76 THE CANNING OF FOODS. 



A properly filled No. 3 can should not contain less than 22 ounces 

 of kraut, as determined by emptying upon a sieve of one-eighth inch 

 mesh and allowing to drain for two minutes. 



SOUPS. 



Soups of almost every description may be obtained in cans. There 

 is no standard, but each one is made according to the formula of the 

 particular packer. Some soups are concentrated, while others are 

 ready for use. They are practically all packed under Government 

 inspection, both of the plant and the materials used. No meat 

 products can enter interstate trade without being inspected, and since 

 nearly all soups contain either meat or stock made from meat, they 

 must comply with all the requirements governing meat inspection. 



Soups are classed as meat or vegetable, though there are but few 

 of the latter that are not made from some kind of meat stock. The 

 usual procedure in making soup is to select the meat stock, which is 

 usually beef, though veal or mutton may be added. The meat used 

 by some of the best factories is of the very highest quality, not 

 merely any meat which has passed inspection. This is cut into 

 pieces, the size depending upon whether it is to be used in the soup 

 or only for the stock, and is placed in large steel kettles. These are- 

 heated by steam and covered tightly, so that the stock may be cooked 

 slowly without evaporating. The cooking is continued below the 

 boiling point for several hours, depending upon the kind of meat 

 used and the care given to the making of the soup. The slow 

 cooking has the effect of bringing out the extractives, giving a better 

 flavor and a richer product. The liquor is skimmed at regular in- 

 tervals, and if the stock is for a clear soup or a bouillon, it is clari- 

 fied with eggs and filtered. If for a soup containing the meat, this 

 last operation may be omitted. 



The vegetables used in making soups are carrots, turnips, parsnips, 

 peas, beans, onions, leeks, celery, okra, tomatoes, etc. As far as 

 possible, these should be used in their fresh state, but as it is not 

 possible to have them all fresh at the same time the canned article 

 must be substituted. The vegetables used are prepared separately, 

 washed, peeled, cut into pieces, cubes or special forms, blanched, and 

 in some cases given a separate cooking to get the proper tenderness. 

 These are mixed in the proportions desired, placed in the cans by 

 weight, and the stock added afterwards. The process will depend 

 upon the body, whether thick or thin, and the quantity of meat used. 



The making of soups is peculiarly a chef's work ; it is not possible 

 to give a formula for so many pounds of meat and vegetables, set 

 a definite time for cooking each, and get a first-class product. The 

 characteristic flavoring depends upon the blending and the condi- 



