STOCK FOR SOUP
USES AND VARIETIES OF STOCK
11. MEANING AND USE OF STOCK.--In order that soup-making processes may
be readily grasped by the housewife, she should be thoroughly familiar
with what is meant by stock, which forms the foundation of many soups.
In looking into the derivation of this term, it will be found that the
word stock comes from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning to stick, and that
while it has many different uses, the idea of fixedness is expressed in
every one of them. As is generally known, a stock of anything means a
reserve supply of that thing stored away for future use. When applied to
soup, stock is similar in meaning, for it refers to material stored or
prepared in such a way that it may be kept for use in the making of
certain kinds of soup. In a more definite sense, soup stock may be
regarded as a liquid containing the juices and soluble parts of meat,
bone, and vegetables, which have been extracted by long, slow cooking
and which can be utilized in the making of soups, sauces, and gravies.
12. Soups in which stock is utilized include all the varieties made from
beef, veal, mutton, and poultry. If clear stock is desired for the
making of soup, only fresh meat and bones should be used and all
material that will discolor the liquid in any way carefully avoided. For
ordinary, unclarified soups, the trimmings and bones of roast, steak, or
chops and the carcass of fowl can generally be utilized. However, very
strongly flavored meat, such as mutton, or the fat from mutton should be
used sparingly, if at all, on account of the strong flavor that
it imparts.
13. VARIETIES OF STOCK.--Several kinds of stock are utilized in the
making of soup, and the kind to employ depends on the soup desired. In
determining the kind of stock required for the foundation of a soup, the
housewife may be guided by the following classification:
FIRST STOCK is made from meat and bones and then clarified and used for
well-flavored, clear soups.
SECOND STOCK is made from the meat and the bones that remain after the
first stock is strained off. More water is added to the remaining
material, and this is then cooked with vegetables, which supply the
needed flavor. Such stock serves very well for adding flavor to a
nutritious soup made from vegetables or cereal foods.
HOUSEHOLD STOCK is made by cooking meat and bones, either fresh or
cooked, with vegetables or other material that will impart flavor and
add nutritive value. Stock of this kind is used for ordinary soups.
BONE STOCK is made from meat bones to which vegetables are added for
flavor, and it is used for making any of the ordinary soups.
VEGETABLE STOCK is made from either dried or fresh vegetables or both.
Such stock is employed in making vegetable soups.
GAME STOCK is made from the bones and trimmings of game to which
vegetables are added for flavor. This kind of stock is used for making
game soups.
FISH STOCK is made from fish or fish trimmings to which vegetables are
added for flavor. Shell fish make especially good stock of this kind.
Fish stock is employed for making chowders and fish soups.
14. ADDITIONAL USES OF STOCK.--As has already been shown, stock is used
principally as a foundation for certain varieties of soup. This
material, however, may be utilized in many other ways, being especially
valuable in the use of left-over foods. Any bits of meat or fowl that
are left over can be made into an appetizing dish by adding thickened
stock to them and serving the combination over toast or rice. In fact, a
large variety of made dishes can be devised if there is stock on hand to
add for flavor. The convenience of a supply of stock will be apparent
when it is realized that gravy or sauce for almost any purpose can be
made from the contents of the stock pot.
15. SOUP EXTRACTS.--If a housewife does not have sufficient time to go
through the various processes involved in making soup, her family need
not be deprived of this article of diet, for there are a number of
concentrated meat and vegetable extracts on the market for making soups
quickly. The meat extracts are made of the same flavoring material as
that which is drawn from meat in the making of stock. Almost all the
liquid is evaporated and the result is a thick, dark substance that must
be diluted greatly with water to obtain the basis for a soup or a broth.
Some of the vegetable extracts, such as Japanese soy and English
marmite, are so similar in appearance and taste to the meat extracts as
to make it quite difficult to detect any difference. Both varieties of
these extracts may be used for sauces and gravies, as well as for soups,
but it should be remembered that they are not highly nutritious and are
valuable merely for flavoring.
THE STOCK POT
16. NATURE, USE, AND CARE OF STOCK POT.--Among the utensils used for
cooking there is probably none more convenient and useful than the stock
pot. It is nothing more or less than a covered crock or pot into which materials that will make a well-flavored stock are put from time to time. From such a supply, stock can be drawn when it is needed for soup; then, when some is taken out, more water and materials may be added to replenish the pot. The stock pot should be made of either enamel or earthenware, since a metal pot of any kind is liable to impart flavor to the food. Likewise, its lid, or cover, should be tight-fitting, for then it will be an excellent utensil in which the
materials may be stored until they are to be heated, when they can be
poured or dipped into a saucepan or a kettle.
