188 CULINARY ARTS. [VII, 



atinin, albumen, coloring matter, inosinates, lactates, alkaline 

 phosphates and chlorides, with other salts. It is to be heated 

 over a water-bath in order to coagulate the albumen, which 

 carries with it the coloring matter. The liquor is then strained, 

 and if the constituents are to be separated, treated with caustic 

 baryta to precipitate free phosphoric acid, which would, other- 

 wise, cause the deposit of a brown sediment during the sub- 

 sequent evaporation. If the liquor is intended for soup, 

 instead of being strained, it may, after maceration in the cold, 

 be gently boiled with the meat for a few minutes, and strained. 

 The clear liquor then only requires seasoning to become pa- 

 latable broth, imbodying all the nutriment of the flesh. The 

 residual meat is sinewy and without taste or nourishment. Gela- 

 tine forms but a very small portion of the dissolved matters ; 

 and Liebig confirms Proust's view that soup does not derive 

 any taste or nourishing power from it. The flavor is due to 

 the soluble constituents of the meat, which exist in it ready 

 formed, and are not generated during the process of boiling. 

 By a gradual and carefully managed evaporation in shallow 

 pans, the liquor, prepared as above, may be converted into a 

 brown " extract of flesh," retaining the savory odor of roast- 

 beef. It may be called portable soup, for it can be preserved 

 any length of time, and gives, with 30 pts. water and proper 

 seasoning, a most palatable and nutritious broth. 



From these facts, it follows that the proper way of boiling 

 meat, so as to insure the retention of its flavor and nutriment, 

 is to plunge it directly into boiling water, and after a few 

 minutes to reduce the temperature of the liquid to 158° by 

 the addition of cold water. The outer portion of the meat 

 is thus hardened, and a gentle simmer, so as to heat the 

 interior to 158°, will coagulate the albumen, enveloping the 

 fibres and also the coloring matter of the blood, without hard- 

 ening the flesh. The nutriment and flavor of the meat are 

 thus preserved unimpaired. 



According to Liebig, the brine running from meat packed 

 with dry salts, consists mainly of the juice, and that, there- 

 fore, the process of salting lessens its nutritious power. 



