Otherwise incurably tough fowls can be made manageable by teeth and digestive organs in this way:

Clean, wash, wipe, and joint neatly. This dissection is an art to be studied, much of the comeliness of the dish depending upon it. Cut with a sharp knife every joint apart from the rest, the breast into two pieces, the back into three. Arrange in layers in a broad pot, sprinklipg between these two table-spoonfuls of minced onion and a quarter of a pound of chopped fat salt pork, sprinkle with pepper and chopped parsley, and just cover with cold water. The giblets should be stewed with the rest of the fowl. Cover closely and set at the side of the range, until in about an hour (no sooner) the pot begins to simmer. Set it then where the heat is stronger, but not where it will boil hard, and stew quietly until the chicken is tender. If tolerably young this will happen in an hour from the date of the first simmer. Old fowls sometimes take three, and even four, hours, but they are bound to succumb finally to the persuasive influence of the gentle boil, provided they never reach a hard, rapid ebullition for one minute while on the fire.

Old fowls, yellow of skin, hairy, obdurate of muscle, and with iron-clad breast-bones must be treated according to their deserts. Allow them all the time there is, keep down the boil, and victory is sure.

When tender take out of the gravy and dispose neatly upon a hot dish. Cover and keep warm. There is probably more gravy in the pot than you need for sauce. One good cupful is all you want. Pour off the surplus and set aside for stock. Never waste so much as a thimbleful. Stir into what is left in the pot a cupful of hot milk (not forgetting the pinch of soda) in which has been well mixed a tablespoonful of butter cut up with one of flour. Let all boil up once, and pour gradually upon two beaten eggs in a bowl. Without returning to the fire, pour over the chicken and serve.

Always pass rice in some shape with fricasseed chicken.