Meats

The finest grained beef is the best, the flesh is of a fine red, and the fat a light cream color, but not yellow; the fat, too, is solid and firm; the lean of mutton should be of a red color, and the fat white; the lean of veal should be of a light color, and the fat white; the skin of pork should be of a light color, and if young it is tender; the fat should appear firm; a tender goose is known by taking hold of the wing and raising it; if the skin tears easily the goose is tender, or if you can readily insert the head of a pin into the flesh it is young; the same remarks will hold good with regard to ducks; young chickens may be known by pressing the lower end of the breast bone; if it yields readily to the pressure they are not old, for in all animals the bones are cartilaginous when young; the breast should be broad and plump in all kinds of poultry, the feet pliable, and the toes easily broken when bent back.

Boiled Meats

A great deal of care and niceness is requisite in boiling meats. Your copper should be very clean and well tinned. All meats should be boiled slowly; to boil them fast hardens the outside before the inside is warm, and dissolves the meat. For instance, a leg of veal of twelve pounds weight will require three hours and a half boiling - the slower it boils the whiter and plumper it will be. When you boil mutton or beef, observe to dredge them well with flour before you put them into the kettle of cold water; keep it covered, and take off the scum. Mutton and beef do not require so much boiling, but veal, pork, or lamb, are not wholesome if they are not boiled enough. A leg of pork will require half an hour more of boiling than a leg of veal of the same weight. You must allow an hour for every four pounds weight of beef or mutton. The best way is to put your meat in when the water is cold. A leg of lamb of four pounds, weight will require an hour and a half boiling.