BOILING. The use of the term 'boiling' in con nection with cooking meat in water is rather un fortunate, for the operation thus designated. if properly carried out, should involve hardly any boiling. The coloring matter of the blood is changed, the fibre softened. and the connective dissolved at a temperature far below' the normal boiling-point of water. Boiling over-coagulates the proteids, dissolves the mineral salts, and renders the meat less valuable as a food. This is best shown in a hard-boiled egg, in comparison with one cooked below the boiling-point. In the former the albumin is rendered hard. dense, and indigestible; in the latter the albumin is soft and creamy, and is even more easily digested than when raw-. While the effect of over-boiling on meat is not so apparent as in the case of an egg, the results are precisely the same. In the case of meat, however. some boiling in the be ginning of the operation is necessary. As the juices of meat are rich in albumin, it is neces sary to cover the meat with boiling unsalted water, boil rapidly for five minutes to coagulate the albumin on the surface, and inclose the meat in a water-proof easing. This will prevent the cScape of the juices from the interior. But after this first hard boil the kettle should be placed over a moderate fire, where the water will sim mer at F., twenty minutes being allowed
for each pound of meat. Seasoning may be added when the meat is partly cooked, salt having the effect of drawing the juices from raw meat. These rules apply to the flesh of fish and fowl. The flesh of fish, however, is found to be firmer and more highly flavored if cooked in water con taining more or less sail. Salt meats. as corned beef and ham, should be carefully washed in cold water, and soaked in cold water twelve hours be fore cooking. 11 am will be more tender if the temperature never exceeds 165° F.
Sot r. The preceding directions do not by any means apply to making soup. In fact, directly opposite methods must there he followed in order to get the best results. Soup should contain as much as possible of the juices of meat. For this purpose, the meat should be divided into small pieces, covered with cold water, and either soaked in cold water, or slowly brought to the boiling point, and then allowed to simmer for four or five hours until the meat falls apart. In this way the water dissolves and holds all the extractives, mineral salts and gelatin.