Roasting

Wipe the meat with damp cloth. Trim and tie into shape, if necessary. In the bottom of pan put some pieces of fat from meat. Arrange meat on rack in pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and flour. Have oven very hot at first; when meat is half done reduce heat. Baste every ten or fifteen minutes. If there is danger of fat in pan being scorched, add a few spoons of boiling water. Allow from ten to twenty minutes per pound of meat, according as it is desired, rare or well done. When done remove to hot plate. Thicken gravy in pan with barley flour, adding more water as necessary and add seasoning. An onion may be laid on top of the roast to give it flavor, but should be removed before serving.

In purchasing meat one should know how to select the best quality, and the most useful pieces.

Beef, which stands at the head of the list, as being most generally used and liked, should be of a bright, clear red, and fat white. It should be well clothed in fat, to insure it being tender and juicy. The finest pieces are the sirloin and the ribs - the latter making the best roasting piece in the animal.

In cooking steaks remember it is far better to turn over three or four times on a platter containing a little olive oil than it is to hammer them, to make them tender. The object is not to force the juice, but to soften the fibre.

In selecting pork, one cannot exercise too great care in examining it. Do not buy any that is clammy or has kernels in the fat. Remember, too, when the rind is hard it is old.

Veal should be fine in grain, of a delicate pink, with plenty of kidney fat. It should never be eaten under two months old.

Mutton should be firm and juicy, the flesh close-grained, the fat hard and white.

How To Clarify Drippings

Drippings accumulated from different cooked meats (except mutton, which has a strong flavor), can be clarified by putting all into a basin and slicing into it raw potato, allowing it to boil long enough for the potato to brown, which causes all impurities to disappear. Remove from the fire, and when cool drain into basin and set in a cool place.