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Boiled Turkey and Fowl

Select a fat, young fowl; prepare the dressing of cracker or bread crumbs, made fine; chop bits of raw salt pork very fine; sift in sage, savory, thyme, or any other sweet herbs you prefer; add to this pepper, salt, and considerable butter; mix with hot water. An egg is sometimes added. After the turkey is stuffed, wrap closely in cloth. Put in cold water to boil, having all parts covered. Boil slowly, removing the scum as it rises. A small turkey will boil in less than two hours. If you use oysters for the dressing, it is better to steam the turkey instead of boiling. When tender, take it up, strain the gravy found in the pan, thicken with flour; stew the oysters intended for the sauce, mix this liquor with the gravy, add butter, salt and pepper to suit the taste; a trifle of cream improves the color.

Boiled Corned Beef. If the piece is very salt, let it soak over night. If young beef and properly corned, this is unnecessary. For boiling, put it in the pot, pour cold water over it after rinsing, letting the meat be well covered. The rule is twenty-five minutes to a pound for boiling meats, but corned beef should never be boiled; it should only simmer, by being placed where the simmering can be uninterrupted from four to six hours, according to the size of the piece. If it is to be served cold, let the meat remain in the liquor until cold. Tough beef can be made tender by letting it remain in the liquor until the next day, and then bringing it to the boiling point just be sering. For rump pieces this is a superior method. A brisket or plate piece may be simmered until the bones can be easily removed; then fold over the brisket piece, forming a square or oblong piece; tie over it a piece of muslin, place sufficient weight on top to press the parts closely together, and set it where it will become cold. This gives a firm, solid piece for cutting from when cold.