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Weight Lost in Roasting

be gained by the gas-roasting at Greenwich? It did not fly away as meat, it did not ooze out as dripping, nor as osmazome, for there was less of the former and none of the latter; and therefore I should conclude that it was dissipated as vapour or water, leaving the meat in this case done thoroughly, while that from the gas-roaster must, I should fancy, have been rather under-done. In order to try this experiment properly, it requires the superintendence of a person not interested in the success of either plan, and who has not been previously biassed, so that he would, as far as possible, permit both sets of joints to be cooked to the same degree; and when this is done, I believe, from theoretical principles as well as practical experience, that the result will be as nearly as possible the same. But with regard to the comparative efficiency of gas I have no doubt, as I am persuaded that it is quite equal to the most sanguine expectations of its advocates, and with this great advantage, that the dripping and gravy are quite clear, and free from cinders or dust. So that there is, practically, not the slightest loss in this kind of roasting. 73. TABLE showing the LoSS PER CENT. by the various JOINTS in ROASTING and BAKING:- 100 lbs. lose Roasting with gas... 800 ... 03. ... ... (Soyer) 214 lbs Baking in Count Rumford's oven ... ... ... (do.) 27 ११ Do. in common oven ... ... ... 860 ... (Tilloch) 30 ११ Roasting beef before fire ... ... ... ... (do.) 32 " Do. shoulders of mutton ... ... ... ... ... (do.) 31 " Do. loins ... ... ... ... ... ... ... (do.) 351 " Do. necks ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... (do.) 32 " Do. sirloins and ribs, beef ... ... ... ... (Donovan) 194 وو Do. legs and shoulders, mutton ... ... ... ... (do.) 242 " Do. lamb ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... (do.) 22 " Do. poultry... ... ... ... ... ... (do.) 20 ११ The loss, as stated by Tilloch, agrees very closely with experiments made by myself. Under this head are included the dripping and gravy, the calculation being based on the difference in the weight before and after roasting. 74. A KNOWLEDGE OF THE TIME REQUIRED FOR ROASTING is very essential to the cook; and in cooking for parties she should be careful to put her meat down so as to be ready for the second course, not for the first, which usually occupies about ten minutes. Nevertheless in such cases it is always better to have the meat done a little too soon, and to keep it hot before the fire, rather than to have to send it up under-done. The precise time occupied in roasting each article will come better under the next section; but, as a general rule, a quarter of an hour to each pound of meat is the proper allowance, adding a little for large joints, and taking off in the same way for small ones. It is better in roasting joints of any size to lay them in the drippingpan at a distance from the fire, so as to warm through before beginning to time them. Many cooks also at this time sprinkle them over with salt, and I think with great advantage.