The stock pot, like any other utensil used for making soup, should
receive considerable care, as it must be kept scrupulously clean. No
stock pot should ever be allowed to stand from day to day without being
emptied, thoroughly washed, and then exposed to the air for a while
to dry.
17. FOOD SUITABLE FOR THE STOCK POT.--Some one has said that nothing
edible is out of place in the stock pot, and, to a great extent, this
statement is true. Here should be put the bones from the cooked roast,
as well as the trimmings cut from it before it went into the oven; the
tough ends and bones of beefsteak; the trimmings or bones sent home by
the butcher; the carcasses of fowls, together with any remains of
stuffing and tough or left-over bits of meat; any left-over vegetables;
the remains of the gravy or any unsweetened sauces used for meats or
vegetables; the spoonful of left-over hash, stew, or stuffing; a
left-over stuffed tomato or pepper; and the water in which rice,
macaroni, or certain vegetables have been cooked. Of course, plain water
can be used for the liquid, but the water in which such vegetables as
cauliflower, carrots, beans, peas, asparagus, celery, and potatoes have
been cooked is especially desirable, for, besides imparting flavor to
the soup, it adds valuable mineral salts. However, when such things as
left-over cereals, rice, macaroni, and green vegetables are to be
utilized in soup, they should not be put in the stock pot; rather, they
should be added to the stock after it is removed from the pot.
MAKING OF SOUP
PRINCIPAL INGREDIENTS
18. The making of the stock that is used in soup is the most important
of the soup-making processes; in fact, these two things--soup and
stock--may be regarded, in many instances, as one and the same. The
housewife will do well, therefore, to keep in mind that whenever
reference is made to the making of soup usually stock making is also
involved and meant. Before the actual soup-making processes are taken
up, however, the nature of the ingredients required should be well
understood; for this reason, suitable meats and vegetables, which are
the principal ingredients in soups, are first discussed.
19. MEAT USED FOR SOUP MAKING.--With the exception of pork, almost every
kind of meat, including beef, veal, mutton, lamb, game, and poultry, is
used for soup making. Occasionally, ham is employed, but most other
forms of pork are seldom used to any extent. When soup stock is made
from these meats, they may be cooked separately, or, as a combination is
often an improvement over a single variety, several kinds may be
combined. For instance, mutton used alone makes a very strongly flavored
soup, so that it is usually advisable to combine this kind of meat with
another meat that has a less distinctive flavor. On the other hand, veal
alone does not have sufficient flavor, so it must be combined with lamb,
game, fowl, or some other well-flavored meat.
20. Certain cuts of meats are preferred to others in the making of
soups, because of the difference in their texture. The tender cuts,
which are the expensive ones, should not be used for soups, as they do
not produce enough flavor. The tough cuts, which come from the muscles
that the animal uses constantly and that therefore grow hard and tough,
are usually cheaper, but they are more suitable, because they contain
the material that makes the best soup. The pieces best adapted to soup
making are the shins, the shanks, the lower part of the round, the neck,
the flank, the shoulder, the tail, and the brisket. Although beef is obtained from the cow, the same cuts come from practically the same places in other animals. Stock made from one of these cuts will be improved if a small amount of the fat of the meat is cooked with it; but to avoid soup that is too greasy, any excess fat that remains after cooking should be carefully removed. The marrow of the shin bone is the best fat for soup making.
If soup is to be made from fish, a white variety should be selected. The
head and trimmings may be utilized, but these alone are not sufficient,
because soup requires some solid pieces of meat. The same is true of
meat bones; they are valuable only when they are used with meat, an
equal proportion of bone and meat being required for the best stock.
21. VEGETABLES USED FOR SOUP MAKING.--In soup making, the housewife has
also a large number of vegetables from which to select, for any
vegetable that has a decided flavor may be used. Among those from which
soups can be made successfully are cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus,
corn, onions, turnips, carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, beans, peas,
lentils, salsify, potatoes, spinach, celery, mushrooms, okra, and even
sweet potatoes. These vegetables are used for two purposes: to provide
flavoring and to form part of the soup itself as well as to furnish
flavor. When they are used simply for flavoring, they are cooked until
their flavor is obtained and then removed from the stock. When they are
to form part of the soup, as well as to impart flavor, they are left in
the soup in small pieces or made into a puree and eaten with the soup.
Attention, too, must be given to the condition of the vegetables that
are used in soup. The fresh vegetables that are used should be in
perfect condition. They should have no decayed places that might taint
or discolor the soups, and they should be as crisp and solid as
possible. If they are somewhat withered or faded, they can be freshened
by allowing them to stand in cold water for a short time. When dried
vegetables are to be used for soup making, they should first be soaked
well in cold water and then, before being added to the stock, either
partly cooked or entirely cooked and made into a puree.
