The Country Gentleman s Mas'azine 



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(Llic Olountvg dentlclDonmn. 



ON THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF COOKERY 



BY DR LETHEBV. 



(Cuiitinued from page 506.) 



HOW TO COOK :\IEA'I'. 



T N the treatment of animal food there are 

 -■■ several points for consideration. In the 

 tirst place, it is always bestto prepare theanimal 

 for the shambles by fasting it for a few hours 

 before it is slaughtered, as partially digested 

 food, and the food recently absorbed into the 

 system, quickly pass into a state of putrefac- 

 tive decomposition and taint the whole car- 

 case ; besides which, a day's repose is often 

 necessary to quell the excitement occasioned 

 by the journey or voyage which the animal 

 may have made on its way to the place of 

 slaughter. 



In the second place, it is proper to re- 

 move as much blood from the body as 

 possible at the time of killing, as this also is 

 apt to pass into a state of decay. The regu- 

 lations of the Jews in this particular are most 

 effectual, and are derived from very antient 

 statutes in Leviticus, which ordain that no 

 manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of 

 beast, shall be eaten by man ; and with the 

 view of letting as much of it flow away as 

 possible, the practice is to slaughter every 

 animal by cutting its throat with a sharp 

 knife. There are, indeed, the most precise 

 rules for this purpose. In some countries, 

 however, the blood is regarded as a very 

 nutritious part of the animal, and great pains 

 are taken to prevent its escape. Dr Living- 

 stone says, that many of the South African 

 tribes kill the beast by thrusting a javelin 

 into the heart, so as to prevent the loss of 

 blood. But in these cases the meat is never 

 kept, but is eaten directly after the animal is 

 slaughtered. A proposition has also been 



made in this country for killing animals by- 

 letting air into the pleural cavities, whereby 

 the lungs collapse, and so cause almost in- 

 stant death by asphyxia, without loss of 

 blood ; but the practice is objectionable, not 

 merely because of the liability of such meat 

 to quick putrefaction, but also because of the 

 difficulty of discovering disease in it. 



In the third place, it is proper that the 

 carcase of the animal should be allowed ta 

 cool and set thoroughly, before it is packed 

 for conveyance to the market. If this is not 

 properly attended to it soon decays. It should 

 also be packed loosely, or even freely ex- 

 posed to the air, as the colouring matter of 

 the blood and muscles continue to absorb, 

 oxygen, and to breathe, as it were, for some 

 time after death, and while this goes on decay 

 is arrested. 



Lastly, all meat should be kept a little short 

 of decomposition before it is cooked, or even 

 until decomposition has just commenced, as- 

 the tissue then becomes loose and tender, and 

 very digestible. 



In the culinary treatment of animal food^ 

 the objects are fourfold : — 



I St, To coagulate the albumen and blood 

 of the tissues, so as to render the meat agree- 

 able to the sight. 



2d, To develop flavours, and to make the 

 tissue crisp, as well as tender, and therefore 

 more easy of mastication and digestion. 



3d, To secure a certain temperature, and 

 thus to be a means of conveying warmth to 

 the system. 



4th, To kill parasites in the tissues of the 

 meat. 



