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Classic
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page 71
or becoming too hard to be eaten. To avoid this, take strips of cloth, dip them
into a little melted lard, or even just rub them over with lard, and wind them
around the legs. Remove them in time to allow the legs to brown delicately.
Fowls, and also various kinds of game, when bought at our city markets, require
a more thorough cleansing than those sold in country places, where as a general
thing the meat is wholly dressed. In large cities they lay for some length of
time with the intestines undrawn, until the flavor of them diffuses itself all
through the meat, rendering it distasteful. In this case, it is safe after
taking out the intestines, to rinse out in several waters, and in next to the
last water, add a teaspoonful of baking soda; say to a quart of water. This
process neutralizes all sourness, and helps to destroy all unpleasant taste in
the meat.
Poultry may be baked so that its wings and legs are soft and tender, by being
placed in a deep roasting pan with close cover, thereby retaining the aroma and
essences by absorption while confined. These pans are a recent innovation, and
are made double with a small opening in the top for giving vent to the
accumulation of steam and gases when required. Roast meats of any kind can also
be cooked in the same manner, and it is a great improvement on the old plan.
ROAST TURKEY.
Select a young turkey; remove all the feathers carefully, singe it over a
burning newspaper on the top of the stove; then "draw" it nicely, being very
careful not to break any of the internal organs; remove the crop carefully; cut
off the head, and tie the neck close to the body by drawing the skin over it.
Now rinse the inside of the turkey out with several waters, and in the next to
the last, mix a teaspoonful of baking soda; often times the inside of a fowl is
very sour, especially if it is not freshly killed. Soda, being cleansing, acts
as a corrective, and destroys that unpleasant taste which we frequently
experience in the dressing when fowls have been killed for some time. Now, after
washing, wipe the turkey dry, inside and out, with a clean cloth, rub the inside
with some salt, then stuff the breast and body with "Dressing for Fowls." Then
sew up the turkey with a strong thread, tie the legs and wings to the body, rub
it over with a little soft butter, sprinkle over some salt and pepper, dredge
with a little flour; place it in a dripping pan, pour in a cup of boiling water,
and set it in the oven. Baste the turkey often, turning it around occasionally
so that every part will be uniformly baked. When pierced with a fork and the
liquid runs out perfectly clear, the bird is done. If any part is likely to
scorch, pin over it a piece of buttered
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