Cleanliness is extremely essential in this mode of cookery. Keep your gridiron quite clean between the bars, and bright on the top; and when it is hot, wipe it well with a linen cloth: just before you use it, rub the bars with clean mutton suet, which will prevent the meat from being marked by the gridiron; take care to prepare your fire in time, so that it may burn very clear; the briskness and clearness of (he fire are indispensable. Very frequent turning is necessary to some things, and very little to others; be very attentive to watch the moment any thing is done; never hasten in any manner any thing that is broiling, lest yon make smoke and spoil it. Let the bars of the gridiron be all hot through, but yet not burning hot upon the surface: this is the perfect and fine condition of the gridiron; for if it is hastily heated, the bars will be hot enough to scorch the things laid on them on the outside, as the bars must always keep away so much of the heat as their breadth covers: it is absolutely necessary they should be thoroughly hot before the thing to be cooked be laid on them. The bars of gridirons should be made concave, terminating in a trough to catch the gravy; and also keep the fat from dropping into the fire and making a smoke, which will spoil your broil. The upright gridirons are the best, as they can be used at any fire without fear of smoke, and all the gravy is preserved.

Beef Steaks*

Those who are nice about steaks never attempt to have them except in weather that permits the meat to be hung till it is tender. The best steaks are those cut from the middle of the rump, that has been killed at least four days, when they can be cut about six inches long, four inches wide, and half an inch thick, let them be beaten with a chopper, or rolling-pin, to make them tender; take care to have a very clear brisk fire, and throw a little salt on it, to take off the sulphur, make the gridiron hot, and set it slanting, to prevent the fat from dropping into the fire, and making a smoke. For want of these little attentions, this very common dish, which every body is supposed capable of dressing, seldom comes to table in perfection.

Put a tablespoonful of catsup and a little minced shalot into a dish before the fire, while you broil the steak; turn it often, to keep the gravy in: it will be done in ten minutes; rub a bit of butter over it, and send it up garnished with horseradish. No. 356.

* The season for these is from the 29th of Sept. to the 25th of March.

Kidneys

Cut the kidneys through the long way, score them, and broil them over a very clear fire, turning them often till they are done, which will take about ten minutes, if the fire is brisk. Lay them on the dish, sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper, and rub a piece of butter over them, or fry them in butter, and make gravy for them in the pan, (after you have taken out the kidneys,) by putting in a teaspoonful of flour; as soon as it looks brown, put in as much water as will make gravy for your kidneys: they take five minutes more to fry than to broil.

The Inside Of A Sirloin Of Beef

Cut out the inside of a sirloin of beef close to the bone, in steaks nearly a quarter of an inch thick; take off all the skins, and season it with pepper and salt, then warm an ounce of butter on a plate, just enough to melt it a little, but not to make it into a thin oil, mix the yolk of an egg with it, dip the steaks in on both sides, and then in fine bread crumbs; lay them on a clean gridiron, over a clear slow fire; if the fire is sharp, the bread crumbs will be burnt before the beef is done: when you turn them, take them off the fire, and lay them on a dish to catch the gravy: when they are dressed, put them on a hot dish with their own gravy, and a spoonful of mushroom catsup.

A Fowl Or Chicken

Pick and truss a fowl the same as for boiling, cut it open down the back, wipe the inside clean with a cloth, season it with a little white pepper and salt, and lay it on a gridiron over a very clear slow fire, with the inside of the fowl towards the fire; turn it in about ten minutes, and it will take about ten minutes more to broil it till it is a fine brown. Lay it on a hot dish, with mushroom sauce thrown over it, or melted butter flavoured with mushroom catsup or cavice: garnish with the liver and the gizzard, slit and notched, and seasoned with pepper and salt, and broiled nicely brown, and some slices of lemon. For sauce, see No. 355.

Pigeons

Clean them well, split them down the backs, and pepper and salt them; broil them over a clear slow fire; turn them often, and put a little butter on them: when they are done, pour over them, either stewed or pickled mushrooms, and melted butter.

Garnish with fried sippets; or, when the pigeons are trussed as for boiling, flat them with a cleaver, taking care not to break the skin, or the backs, or breasts; season them with pepper and salt, dip them in melted butter, and dredge them well with grated bread, then lay them on the gridiron, and turn them frequently: if your fire is not very clear, lay them on a sheet of paper well buttered, to keep them from getting smoked.

Same sauce as in the preceding receipt.