PROCESSES INVOLVED IN MAKING STOCK
22. Although the making of stock or soup is a simple process, it must
necessarily be a rather long one. The reason for this is that all flavor
cannot be drawn from the soup materials unless they are subjected to
long, slow cooking at a temperature lower than the boiling point. With
this point definitely understood, the actual work of soup making may
be taken up.
23. COOKING MEAT FOR SOUP.--When clear stock is to be made from fresh
meat, the required quantity of meat should be cut into small pieces
rather than large ones, so as to expose as much of the surface as
possible from which the flavor of the meat can be drawn. A little more
flavor is obtained and a brown color developed if a small part, perhaps
a fourth, of the pieces of meat are first browned in the frying pan. The
pieces thus browned, together with the pieces of fresh meat, are put
into a kettle and a quart of cold water for each pound of meat is
then added.
The reason for using cold rather than hot water will be evident when the
action of water on raw meat is understood. The fiber of meat is composed
of innumerable thread-like tubes containing the flavor that is to be
drawn out into the water in order to make the stock appetizing. When the
meat is cut, these tiny tubes are laid open. Putting the meat thus
prepared into cold water and allowing it to heat gradually tend to
extract the contents of the tubes. This material is known as
extractives, and it contains in its composition stimulating
substances. On the other hand, plunging the meat into hot water and
subjecting it quickly to a high temperature will coagulate the protein
in the tissue and prevent the extractives from leaving the tubes.
24. To obtain the most flavor from meat that is properly prepared, it
should be put over a slow fire and allowed to come gradually to the
boiling point. As the water approaches the boiling point, a scum
consisting of coagulated albumin, blood, and foreign material will begin
to rise to the top, but this should be skimmed off at once and the
process of skimming continued until no scum remains. When the water
begins to boil rapidly, either the fire should be lowered or the kettle
should be removed to a cooler part of the stove so that the water will
bubble only enough for a very slight motion to be observed. Throughout
the cooking, the meat should not be allowed to boil violently nor to
cease bubbling entirely.
The meat should be allowed to cook for at least 4 hours, but longer if
possible. If, during this long cooking, too much water evaporates, more
should be added to dilute the stock. The salt that is required for
seasoning may be added just a few minutes before the stock is removed
from the kettle. However, it is better to add the salt, together with
the other seasonings, after the stock has been drawn off, for salt, like
heat, has a tendency to harden the tissues of meat and to prevent the
flavor from being readily extracted.
25. Although, as has been explained, flavor is drawn from the fibers of
meat by boiling it slowly for a long time, the cooking of meat for soup
does not extract the nourishment from it to any extent. In reality, the
meat itself largely retains its original nutritive value after it has
been cooked for soup, although a small quantity of protein is drawn out
and much of the fat is removed. This meat should never be wasted;
rather, it should be used carefully with materials that will take the
place of the flavor that has been cooked from it.
26. FLAVORING STOCK.--It is the flavoring of stock that indicates real
skill in soup making, so this is an extremely important part of the
work. In fact, the large number of ingredients found in soup recipes
are, as a rule, the various flavorings, which give the distinctive
flavor and individuality to a soup. However, the housewife whose larder
will not produce all of the many things that may be called for in a
recipe should not feel that she must forego making a particular kind of
soup. Very often certain spices or certain flavoring materials may be
omitted without any appreciable difference, or something that is on hand
may be substituted for an ingredient that is lacking.
27. The flavorings used most for soup include cloves, peppercorns, red,
black, and white pepper, paprika, bay leaf, sage, marjoram, thyme,
summer savory, tarragon, celery seed, fennel, mint, and rosemary. While
all of these are not absolutely necessary, the majority of them may well
be kept on the pantry shelf. In addition, a bottle of Worcestershire
sauce should be kept on hand. Celery and parsley, which are also much
used for flavoring, can usually be purchased fresh, but as they are
scarce at times it is advisable to dry some of the leaves during the
season when they can be secured, so as to have a supply when they are
not in the market. A small amount of lemon peel often improves soup, so
some of this should be kept in store. Another group of vegetables that
lend themselves admirably to soup flavoring includes leeks, shallots,
chives, garlic, and onions, all of which belong to the same family. They
must be used judiciously, however, as a strong flavor of any of them is
offensive to most persons.
28. As many of the flavorings used for soup lose their strength when
they are exposed to the air, every effort should be made to keep them in
good condition. Many of them can be kept an indefinite length of time if
they are placed in tightly closed metal boxes or glass jars. Flavorings
and spices bought from the grocer or the druggist in paper packages
should be transferred to, and enclosed in, a receptacle that will not
allow them to deteriorate. If proper attention is given to these
materials, the supply will not have to be replenished often; likewise,
the cost of a sufficient number to produce the proper flavorings will be
very slight.
