BOILING. — To properly boil meat is quite an art, and the best method is as follows: Meat to be eaten should be plunged at once into boiling water, as that coagulates the albumen on or near the sur- face and forms a thin film (perhaps not thicker than cotton cloth), and this film holds the juices inside the meat. After this the water should merely simmer until the meat is heated through to the center sufl&ciently to cook it, but not enough to harden the albumen inside. About 160° to 180° is right for the simmering water. Cooked in this way the meat should cook longer, however, than by the old method of rapid boiling, but it will be much more digestible and better. If there are any exceptions to the above principles for boiling meat, they are in the case of sinewy and tendonous meat when gela- tine is abundant, for to make gelatine soft and eatable, long contin- ued boiling is necessary. Thus calf's head and feet, shins of beef, knuckles of veal, cow heel, tripe, etc., are usually best put into cold water first, and boiled longer than other meat. A good practical method for boiling meat is to put it first into boiling water, being sure to have enough water to cover the meat. Of course, putting a large piece of cold meat into the water will at first stop it from boiling, so keep it on the fire a short time (say 10 minutes) with the lid on; then take off the lid and skim it. As soon as the water begins to boil thoroughly again, the surface albumen will be coagulated; then lift the kettle off the fire on to the side of the range, so as to stop the boiling at once. Leave it there a short time — say 15 to 20 minutes — so that the meat may get hot clear through. This will prevent the meat at the finish from being over- cooked outside, and blue and uncooked in the middle. Then place it on the fire again and let it simmer. The time for simmering should be from 10 to 12 minutes for every pound of meat. All the best ex- perience, however, agrees in this, that a long, slow boiling produces 114 MEATS the best results, so that no exact rule can be given as to the time. An even teaspoon of salt can be put into the water in which the meat simmers; it is enough to season the meat on the outside, and more can be added when it is eaten, and, besides, most of the meat sauces contain a quantity of salt which serves as flavoring. After meat is put into boiling water, a scum will rise to the sur- face; this should be skimmed off and thrown away. It is one of the very few things in the processes of cooking which should be thrown away, as it is wasted food. The scum is the albumen which is drawn out of the meat, coagulated by the heat, and rises to the surface. Although the greater part will rise at first, do not fail to skim during the whole process; if any is left, it will attach itself to the meat, and spoil its appearance. Salt meat should be put in cold water after being washed thor- oughly in fresh water or milk; the water should then be slowly brought up to the simmering point. This will draw out the salt. Remember that all salted and dried meats should simmer slowly, as rapid boiling hardens them. All trimmings of meat should be used in the soup^kettle, or simmered in a little water and made into gravy.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

BOILING. — To properly boil meat is quite an art, and the best method is as follows: Meat to be eaten should be plunged at once into boiling water, as that coagulates the albumen on or near the surface and forms a thin film (perhaps not thicker than cotton cloth), and this film holds the juices inside the meat. After this the water should merely simmer until the meat is heated through to the center sufficiently to cook it, but not enough to harden the albumen inside. About 160° to 180° is right for the simmering water. Cooked in this way the meat should cook longer, however, than by the old method of rapid boiling, but it will be much more digestible and better. If there are any exceptions to the above principles for boiling meat, they are in the case of sinewy and tendonous meat when gelatine is abundant, for to make gelatine soft and eatable, long continued boiling is necessary. Thus calf's head and feet, shins of beef, knuckles of veal, cow heel, tripe, etc., are usually best put into cold water first, and boiled longer than other meat. A good practical method for boiling meat is to put it first into boiling water, being sure to have enough water to cover the meat. Of course, putting a large piece of cold meat into the water will at first stop it from boiling, so keep it on the fire a short time (say 10 minutes) with the lid on; then take off the lid and skim it. As soon as the water begins to boil thoroughly again, the surface albumen will be coagulated; then lift the kettle off the fire on to the side of the range, so as to stop the boiling at once. Leave it there a short time — say 15 to 20 minutes — so that the meat may get hot clear through. This will prevent the meat at the finish from being overcooked outside, and blue and uncooked in the middle. Then place it on the fire again and let it simmer. The time for simmering should be from 10 to 12 minutes for every pound of meat. All the best experience, however, agrees in this, that a long, slow boiling produces the best results, so that no exact rule can be given as to the time. An even teaspoon of salt can be put into the water in which the meat simmers; it is enough to season the meat on the outside, and more can be added when it is eaten, and, besides, most of the meat sauces contain a quantity of salt which serves as flavoring. After meat is put into boiling water, a scum will rise to the surface; this should be skimmed off and thrown away. It is one of the very few things in the processes of cooking which should be thrown away, as it is wasted food. The scum is the albumen which is drawn out of the meat, coagulated by the heat, and rises to the surface. Although the greater part will rise at first, do not fail to skim during the whole process; if any is left, it will attach itself to the meat, and spoil its appearance. Salt meat should be put in cold water after being washed thoroughly in fresh water or milk; the water should then be slowly brought up to the simmering point. This will draw out the salt. Remember that all salted and dried meats should simmer slowly, as rapid boiling hardens them. All trimmings of meat should be used in the soup-kettle, or simmered in a little water and made into gravy.

The household cook book