Broiling

The cook must prepare her fire in due time. When ready, it should be clear and bright, so clear from black coal and smoke that the chop or steak may come from the gridiron without blemish or taint of sulphur or smoke. The best fuel for a broil is composed of charcoal and coke, as little smoke is emitted from either, even on commencing the fire, and when well ignited, it is entirely free from it; coke added to a brisk coal fire, also burns bright, and is well suited for the operation, though with care a proper fire may be made of good sea coal. There is this amongst other disadvantages, in cutting too thick a steak, the outside is likely to be scorched to horny hardness before the interior is half cooked; hence, to say nothing of the misery of those who have not large mouths, the disappointed epicure must either wait until it is put again on the gridiron, or instead of eating it rare, be constrained to eat it raw. No gridiron should be used but those with fluted bars, which, forming channels, the greater part of the fat which otherwise falls into the fire, and scorches the steak, is drawn off into a gutter at the bottom, the gridiron should be thoroughly heated, and the bars rubbed with beef or mutton suet previously to putting on the steak, to prevent its being marked by, or adhering to, the bars.

A close eye should be kept on the steak to watch the moment for turning it, which is repeatedly done during the process; broiling tongs of convenient size should be used, with which, by a little practice, the steak may be turned with ease and despatch; the cook must have her dish thoroughly heated to receive the broil when done, and the cover hot to place upon it instantly. Even when she has accomplished her task, if the servant who is to take it to table loiters on the way, the steak will have lost its zest. A steak or chop should be briskly cooked, speedily conveyed to table, and served with despatch.

111. Roast Beef

There exists a variety of tastes and opinions respecting the most profitable, as well as the choicest, parts of beef, but many of them are choice and profitable too if cooked with skill; the primest parts are roasted, except the round, which should be boiled; the ribs make the finest roasting joint.

Where a small quantity is required, it is better for the bones to be cut put and the meat rolled; this should be done by the butcher, who will not only cut cleaner, but skewer the parts into a fillet with more firmness and neatness than the cook, who is not expected to be as expert with the knife and skewer as the butcher. The tops of the ribs are frequently cut off into pieces of three or four pounds; this piece, though occasionally roasted, should be salted; it is then not unlike in flavour to the brisket.

In roasting the ribs, or any piece of beef, the precautions mentioned respecting placing it too near the fire must be observed, and where there is much fat, and it is desired to preserve it from being cooked before the lean, it may be covered with clean white paper skewered over it; when it is nearly done the paper should be removed, a little flour dredged over it, and a rich frothy appearance will be obtained. The joint should be served up with potatoes and other vegetables; the dish should be garnished round the edge with horseradish scraped into thin curls. This receipt will suffice for all the other roasting parts of beef.