29. In the use of any of the flavorings mentioned or the strongly
flavored vegetables, care should be taken not to allow any one
particular flavor to predominate. Each should be used in such quantity
that it will blend well with the others. A very good way in which to fix
spices and herbs that are to flavor soup is to tie them in a small piece
of cheesecloth and drop the bag thus made into the soup pot. When
prepared in this way, they will remain together, so that, while the
flavor can be cooked out, they can be more readily removed from the
liquid than if they are allowed to spread through the contents of the
pot. Salt, which is, of course, always used to season soup, should be
added in the proportion of 1 teaspoonful to each quart of liquid.
30. REMOVING GREASE FROM SOUP.--A greasy soup is always unpalatable.
Therefore, a very important feature of soup making, whether a thin or a
thick soup is being made, is the removal of all grease. Various ways of
removing grease have been devised, depending on whether the soup is hot
or cold. In the case of hot or warm soup, all the grease that it is
possible to remove with a spoon may be skimmed from the top, and the
remainder then taken up with a piece of clean blotting paper,
tissue-paper, or absorbent cotton. Another plan, by which the fat may be
hardened and then collected, consists in tying a few small pieces of ice
in a piece of cloth and drawing them over the surface of the soup. A
very simple method is to allow the soup or stock to become cold, and
then remove the fat, which collects on the top and hardens, by merely
lifting off the cake that forms.
31. CLEARING SOUP.--Sometimes it is desired to improve the appearance of
soup stock, particularly a small amount of soup that is to be served at
a very dainty luncheon or dinner. In order to do this, the stock may be
treated by a certain process that will cause it to become clear. After
being cleared, it may be served as a thin soup or, if it is heavy
enough, it may be made into a clear, sparkling jelly into which many
desirable things may be molded for salad or for a dish to accompany a
heavy course. Clearing soup is rather extravagant; however, while it
does not improve the taste, it does improve the appearance.
A very satisfactory way in which to clear stock is to use egg whites and
crushed egg shell. To each quart of cold stock should be added the
crushed shell and a slightly beaten egg white. These should be mixed
well, placed on the fire, and the mixture stirred constantly until it
boils. As the egg coagulates, some of the floating particles in the
stock are caught and carried to the top, while others are carried to the
bottom by the particles of shell as they settle. After the mixture has
boiled for 5 or 10 minutes, the top should be skimmed carefully and the
stock then strained through a fine cloth. When it has been reheated, the
cleared stock will be ready to serve.
32. THICKENING SOUP.--Although thin, clear soups are preferred by some
and are particularly desirable for their stimulating effect, thick soups
find much favor when they are used to form a substantial part of a meal.
Besides giving consistency to soup, thickening usually improves the
flavor, but its chief purpose is to give nutritive value to this food.
In fact, whenever a soup is thickened, its food value is increased by
the ingredient thus added. For this reason, it is advisable to thicken
soups when they are desired for any other purpose than their
stimulating effect.
33. The substance used to thicken soups may be either a starchy material
or food or a puree of some food. The starchy materials generally used
for this purpose are plain flour, browned flour, corn starch, and
arrowroot flour. Any one of these should be moistened with enough cold
water to make a mixture that will pour easily, and then added to the hot
liquid while the soup is stirred constantly to prevent the formation of
lumps. A sufficient amount of this thickening material should be used to
make a soup of the consistency of heavy cream.
The starchy foods that are used for thickening include rice, barley,
oatmeal, noodles, tapioca, sago, and macaroni. Many unusual and fancy
forms of macaroni can be secured, or the plain varieties of Italian
pastes may be broken into small pieces and cooked with the soup. When
any of these foods are used, they should be added long enough before the
soup is removed to be cooked thoroughly.
Purees of beans, peas, lentils, potatoes, and other vegetables are
especially desirable for the thickening of soups, for they not only give
consistency, but add nutritive value and flavor as well. Another
excellent thickening may be obtained by beating raw eggs and then adding
them carefully to the soup just before it is to be served. After eggs
have been added for thickening, the soup should not be allowed to boil,
as it is liable to curdle.
34. KEEPING STOCK.--Soup stock, like many other foods, spoils quite
readily. Therefore, in order to keep it for at least a few days, it must
receive proper attention. At all times, the vessel containing stock
should be tightly closed and, especially in warm weather, the stock
should be kept as cold as possible. Stock that is heavy enough to
solidify into a jellylike consistency when it is cold will keep better
than stock that remains liquid. The addition of salt or any spicy
flavoring also helps to keep stock from deteriorating, because these
materials act as preservatives and prevent the action of bacteria that
cause spoiling. Bacteria may be kept from entering soup if, instead of
removing the grease, it is allowed to form in a solid cake over the
top. No matter which of these precautions is taken to prevent stock from
spoiling, it should be heated to boiling point once a day when it is to
be kept for several days.
