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Stock, Rich and Strong

Take two pounds of the shin of beef and two pounds of knuckle of veal; cut the meat into small pieces, and break up the bones. Butter a saucepan, line it with slices of lean ham or bacon, lay upon these the beef and veal; add the bones and any trimmings of meat or poultry that may be at hand. An old hen or the carcase of a rabbit or roasted chicken will be valuable additions. Pour in a pint of water, cover the saucepan, and boil it quickly, stirring it frequently till it is reduced to glaze. Let this brown gently or not, as required, pour in two quarts of cold water, and when this boils add a large onion stuck with two cloves, a few sticks of celery, a large carrot, a young turnip, half a blade of mace, a bunch of savoury herbs, a few peppercorns, and a little salt. Remove the scum carefully as it rises, and add a spoonful of cold water occasionally to assist it in doing so; simmer the stock gently for four hours; strain it into an earthenware pan, and, when it is quite cold, carefully remove the fat from the top. Time to simmer the stock, three to four hours.