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

In other words, a fireless-cooker is made as air-tight as possible, so that a vacuum may be created in so far as possible. The fireless-cooker may be used to finish the cooking of boiled meats, pot roasts of beef, chicken, poultry, corned beef, ham ; or dried vegetables, fresh vegetables, legumes, cereals, soups, apple sauce, steamed puddings, etc. But the fireless-cooker cannot be used for articles whose chief attraction lies in a crisp, brown surface, as roast beef, broiled steak, fried potatoes, etc., because the heat cannot be retained at so high a temperature for so long a time. Nothing can be successfully raised to a temperature beyond that generated in boiling water; and after a few hours the temperature drops a few degrees, — e. g. water was raised to the boiling point, placed in the fireless-cooker and allowed to remain five hours; at the expiration of that time the temperature had dropped to 190°, which is just above simmering point. It is necessary to commence the cooking of all articles over a free flame — a direct heat (no double-boiler is ever to be used), and to cook them in boiling liquid a certain length of time over the fire before transferring them to the cooker. They must boil briskly, bubbling all over, during this time. The following table will serve as a guide for the length of time required by the various kinds of food for this previous cooking: — 1 hr. for cereals. 30 min. for meats. 10 min. for green vegetables. 15 min. for steamed puddings. 30 min. for beans and legumes. Place the covers on the vessels, and allow the mixture while still boiling to cook 5 minutes covered before transferring to the cooker. This is to retain all the heat possible. Transfer- at once, and just as quickly as possible, put down the covers and clamp down the lid as quickly as possible. The general rule for the time of cooking in the fireless-cooker is that it shall be twice as long as that required in an ordinary stove. Nothing can be examined while cooking in the cooker, because it lets out heat. The food cannot burn when cooked by the fireless-cooker method. It is better to use too much water than too little. Articles requiring over 8 hours' cooking are improved by removing at the end of 6 hours, reheating and replacing. If a very small quantity of anything is to be cooked, there will not be sufficient heat in it to retain the cooking process. In that case, place the mixture in a double-boiler, and set the whole into the fireless-cooker. Otherwise there is not heat enough to last. If one improvises a double-boiler by putting the boiling water into one of the kettles which fit into the compartments of the cooker, and then placing a smaller utensil containing the mixture inside of this, it will be necessary to put a trivet in the bottom of the larger kettle to rest the smaller one on. In this way one gets the double circulation. Some of the advantages of the fireless-cooker as experienced by some are enumerated below. Miss Anna Barrows of Simmons College, and one of the most noted dietitians of the day, says : — (1) The fireless-cooker requires no fuel. (2) The pots used in the cookery are not difficult to wash, as they are not blackened, and they will last indefinitely. (3) The food is thoroughly cooked, therefore a better flavor and more