Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1890-12-30
Iopkinspillr NentuflAaa.
NOTES ON sTEWiNo.
A Practical Lesson ss to How IL Is Prop
erly Done.

a Practical Lesson as to HOW IL Is Prop
crIy Done.
Girls, says writer in Demorest's
Magazine, which one OF you knows how
to make stewp ~ do" That is we'll.
Tell me how you do it. "Oh, just take
some meat and potatoes, carrots, onions,
and any vegetables i choose, put some
water on them, and boil them together.
and-that is ALL" You have described
great many stews In describing yours.
don't think should like any of them,
so shall tell you how make IT, and I
want each one OF you TO try and follow
my directions, and If yo do SO conscien-
tious!y, think 20. will al be able 20
mako stew, and, what is moro, good
stew.
The first step Is to understand what
Showing" is. Do not for one moment i'm
agine it is boiling, for they are distinct
ly different methods OF cooking. Stew
ing is cooking by slow, gentle, moist
heat Keep this well in your mind.
You must not let your stew boil or you
change the character of your dish at
once. Boiling toughens meat; stewing,
on the contrary, softens the fibers and
renders IL more tender.
In purchasing meat for slowing you
may take tho cheaper, poorer parts,
where there is most blood. That is
where there has been most action. Now,
what part would you imagine that
would be?, "Tho legs" Yes, and al
though perhaps little tough they arc
the jueiest parts OF beef. Pieces from
the round, chuck and upper portion of
the shank are all good. The meat
should have some bone and fat Cold
meats makes most excellent stew, as
the roasting or broiling 1t has already
gone through tends to improve tho
favor.
In preparing your mea. you must first
wash it How would you do that? "Put
1t under the faucet and rub 1t we'll I"
You might just as we'll take the scrub
bing-bru to it! No; to wash meat take
a clean cloth, wet it with cold water.
and wipe your meat carefully. Remem-
Der that cold water extracts the juices,
and all such losses must be carefully
guarded against. Cut you meat in small
pieces. take off superfluous fat and bone,
and keep the bone for the bottom Of the
kettle; 1t will prevent the meat from
sticking or burning. To pound of beef
you will require one quart of cold water.
Put the bones in the kettle, and also
the ragged, poorer bits of meat, that
some of the juices may escape into the
water which is to form your glayy; then
put the kettle on the fire.
The meat which you have cut in small
pieces should now be we'll dredged with
flour, then fried good brown on both
sides. As fast as they become brown
put them in the kettle, and as soon as
the contents thereof boil it should be
moved to the back Of the range and
there allowed to simmer steadily for
about three hours. To one good pound
of meat add one small onion. sliced, one
small carrot and turnip cut in cubes,
dredgcd with flour, and slightly Drowned.
Put them in the kettle to simmer with
the meat
"Why do you drcdge and brown the
meat and vegetables?" For several
reasons. The flour forms paste over
the meat and keeps in the juices and 1t
thickens and browns the gravy to such
an extent that you will seldom find it
necessary to add thickening when your
stew is finished, as is generally necos-
sary. A stow is most economical dish
unless you keep up your fire purppsely,
then it becomes expensive, for you can
not make it quickly-nevor under two
or three hours. Tho slow, steady SIM
mcring renders your meat both tender
and nutritious.