USES AND VARIETIES OF STOCK
11. MEANING AND USE OF STOCK.--In order that soup-making processes may
be readily grasped by the housewife, she should be thoroughly familiar
with what is meant by stock, which forms the foundation of many soups.
In looking into the derivation of this term, it will be found that the
word stock comes from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning to stick, and that
while it has many different uses, the idea of fixedness is expressed in
every one of them. As is generally known, a stock of anything means a
reserve supply of that thing stored away for future use. When applied to
soup, stock is similar in meaning, for it refers to material stored or
prepared in such a way that it may be kept for use in the making of
certain kinds of soup. In a more definite sense, soup stock may be
regarded as a liquid containing the juices and soluble parts of meat,
bone, and vegetables, which have been extracted by long, slow cooking
and which can be utilized in the making of soups, sauces, and gravies.
12. Soups in which stock is utilized include all the varieties made from
beef, veal, mutton, and poultry. If clear stock is desired for the
making of soup, only fresh meat and bones should be used and all
material that will discolor the liquid in any way carefully avoided. For
ordinary, unclarified soups, the trimmings and bones of roast, steak, or
chops and the carcass of fowl can generally be utilized. However, very
strongly flavored meat, such as mutton, or the fat from mutton should be
used sparingly, if at all, on account of the strong flavor that
it imparts.
13. VARIETIES OF STOCK.--Several kinds of stock are utilized in the
making of soup, and the kind to employ depends on the soup desired. In
determining the kind of stock required for the foundation of a soup, the
housewife may be guided by the following classification:
FIRST STOCK is made from meat and bones and then clarified and used for
well-flavored, clear soups.
SECOND STOCK is made from the meat and the bones that remain after the
first stock is strained off. More water is added to the remaining
material, and this is then cooked with vegetables, which supply the
needed flavor. Such stock serves very well for adding flavor to a
nutritious soup made from vegetables or cereal foods.
HOUSEHOLD STOCK is made by cooking meat and bones, either fresh or
cooked, with vegetables or other material that will impart flavor and
add nutritive value. Stock of this kind is used for ordinary soups.
BONE STOCK is made from meat bones to which vegetables are added for
flavor, and it is used for making any of the ordinary soups.
VEGETABLE STOCK is made from either dried or fresh vegetables or both.
Such stock is employed in making vegetable soups.
GAME STOCK is made from the bones and trimmings of game to which
vegetables are added for flavor. This kind of stock is used for making
game soups.
FISH STOCK is made from fish or fish trimmings to which vegetables are
added for flavor. Shell fish make especially good stock of this kind.
Fish stock is employed for making chowders and fish soups.
14. ADDITIONAL USES OF STOCK.--As has already been shown, stock is used
principally as a foundation for certain varieties of soup. This
material, however, may be utilized in many other ways, being especially
valuable in the use of left-over foods. Any bits of meat or fowl that
are left over can be made into an appetizing dish by adding thickened
stock to them and serving the combination over toast or rice. In fact, a
large variety of made dishes can be devised if there is stock on hand to
add for flavor. The convenience of a supply of stock will be apparent
when it is realized that gravy or sauce for almost any purpose can be
made from the contents of the stock pot.
15. SOUP EXTRACTS.--If a housewife does not have sufficient time to go
through the various processes involved in making soup, her family need
not be deprived of this article of diet, for there are a number of
concentrated meat and vegetable extracts on the market for making soups
quickly. The meat extracts are made of the same flavoring material as
that which is drawn from meat in the making of stock. Almost all the
liquid is evaporated and the result is a thick, dark substance that must
be diluted greatly with water to obtain the basis for a soup or a broth.
Some of the vegetable extracts, such as Japanese soy and English
marmite, are so similar in appearance and taste to the meat extracts as
to make it quite difficult to detect any difference. Both varieties of
these extracts may be used for sauces and gravies, as well as for soups,
but it should be remembered that they are not highly nutritious and are
valuable merely for flavoring.
THE STOCK POT
16. NATURE, USE, AND CARE OF STOCK POT.--Among the utensils used for
cooking there is probably none more convenient and useful than the stock
pot. It is nothing more or less than a covered crock or pot into which materials that will make a well-flavored stock are put from time to time. From such a supply, stock can be drawn when it is needed for soup; then, when some is taken out, more water and materials may be added to replenish the pot. The stock pot should be made of either enamel or earthenware, since a metal pot of any kind is liable to impart flavor to the food. Likewise, its lid, or cover, should be tight-fitting, for then it will be an excellent utensil in which the
materials may be stored until they are to be heated, when they can be
poured or dipped into a saucepan or a kettle.
The stock pot, like any other utensil used for making soup, should
receive considerable care, as it must be kept scrupulously clean. No
stock pot should ever be allowed to stand from day to day without being
emptied, thoroughly washed, and then exposed to the air for a while
to dry.
