AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF PREPARING AND PRESERVING OYSTERS, AND A NEW OR IMPROVED ARTICLE OF FOOD MANUFACTURE PRODUCED THEREBY
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bristow Hunt, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County
"
of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF
PREPARING AND PRESERVING OYSTERS, AND A NEW OR IMPROVED ARTICLE
OF FOOD MANUFACTURE PRODUCED THEREBY." A communication from abroad
by Daniel Alden Loring, of the City of New York, in the United States of
America. Manufacturer.
Sealed the 2nd January 1880, and dated the 8th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bristow Hunt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th July 1879.
"
BRISTOW HUNT, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF PREPARING AND PRESERVING OYSTERS,
AND A NEW OR IMPROVED ARTICLE OF FOOD MANUFACTURE PRODUCED THEREBY.'
(A communication from abroad by Daniel Alden Loring, of the City of New York,
in the United States of America, Manufacturer.)
'This Invention relates to and consists in an improved process of preparing oysters
for the market, whereby the same may be packaged or made up and kept for long
periods of time without deterioration; the said Invention also relates to the new or
improved article of manufacture produced by such process.
Attempts have heretofore been made to prepare oysters so that they may be
preserved during long periods of time and in different climates, such preparation or
process consisting in scalding or partially cooking the oysters, then placing them in
a suitable vessel, and covering them with a hot liquid composed of oyster-liquor
and vinegar, which have been boiled together for a short period, to which liquid
spices are sometimes added.
This process is defective for many reasons. The oysters may move freely in the
said liquid, and thus when frequently moved in transportation or handling they
become broken by rubbing against each other. When the oysters are simply
scalded the vinegar soon acts upon their tissues, thus partially decomposing them
and soon rendering them soft and unsuitable to be eaten.
When the oysters are
cooked they become shrivelled up, hardened, unsightly, and unpalatable.
By the present improved process the fullness, fresh condition, and natural appear-
ance of the oyster are retained, and yet so preserved that the oyster will continue

page_text: (in the condition resulting from its first treatment) for a long period of time without
deterioration.
In carrying out the said Invention-a-quantity of freshly opened oysters is pre-
pared by first so far.cooking-them-as-to-plump them, that is, subject them for such
a period of time in their own-liquor, or it may be in hot water, so as to coagulate
their interior surface, and-thus-retain their interior juicy condition, whereby they
-are-left-full and plump as when first removed from the shell, or nearly so. Having
placed them in the vessel in which they are to be put up for preservation,-there-is-
poured over them a liquid prepared as follows:-A suitable quantity of oyster-
liquor containing a sufficient number of fresh oysters for the purpose, as may readily
be determined by slight experience, is boiled-until-so-much of the gelatinous matter
from the oysters is extracted for the purpose, when the bodies of the oysters are
removed, and the said liquor is so far inspissated as to produce a jelly when the
same is cooled.
To this liquor is added a quantity about its equal in bulk of heated vinegar, to
which may be added spices to suit the taste. This liquor is poured over the plumped
oysters (preferably while they are still heated) so as to cover them, and it will when
properly cooled be converted into a jelly sufficiently hard to support the oysters,
and form with them a semi-solid mass, which will be impervious to air, and will
not be liable to injury from exposure or transportation. The oysters will thus
become enveloped by or in the jelly, and cannot be moved about therein to injure
each other by forcible or injurious contact, their natural plumpness being thus
perfectly preserved.
:-
In making the jelly liquid the following has been found to be a good formula :-
Cook or plump one quart of freshly opened oysters in their own liquor, and then
remove the oysters and place them in a suitable vessel. Boil three pints of freshly-
opened oysters from three to four hours in their own liquor over a slow fire, or
until the gelatinous matter from the oysters is extracted, remove the bodies of the
oysters, and add to the liquor a quantity equal to its bulk of boiled vinegar, and
pour the same over the plumped oysters, whereupon when the mass is cooled the
liquor will be converted into jelly, and the whole will thus form a semi-solid
mass.
These proportions or periods of time may be varied when found desirable.
Any other jelly-liquid may be used, such, for instance, as one prepared from
gelatine or other gelatinous matter, which is poured over the plumped oysters, and
when cool will envelope and support them as before described.
The jelly while hot and fluid may be strained to render it clear, and after it has
been poured over the oysters the vessel containing the mass may be set in hot water
to drive out air-bubbles therefrom before the jelly is allowed to cool, as is common
in the art of preserving.
By this improved process this most desirable article of food will be perfectly.
-preserved in its prime or natural condition, and may be transported to localities
remote from the sea-board, and may be kept for long periods of time without losing
its natural flavor and form or becoming deteriorated, and when the mass is removed
from its vessel it forms a solid compact body capable of supporting itself upon a
plate, and thus forming an ornamental dish for the table.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Bristow Hunt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th January
1880.
