Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-01-02
BEETsTEAK COOKING.
BY Louis Loie..


ANYBODY can cook beefsteak!"
This is an expression so often used that
1t is tine somebody in the interest of
good cooking and good - gestion denied
Is. In the abstract anybody can cook a
steak, hut it Is not true that anybody
ana everybody can cook a steak prop
erly. Many an excellent piece of meat
has been ruined in the cooking A
good steak is one cooked to the taste or
the person to whom it is served and
yet retaining all the juices of the meat
This result can only be obtained by
proper cooking. A steak simmered over
slow IRE or cooked in pan so de-
void of heat that the juices of the meat
escape is,not fit for the table and is un-
worthy OF the name that it hears.
Ihers are hut three ways of cooking
steak that deserve serious considera-
ton; drilling. hroiling and dry pannins.
The FIRST will require no attention at
sur hands as few, il any, houses are
squipped with meat grill.
Steak is properly broiled over a
charcoal fire. If you have not a char
coal FIRE bright coal FIRE such as yon
have in your range will do good work.
II the latter is used it must be bright
nre and one that has burned all the gas
from the coal before the meat is placed
aver it.
Ordinarily you will receive your
nteak from the butcher or market sew
eral hours before YOU cook it. You put
1t in plate or dish and let it remain
until wanted. In the meantime the
hlood has escaped TO some extent and as
you lift the meat you find it lying in a
pool of blood. This cannot be avoided
entirely, but ie may lie partially by
keeping the mSat in a very cold place.
var az not- tt 10 H.
juices more or less, the steak should he
thoroughly wiped with linen cloth
before it is placed over the fire and
then the wet side should first be placed
toward the FIRE.
II YOU are to broil II the fire should
be sharp and hot. AS soon as one side
as scared overtnrn the steak and scar
over the opposite side; then turn often
until done to suit the taste of the person
to be served. Do NOT add airy salt or
pepper until cooked, as the addition of
salt has tendency to make the juices
escape and that is thing you should
avoid as far as possible. When done
take up on hot platter, season and
serve at once on hot plate. Cold
platters and cold plates have ruined
mnny a good steak.
Steak may be very acceptably cooked
In frying pan when there are no Goals
available, but to get good results there
is only one method. The pan must be
heated smoking hot. it is difficult to get
it too hot, and the meat put into the dry
pan. As soon as one side is scared over
turn and cook the other side and con-
tinue to turn often until done. Don't
under any circumstances put a bit of
butter or any grease in the pan. If
You wish gravy you may add little
water to the pan after the meat is re-
moved.
OF the various sauces served with
steak, the Bearnaise is held in the high
est esteem by good livers. This sauce,
even, must be very nicely made to I'M
prove the dish. A very good recipe fol-
lows; Peel and chop one onion very
hne; put it In saucepan with one
tablespoonful of chopped tarragon, one
half cupful of white wine vinegar.
the Juice of one lemon, one teaspoonful
OF peppercorns and a dash of cayenne
Cook these ingredients together until
the liquid is evaporated and the mixture
forms glace; remove from the fire and
add two slightly beaten egg yol,;s. Now
set the saucepan in another pan con-
tanning warm watef and place back on
the stove. Stir without stopping drop
ping in, bit at a time, three table
spoonfuls of hutter, until the sauce is
very thick. This must be done slowly
and if at any time the sauce appears to
be growing thick very fast, remove the
pan from the water. Strain through n
cheese cloth, add one teaspoonful of
chopped tarragon and serve at once.
In general let me advise the getting
of the best at all times when buying
steak; have it cut at least an inch in
thickness, unless you desire it very well
done, and have immediate service ais
soon as it comes from the fire.