17. FOOD SUITABLE FOR THE STOCK POT.--Some one has said that nothing
edible is out of place in the stock pot, and, to a great extent, this
statement is true. Here should be put the bones from the cooked roast,
as well as the trimmings cut from it before it went into the oven; the
tough ends and bones of beefsteak; the trimmings or bones sent home by
the butcher; the carcasses of fowls, together with any remains of
stuffing and tough or left-over bits of meat; any left-over vegetables;
the remains of the gravy or any unsweetened sauces used for meats or
vegetables; the spoonful of left-over hash, stew, or stuffing; a
left-over stuffed tomato or pepper; and the water in which rice,
macaroni, or certain vegetables have been cooked. Of course, plain water
can be used for the liquid, but the water in which such vegetables as
cauliflower, carrots, beans, peas, asparagus, celery, and potatoes have
been cooked is especially desirable, for, besides imparting flavor to
the soup, it adds valuable mineral salts. However, when such things as
left-over cereals, rice, macaroni, and green vegetables are to be
utilized in soup, they should not be put in the stock pot; rather, they
should be added to the stock after it is removed from the pot.
MAKING OF SOUP
PRINCIPAL INGREDIENTS
18. The making of the stock that is used in soup is the most important
of the soup-making processes; in fact, these two things--soup and
stock--may be regarded, in many instances, as one and the same. The
housewife will do well, therefore, to keep in mind that whenever
reference is made to the making of soup usually stock making is also
involved and meant. Before the actual soup-making processes are taken
up, however, the nature of the ingredients required should be well
understood; for this reason, suitable meats and vegetables, which are
the principal ingredients in soups, are first discussed.
19. MEAT USED FOR SOUP MAKING.--With the exception of pork, almost every
kind of meat, including beef, veal, mutton, lamb, game, and poultry, is
used for soup making. Occasionally, ham is employed, but most other
forms of pork are seldom used to any extent. When soup stock is made
from these meats, they may be cooked separately, or, as a combination is
often an improvement over a single variety, several kinds may be
combined. For instance, mutton used alone makes a very strongly flavored
soup, so that it is usually advisable to combine this kind of meat with
another meat that has a less distinctive flavor. On the other hand, veal
alone does not have sufficient flavor, so it must be combined with lamb,
game, fowl, or some other well-flavored meat.
20. Certain cuts of meats are preferred to others in the making of
soups, because of the difference in their texture. The tender cuts,
which are the expensive ones, should not be used for soups, as they do
not produce enough flavor. The tough cuts, which come from the muscles
that the animal uses constantly and that therefore grow hard and tough,
are usually cheaper, but they are more suitable, because they contain
the material that makes the best soup. The pieces best adapted to soup
making are the shins, the shanks, the lower part of the round, the neck,
the flank, the shoulder, the tail, and the brisket. Although beef is obtained from the cow, the same cuts come from practically the same places in other animals. Stock made from one of these cuts will be improved if a small amount of the fat of the meat is cooked with it; but to avoid soup that is too greasy, any excess fat that remains after cooking should be carefully removed. The marrow of the shin bone is the best fat for soup making.
If soup is to be made from fish, a white variety should be selected. The
head and trimmings may be utilized, but these alone are not sufficient,
because soup requires some solid pieces of meat. The same is true of
meat bones; they are valuable only when they are used with meat, an
equal proportion of bone and meat being required for the best stock.
21. VEGETABLES USED FOR SOUP MAKING.--In soup making, the housewife has
also a large number of vegetables from which to select, for any
vegetable that has a decided flavor may be used. Among those from which
soups can be made successfully are cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus,
corn, onions, turnips, carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, beans, peas,
lentils, salsify, potatoes, spinach, celery, mushrooms, okra, and even
sweet potatoes. These vegetables are used for two purposes: to provide
flavoring and to form part of the soup itself as well as to furnish
flavor. When they are used simply for flavoring, they are cooked until
their flavor is obtained and then removed from the stock. When they are
to form part of the soup, as well as to impart flavor, they are left in
the soup in small pieces or made into a puree and eaten with the soup.
Attention, too, must be given to the condition of the vegetables that
are used in soup. The fresh vegetables that are used should be in
perfect condition. They should have no decayed places that might taint
or discolor the soups, and they should be as crisp and solid as
possible. If they are somewhat withered or faded, they can be freshened
by allowing them to stand in cold water for a short time. When dried
vegetables are to be used for soup making, they should first be soaked
well in cold water and then, before being added to the stock, either
partly cooked or entirely cooked and made into a puree.
