BUTCHER's MEAT.
AS a necessary prelude to the directions given under this head, we shall make a few necessary, and general observations. All meat should be boiled as slow as possible, but in plenty of water, which will make it rise and look plump. Be careful to keep it clear from scum, and let your pot be close covered. If you boil it fast the outside will be hardened before the inside is warm, and the meat will be disagreeably discoloured. A leg of veal of twelve pounds weight, will take three hours and a half boiling; and the flower it boils the whiter and plumper it will be.
With respect to mutton and beef, if they are rather under-done; they may be eat without being either disagreeable or unwholesome; but lamb, pork, and veal, should be thoroughly done, otherwise they will be obnoxious to the sight, and consequently ungrateful to the palate. A leg of pork will take half an hour's more boiling than a leg of veal of the same weight; but in general, when you boil beef or mutton, you may allow as many quarters of an hour as the meat weighs pounds. To put in the meat when the water is cold must be allowed to be the best method, as thereby, the middle gets warm before the outside becomes hardened. An hour and a half will boil a leg of lamb of four pounds and a half weight.---From these general directions, it would be unnecessary to describe the usual mode of boiling the common joints of either mutton or beef. We shall therefore proceed to these articles which require more particular notice.