Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-04-08
BeefEteak.

The New York Observer says: If Miss
Juliet Corson succeeds In teaching this
| generation how TO cook beefsteak ten
der and savory, she will deserve a
monument more durable than bronze or
marble, and every one who frequents q
hotel or boarding-house and every one
who lives In q farmhouse, should con-
tribute Literally TO 1t. II the following
directions, which she prepared for a
meeting at Willimantic, Conn, will
produce The desired end-n tender steak
she will at least secure the gratitude
OF thousands, whether she ever hears of
1t or not. We hope our readers will see
what can be done in this way, and 80
help on the desired reform:
HOW TO PREPARE A STEAK.
We hear great deal about that
abomination called fried steak.D /
will tell you how TO make tough steak
tender, and how to fry 1t 30 that il will
be juicy. Do not pound it, either with
a rolling-pin or a potato-m -masher, or even
with that jagged piece of metal or
crockery ware which house, furnishing
dealers will try to delude you into buy
ing. If you do pound IL you will only
batter its fibers and let out all its Juices.
Pour into the bottom of dish three
tablespoonfuls each of vinegar and
salad-oil, sprinkle on them half salt
spoonful OF pepper (and tablespoonful
OF chopped parsley. If you have IT'D. Do
not use any salt. The action of the oil
and vinegar will be to soften and dis
integrate the tough fibers of the meat
without drawing out its juices. The
salt would do that most electually and
harden the fibers beside. You may add
n teaspoonful of chopped onion If you
like its flavor. Lay the steak on the oil
and vinegar for three or four hours,
turning il over every half hour, and
then SatIte, or half fry it quickly; season
1t with salt after it is cooked, and serte
1t with very little fresh butter, or with
the gravy from the frying-pan. If you
follow these directions and do not try to
improve upon them you can have ten
der steaks hereafter at will.
HOW TO BRoIL A STEAK.
Do not season it before cooking, as the
action of salt upon its cut fibcrs is TO ex
tract their juices. Have the fire hot and
clear, the gridiron perfectly clean, and
after the meat has been put upon il. tip
it towards the hack of the fire (unless it
is provided with a ledge TO hold the
drippings); other wise the fat dropping
directly under the meat will burn up and
blacken it with smoke. Expose one side
of the meat TO the fire, as close as it is
possible to hold it without burning, un-
til the surface is so completely scared
that the juices do not escape; then turn
the meat and carbonize or scar the other
side; after that finish cooking il at
little distance from the Goals. until il has
reached the desired point. To ascertain
this do not cut into the meat, or you will
let out the juices; press your fingers
upon its surface, lightly and quickly; If
it is quite rare, the fibers will still be so
elastic as to spring up quickly the in
slant the pressure is removed; if it is
medium rare, the fbers will be 80 far
hardened that they will partly resist the
pressure at first, and when the fingers
are removed, will rise again very slowly;
If il is well done, it will seem quite firm
under the touch, and will not rise again
when the fingers are lifted. In turning
the meat do not stick fork into it, be.
cause the holes made by the prongs af-
ford an outlet for the juices; use a
double gridiron or broiler, so that you
can turn that and the meat at once; il
the gridiron is one of the open kind.
take the meat between the blades OF
two knives or spoons to turn it; or use
steak tongs, IL you have such an instru-
ment.