PROCESSES INVOLVED IN MAKING STOCK
22. Although the making of stock or soup is a simple process, it must
necessarily be a rather long one. The reason for this is that all flavor
cannot be drawn from the soup materials unless they are subjected to
long, slow cooking at a temperature lower than the boiling point. With
this point definitely understood, the actual work of soup making may
be taken up.
23. COOKING MEAT FOR SOUP.--When clear stock is to be made from fresh
meat, the required quantity of meat should be cut into small pieces
rather than large ones, so as to expose as much of the surface as
possible from which the flavor of the meat can be drawn. A little more
flavor is obtained and a brown color developed if a small part, perhaps
a fourth, of the pieces of meat are first browned in the frying pan. The
pieces thus browned, together with the pieces of fresh meat, are put
into a kettle and a quart of cold water for each pound of meat is
then added.
The reason for using cold rather than hot water will be evident when the
action of water on raw meat is understood. The fiber of meat is composed
of innumerable thread-like tubes containing the flavor that is to be
drawn out into the water in order to make the stock appetizing. When the
meat is cut, these tiny tubes are laid open. Putting the meat thus
prepared into cold water and allowing it to heat gradually tend to
extract the contents of the tubes. This material is known as
extractives, and it contains in its composition stimulating
substances. On the other hand, plunging the meat into hot water and
subjecting it quickly to a high temperature will coagulate the protein
in the tissue and prevent the extractives from leaving the tubes.
24. To obtain the most flavor from meat that is properly prepared, it
should be put over a slow fire and allowed to come gradually to the
boiling point. As the water approaches the boiling point, a scum
consisting of coagulated albumin, blood, and foreign material will begin
to rise to the top, but this should be skimmed off at once and the
process of skimming continued until no scum remains. When the water
begins to boil rapidly, either the fire should be lowered or the kettle
should be removed to a cooler part of the stove so that the water will
bubble only enough for a very slight motion to be observed. Throughout
the cooking, the meat should not be allowed to boil violently nor to
cease bubbling entirely.
The meat should be allowed to cook for at least 4 hours, but longer if
possible. If, during this long cooking, too much water evaporates, more
should be added to dilute the stock. The salt that is required for
seasoning may be added just a few minutes before the stock is removed
from the kettle. However, it is better to add the salt, together with
the other seasonings, after the stock has been drawn off, for salt, like
heat, has a tendency to harden the tissues of meat and to prevent the
flavor from being readily extracted.
25. Although, as has been explained, flavor is drawn from the fibers of
meat by boiling it slowly for a long time, the cooking of meat for soup
does not extract the nourishment from it to any extent. In reality, the
meat itself largely retains its original nutritive value after it has
been cooked for soup, although a small quantity of protein is drawn out
and much of the fat is removed. This meat should never be wasted;
rather, it should be used carefully with materials that will take the
place of the flavor that has been cooked from it.
26. FLAVORING STOCK.--It is the flavoring of stock that indicates real
skill in soup making, so this is an extremely important part of the
work. In fact, the large number of ingredients found in soup recipes
are, as a rule, the various flavorings, which give the distinctive
flavor and individuality to a soup. However, the housewife whose larder
will not produce all of the many things that may be called for in a
recipe should not feel that she must forego making a particular kind of
soup. Very often certain spices or certain flavoring materials may be
omitted without any appreciable difference, or something that is on hand
may be substituted for an ingredient that is lacking.
27. The flavorings used most for soup include cloves, peppercorns, red,
black, and white pepper, paprika, bay leaf, sage, marjoram, thyme,
summer savory, tarragon, celery seed, fennel, mint, and rosemary. While
all of these are not absolutely necessary, the majority of them may well
be kept on the pantry shelf. In addition, a bottle of Worcestershire
sauce should be kept on hand. Celery and parsley, which are also much
used for flavoring, can usually be purchased fresh, but as they are
scarce at times it is advisable to dry some of the leaves during the
season when they can be secured, so as to have a supply when they are
not in the market. A small amount of lemon peel often improves soup, so
some of this should be kept in store. Another group of vegetables that
lend themselves admirably to soup flavoring includes leeks, shallots,
chives, garlic, and onions, all of which belong to the same family. They
must be used judiciously, however, as a strong flavor of any of them is
offensive to most persons.
28. As many of the flavorings used for soup lose their strength when
they are exposed to the air, every effort should be made to keep them in
good condition. Many of them can be kept an indefinite length of time if
they are placed in tightly closed metal boxes or glass jars. Flavorings
and spices bought from the grocer or the druggist in paper packages
should be transferred to, and enclosed in, a receptacle that will not
allow them to deteriorate. If proper attention is given to these
materials, the supply will not have to be replenished often; likewise,
the cost of a sufficient number to produce the proper flavorings will be
very slight.