"
"
BRISTOW HUNT, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. 'AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF PREPARING AND PRESERVING OYSTERS,
AND A NEW OR IMPROVED ARTICLE OF FOOD MANUFACTURE PRODUCED THEREBY.'
(A communication from abroad by Daniel Alden Loring, of the City of New York,
in the United States of America, Manufacturer.)
This Invention relates to an improved process of preparing or preserving oysters
for the market and for future consumption, and according to which they may be
barrelled, made-up, or packaged, and kept for long periods of time without deterio-
ration. The Invention also comprises an improved article of manufacture (which
the inventor calls "jellied oysters,") resulting from such preservative process, as
hereinafter more fully described.
Attempts have heretofore been made to prepare oysters so that they may be
preserved during long periods of time and in different climates, such preparation or
process consisting in scalding or partially cooking the oysters, then placing them in
a suitable vessel, and covering them with a hot liquid composed of oyster-liquor
and vinegar which have been boiled together for a short period, and to which liquid
is sometimes added spices.
This process is defective for many reasons, amongst which are the following:-
The oysters can move freely in the said liquid, and thus, when frequently moved in
transportation or handling, they become broken by rubbing against each other.
When the oysters are simply scalded, the vinegar soon acts upon their tissues, thus
partially decomposing them and soon rendering them soft and unsuitable to be
eaten. When the oysters are cooked they become shrivelled up, hardened, unsightly,
and unpalatable.
By the present improved process, the fulness, fresh condition, and natural appear-
ance of the oysters are retained, and the latter are so preserved that they will
continue in the condition resulting from its treatment for a long period of time
without deterioration.
In carrying out these improvements the inventor prepares a quantity of freshly-
opened oysters, by first so far cooking them as to plump them, that is, subject them
for such a period of time in their own liquor, or it may be in hot water, as to
coagulate their exterior surface, and thus retain their interior juicy condition,
whereby they are left full and plump, or nearly so, as when first removed from the
shell. Having placed them in the vessel in which they are to be put up for preser-
vation, there is then poured over them a jelly-liquid, which may be prepared as
follows: A suitable quantity of oyster-liquor, containing a sufficient number of
fresh oysters for the purpose, as may readily be determined by slight experience, is
boiled until so much of the gelatinous matter from the oysters is extracted for the
purpose, when the bodies of the oysters are removed, and the said liquor is so far
inspissated as to produce a jelly when it is cooled. To this liquor is added a
quantity (about its equal in bulk) of heated vinegar, to which may be added spices
to render the whole more tasty. This liquor is poured over the plumped oysters
(preferably while they are still heated), so as to cover them, and it will, when
sufficiently cooled, be converted into a jelly of sufficient rigidity to support the
oysters, and form with them a semi-solid mass, which will be impervious to air, and
not liable to injury from exposure or transportation. The oysters will thus become
enveloped by the jelly, and cannot be moved about therein to injure each other by
forcible contact, their natural plumpness being thus perfectly preserved.
In making the jelly-liquid the following has been found to be a good formula :-
Cook or plump one quart of freshly opened oysters in their own liquor, and then

page_text: remove the oysters and place them in a suitable vessel. Boil three pints of freshly-
opened oysters from three to four hours in their own liquor over a slow fire, or
until the gelatinous.matter. from-the-oysters.is.extracted,-remove-the-bodies-of-the-
oysters, and add to the liquor a quantity_equal to its bulk of boiled vinegar, and
pour the same over the plumped oysters, whereupon, when the mass is cooled, the
liquor will be converted-into-a-jelly; and the whole thus form a semi-solid mass,
which, as above-mentioned,-the-inventor-calls "jellied-oysters."
The above mentioned proportions and periods of time may be varied when found
-desirable.
Any other suitable jelly-liquid may be used, such, for instance, as one prepared
from gelatine or other gelatinous matter, which is poured over the plumped oysters,
80 as when cool to envelope and support them as hereinbefore described.'
The jelly, while hot and fluid may be strained to render it clear, and after it has
been poured over the oysters, the vessel containing the mass may be set in hot
water to drive out air-bubbles therefrom before the jelly is allowed to cool, as is
common in the art of preserving.
By the above described improved process, this most desirable article of food is
perfectly preserved in its prime or natural condition, and may be transported to
localities remote from the sea-board, and be kept for long periods of time without
losing its natural flavor and form, or becoming deteriorated in quality, and when the
mass is removed from its vessel it forms a solid compact body capable of supporting
itself upon a plate, and thus forming an ornamental dish" for the table.
"
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that what I claim as the Invention
communicated to me by the above named Daniel Alden Loring is,―
1. The improved process of preserving oysters, which consists essentially in first
so far cooking as to plump them, then enveloping them with a suitable preservative
liquor, which, on mere cooling, becomes a jelly, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. As a new article of manufacture plumped oysters enveloped in a jelly.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bristow Hunt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
BRISTOW HUNT.. (L.S.)
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