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Boiling and Stewing

Fresh meat for boiling should be put into boiling water and boiled very gently about twenty minutes for each pound. A little salt, spice or vegetables may be boiled in the water with the meat for seasoning. A little vinegar put in the water with tough meat makes it tender. The broth of boiled meat should always be saved to use in soups, stews and gravies. Stewing and simmering meats means to place them near enough to the fire to keep the water on them bubbling moderately, constantly and slowly.

Salt meats should be put over the fire in cold water, which, as soon as it boils, should be replaced by fresh cold water , the water to be changed until it remains fresh enough to give the meat a palatable flavor when done.

Salted and smoked meats require about 30 minutes very slowly boiling, from the time the water boils, to each pound.

Vegetables and herbs may be boiled with them to flavor them. When they are cooked the vessel containing them should be set where they will keep hot without boiling until wanted, if they are to be served hot; if they are to be served cold , they should be allowed to cool in the pot liquor in which they were boiled. Very salt meats, or those much dried in smoking, should be soaked over night in cold water before boiling.