29. In the use of any of the flavorings mentioned or the strongly
flavored vegetables, care should be taken not to allow any one
particular flavor to predominate. Each should be used in such quantity
that it will blend well with the others. A very good way in which to fix
spices and herbs that are to flavor soup is to tie them in a small piece
of cheesecloth and drop the bag thus made into the soup pot. When
prepared in this way, they will remain together, so that, while the
flavor can be cooked out, they can be more readily removed from the
liquid than if they are allowed to spread through the contents of the
pot. Salt, which is, of course, always used to season soup, should be
added in the proportion of 1 teaspoonful to each quart of liquid.
30. REMOVING GREASE FROM SOUP.--A greasy soup is always unpalatable.
Therefore, a very important feature of soup making, whether a thin or a
thick soup is being made, is the removal of all grease. Various ways of
removing grease have been devised, depending on whether the soup is hot
or cold. In the case of hot or warm soup, all the grease that it is
possible to remove with a spoon may be skimmed from the top, and the
remainder then taken up with a piece of clean blotting paper,
tissue-paper, or absorbent cotton. Another plan, by which the fat may be
hardened and then collected, consists in tying a few small pieces of ice
in a piece of cloth and drawing them over the surface of the soup. A
very simple method is to allow the soup or stock to become cold, and
then remove the fat, which collects on the top and hardens, by merely
lifting off the cake that forms.
31. CLEARING SOUP.--Sometimes it is desired to improve the appearance of
soup stock, particularly a small amount of soup that is to be served at
a very dainty luncheon or dinner. In order to do this, the stock may be
treated by a certain process that will cause it to become clear. After
being cleared, it may be served as a thin soup or, if it is heavy
enough, it may be made into a clear, sparkling jelly into which many
desirable things may be molded for salad or for a dish to accompany a
heavy course. Clearing soup is rather extravagant; however, while it
does not improve the taste, it does improve the appearance.
A very satisfactory way in which to clear stock is to use egg whites and
crushed egg shell. To each quart of cold stock should be added the
crushed shell and a slightly beaten egg white. These should be mixed
well, placed on the fire, and the mixture stirred constantly until it
boils. As the egg coagulates, some of the floating particles in the
stock are caught and carried to the top, while others are carried to the
bottom by the particles of shell as they settle. After the mixture has
boiled for 5 or 10 minutes, the top should be skimmed carefully and the
stock then strained through a fine cloth. When it has been reheated, the
cleared stock will be ready to serve.
32. THICKENING SOUP.--Although thin, clear soups are preferred by some
and are particularly desirable for their stimulating effect, thick soups
find much favor when they are used to form a substantial part of a meal.
Besides giving consistency to soup, thickening usually improves the
flavor, but its chief purpose is to give nutritive value to this food.
In fact, whenever a soup is thickened, its food value is increased by
the ingredient thus added. For this reason, it is advisable to thicken
soups when they are desired for any other purpose than their
stimulating effect.
33. The substance used to thicken soups may be either a starchy material
or food or a puree of some food. The starchy materials generally used
for this purpose are plain flour, browned flour, corn starch, and
arrowroot flour. Any one of these should be moistened with enough cold
water to make a mixture that will pour easily, and then added to the hot
liquid while the soup is stirred constantly to prevent the formation of
lumps. A sufficient amount of this thickening material should be used to
make a soup of the consistency of heavy cream.
The starchy foods that are used for thickening include rice, barley,
oatmeal, noodles, tapioca, sago, and macaroni. Many unusual and fancy
forms of macaroni can be secured, or the plain varieties of Italian
pastes may be broken into small pieces and cooked with the soup. When
any of these foods are used, they should be added long enough before the
soup is removed to be cooked thoroughly.
Purees of beans, peas, lentils, potatoes, and other vegetables are
especially desirable for the thickening of soups, for they not only give
consistency, but add nutritive value and flavor as well. Another
excellent thickening may be obtained by beating raw eggs and then adding
them carefully to the soup just before it is to be served. After eggs
have been added for thickening, the soup should not be allowed to boil,
as it is liable to curdle.
34. KEEPING STOCK.--Soup stock, like many other foods, spoils quite
readily. Therefore, in order to keep it for at least a few days, it must
receive proper attention. At all times, the vessel containing stock
should be tightly closed and, especially in warm weather, the stock
should be kept as cold as possible. Stock that is heavy enough to
solidify into a jellylike consistency when it is cold will keep better
than stock that remains liquid. The addition of salt or any spicy
flavoring also helps to keep stock from deteriorating, because these
materials act as preservatives and prevent the action of bacteria that
cause spoiling. Bacteria may be kept from entering soup if, instead of
removing the grease, it is allowed to form in a solid cake over the
top. No matter which of these precautions is taken to prevent stock from
spoiling, it should be heated to boiling point once a day when it is to
be kept for several days.