is really cooked in the steam of its own juices. The evaporation of juices is proportionate to the amount of surface exposed. A small joint has a larger surface in proportion to its weight than a large joint weighing double or treble the amount ; therefore the smaller the joint to be roasted, the higher the temperature to which its surface should be exposed, that the evaporation may be more quickly arrested.
For very thin pieces of meat, which have a still larger surface in proportion to the weight, such as steaks and chops, a greater heat is required. This is accomplished by broiling which should be done near the burningpoint, the highest degree of heat employed in any form of cooking.
Broiling.
Records on this page
Clarified Fat