Meats

Roasting is the process of cooking by hot air and radiant heat. The aim is to keep all the juices within the meat so that the muscle fibres will be cooked in their own juices. For this reason all roast should be put in a hot oven at first to sear the outer cut fibres and retain the juices. When this is accomplished the temperature must be lowered so that the heat may penetrate gradually to the interior of the meat without burning the exterior.

Rib Roast of Beef

Beef is prepared at the market in two different ways:

Rolled Roast

Have bones sent with roast. Use them as a rack in pan to place the meat on, so that muscles will not fry in extracted fat in bottom of pan.

Standing Roast

Turn bone side down in pan. Use open dripping pan.

General Directions

Sear the meat in an oven at 470 degrees F. for 30 minutes. The meat will appear done. Then reduce the heat sharply to 350 degrees F. and continue roasting allowing 15 minutes to the pound for medium rare meat. Or allow 20 minutes to the pound for well done meat. Baste occasionally and add seasonings just before removing from the oven.

Rib Roast of Pork

Sear for 30 minutes at 470 degrees F. Then reduce the heat to 320 degrees F. and continue roasting allowing 30 minutes to each pound in addition to the time allowed for searing. Baste occasionally and season about 10 minutes before removing from the oven. Pork must be well done. Serving it with apples in some form enhances the flavor.

Leg of Lamb

Remove the outer thin skin and superfluous fat. Put in the oven at 470 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Turn with pancake turner and large spoon so that no juices may be lost thru pricking. At the end of 30 minutes reduce the heat to 350 degrees F., dredge with 3 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and continue roasting allowing 20 minutes to the pound in addition to the searing. Baste occasionally with hot water and bacon drippings. Serve with mint sauce or rut-rant jelly.

Baked Ham

Soak the ham over night in cold water. Boil one hour and drain. Remove any thick skin. Cover with paste made of 1 cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons water, 4 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon mustard and stick all over with whole cloves. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. then reduce the heat to 300 F. for the rest of the time allowing 30 minutes to the pound.

Roast Chicken

Dress, clean and stuff chicken. Tie wings and legs close to the body. Rub with a paste made of 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons fat and 1 tablespoon flour. Place in oven at 470 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Baste and reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. for the rest of the tinie. Baste every 15 minutes for the last hour. Allow 20 minutes to the pound after the searing.

Bread Stuffing

Mix all ingredients in order given. This will stuff a 5 pound chicken.

Roast Turkey

Remove pin feathers, singe and wash turkey. Be sure inside is clean. Fill with stuffing and sew together. Tuck wings under back and tie drumsticks to tail. Rub with paste as for chicken only double the amount. Place in an oven at 480 degrees F. for 30 minutes until well browned, then reduce the heat to 320 degrees F. and continue till tender, allowing 20 minutes to each pound after the searing. Baste every ten minutes during the last hour.

Roast Duck

Dress, clean and stuff the duck. Tie drumsticks to tail. Dredge with flour and seasonings and place in an oven at 470 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 320 degrees F. and continue cooking allowing 20 minutes to each pound after the scaring. Baste every ten minutes for the last hour.

Stuffing of Potato

Mix in order given. This will stuff an 8 pound fowl.

Casserole of Veal Birds

Cut veal steaks or cutlets into pieces 2 inches by 4. Fill the center with stuffing, using the recipe under roast chicken. Pin edges together with tooth picks making a rounded top like the breast of a bird. Sear in hot fat till brown. Then plane in a casserole dish. Add flour to the hot fat in the proportion of 2 tablespoons flour to 1 of fat. Add 1 cup of boiling water for every tablespoon fat. Cook till gravy thickens, then pour it over the birds. Put the top on the casserole and bake in an oven at 375 degrees until tender, about 1 hour.

Meat Souffle

Make a white sauce by melting the shortening and blending with it the flour. Remove from the fire and add the milk. When mixed so there are no lumps return to the fire and cook till thick. Add the salt, pepper and onion salt. Separate the eggs and add the egg yolks to the white sauce. Cook for 1 minute. Then remove from the flame and add the diced meat and parsley. The meat must have been previously cooked. This makes a good way to use left overs. Less than 2 cups may be used and still give very good results. Cut and fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into a greased casserole and bake at 320 degrees F. for 50 minutes.

Baked Potatoes

Wash and dry potatoes of good size for baking. Place in an oven at 400 degrees F. and bake for one hour. Temperatures as low as 400 degrees F. may be used by increasing the time. Often it is desired to bake potatoes with other foods in the oven, and this may be regulated by understanding the time needed. When potatoes are soft, pick thorn up in a heavy towel and rub between the hands to make mealy. Gash open the top and put a little butter and a dash of paprika on the white, mealy potato.

Baked Apples

Wash and core large apples good for cooking. Place them in a pan; fill the centers with sugar. pour a cup of water about them and bake at 380 degrees F. for one hour. Many variations may be made by stuffing the centers with dates and nuts, or raisins and figs, or by putting a few red cinnamon candies in with the sugar. Baste the apples occasionally as they cook. Apples may be baked at a little higher temperature in a less time but the skins will burst and shrivel and the result not be as good. It is suggested with this recipe a lower grate be used with the thermometer inserted through it.