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Meat Block

SOUP should be gently simmered at least four or five hours, but longer is better. The meat should be put in a thoroughly clean pot, with the amount of cold water heretofore directed; it should be frequently skimmed to remove the suet, and salted and peppered to taste; when vegetables are used they should be sliced; twenty minutes should cook them; rice, dumplings, etc., should be added the last of all to thicken it.

Joints of meat for boiling should be washed clean, skewered into shape, put into the saucepan, or into a kettle having a tight lid, then well covered with cold water, and set over a moderate fire. As the scum rises, skim; and keep the cover tight when not skimming. It must be skimmed at least once before, or just at the time the water begins to boil. If this is delayed, the scum will fall back upon the meat and disfigure it. Salted meat requires a longer time to boil than fresh meat, and salted meat should be freshened by soaking before boiling. Smoked and dried meats require a still longer time for boiling than those only salted. There are two things to remember in boiling: 1, neither allow the water to boil violently, nor to cease simmering; 2, keep the meat covered, by adding boiling water, if necessary.

If the meat is required to be light in color, wrap it in a clean white linen cloth. The cloth intended for this purpose must be boiled in pure water after being taken from the meat, carefully dried, and not allowed to get damp, else it will be musty. The time for boiling is from fifteen to twenty minutes for each pound of meat, the boiling to be uniform throughout.