DOMESTIC ECONOMY AND FAMILY RECIPES. 687 



meals, are most ^vliolesome and useful iu the economj- of the 

 system. 



Cooking Meats. — Beefsteaks should never be fried, but always 

 broiled on a gridiron with narrow bars. A bed of coals is easil}' 

 made by burning round sticks of hard wood. The heat should 

 always be intense when the steak is first put over the fire and 

 be gradualh" reduced, either l\v withdrawing the meat or sprink- 

 ling ashes over tlie coals. Rare done beef is much more nutri- 

 tious and digestible than when the red color is all cooked out of 

 it. The fibre of beef is worthless ; it is only the juice that is of 

 any aA'ail in nourishing the body. Roast beef requires a slow, 

 stead}', but not too hot fire. Beef for soup should be out in small 

 pieces and put over a slow fire in cold water ; let it stand over the 

 fire for four hours without boiling, then add your vegetables and 

 seasoning, and let them boil from half an hour to an hour. 



Stuffed Beefsteak. — Prepare a dressing of bread scakied 

 soft and mixed with !>' -'iUy of butter, a little pepper, salt, sage, a 

 little onion, and an egg. Lay it upon one side of a round of steak, 

 cover with the other, and baste it down with needle and thread. 

 Salt and pepper the other side of the steak and place in a drip- 

 ping pan, with half an inch of water. When baked brown on one 

 side, turn and bake the other. Watch closely that it does not 

 burn. 



A Beef or Veal Pie. — Take the cold pieces, after baking, and 

 make a light crust, like tea-biscuit, only a little shorter, lay the 

 crust around the dish, not on the bottom ; then season your meat 

 with salt and peppei", and buWer between each layer ; add water 

 to make it moist with gravy, then lay on the cover, and bake 

 three-quarters of an hour. It makes a fine dish occasionally. 



Savory Beef. — Take a shin of beef from the hind quarter, saw 

 it into four pieces, put it in a pot, and boil until the meat and 

 gristle drop from the bones ; chop the meat ver}- fine, put in a 

 dish and season it with a little salt, pepper, clove, and sage, to 

 your taste ; pour in the liquor iu which the meat was boiled, and 

 place it away to harden. Cut in slices and eaten cold. 



To Prepare Mince Meat. — Housekeepers may, if they choose, 

 prepare their meat for mince pies for the winter's use at one 

 time, and that time may be when they are making sausage and 

 headcheese, and doing up the other work after butchering. 



Boil your meat tender — I think oue part of pork to two of 

 beef is a good proportion ; when cold chop fine, and season with 

 nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and alspice. Put in some boiled cider 

 ind molasses, and sugar enough to make it fit for use. Set it ou 

 the stove and let it simmer half and hour, stirring it occasion- 

 illy. Then remove from the fire and put it into a stone jar ; 

 30ver closely and set iu a cool place. When wanted for pies 



