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whole raw chicken on tabletop
How to Select Fresh Poultry at the Market

How to Select Fresh Poultry at the Market

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In the 1800s, people who didn’t raise their own poultry usually bought their meat from a butcher shop. There was no electric refrigeration and no government inspections, so they bought from a reputable butcher or learned to determine a fowl’s freshness themselves. Poultry was usually sold as a whole bird. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS It is necessary to know the difference between fowls and birds. A fowl always leads its young ones to the meat, and a bird carries…

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Raw, homemade sausage
How to Make, Preserve, and Cook Sausage

How to Make, Preserve, and Cook Sausage

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In the 1800s, electric refrigeration was not yet available. People who raised pork often made their own sausage, which could be preserved for several months in a smokehouse or cellar. I like sausage, especially if highly seasoned, and I can often find homemade sausage at Farmers’ Markets.  INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS: TO MAKE SAUSAGES A common fault is that the meat is not chopped enough. It should be chopped very fine. When ready for the seasoning, put in water…

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fresh raw pork
Preserve Meat by Pickling with Salt

Preserve Meat by Pickling with Salt

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“Salting is the process of preserving food with dry edible salt.  It is related to pickling in general and more specifically to brining (salty water) and is one form of curing. It is one of the oldest methods of preserving food.” (Source: Wikipedia) NOTE: While looking online at modern methods of preserving with salt, most of the information says to use canning salt, also called kosher salt, and not to use iodized salt. In 1800s cookbooks, pickling is usually the…

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Roast duck with sauce
Tasty Sauces for Chicken and Other Poultry

Tasty Sauces for Chicken and Other Poultry

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Are you looking for different ways to cook chicken and other poultry?  You might want to try these recipes for poultry sauces from various cookbooks published in the 1800s. The word “poultry” is used for domestic fowls including chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks. “Fowl” is often used the same as poultry but may include game birds. NOTE: Poultry and Fowls are used interchangeably in older recipes. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS CHICKEN SAUCE An anchovy or two boned and chopped,…

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corned beef and potatoes hash
Hash Recipes to Use Leftover Meat

Hash Recipes to Use Leftover Meat

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“Hash is a peculiarly American institution. In no other country is every remnant of cold meat turned into that one unvarying dish. When English people speak of hash, they mean something quite different—meat warmed in slices. Our hash, made with nice gravy, garnished with sippets of toast and pickles, surrounded with mashed potatoes or rice—is dignified abroad by the name of mince, and makes its appearance as an elegant little entrée.” (from an 1800s cookbook) INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS…

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boiling chicken in a pot
The Proper Way to Boil Chicken / Poultry

The Proper Way to Boil Chicken / Poultry

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“The method of preparing poultry by boiling is not strongly advocated. There is seldom a time when better results cannot be obtained by cooking meat at a lower temperature than at the boiling point. The method of boiling depends on if you want to make a broth or soup stock, or if you want to eat the meat.” INFORMATION FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS VINEGAR OR LEMON All kinds of poultry can be cooked quicker by adding a little vinegar or a…

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fried liver and onions
Ways to Cook Beef Liver

Ways to Cook Beef Liver

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“Liver is usually much despised, but when well cooked, it is very palatable and it is the cheapest of all animal food. Veal liver is by some considered the best. Liver should be cut across the grain.” (from an 1800s cookbook). FRIED BEEF LIVER Cut it in rather thin slices and pour over it boiling water, which closes the pores of the meat, makes it impervious to the fat, and at the same time seals up the rich juice of…

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Homemade corned beed
How to Make and Cook Corned Beef

How to Make and Cook Corned Beef

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Corned beef is cured with large-grained rock salt, also called “corns” of salt. This was a way to keep meat when it couldn’t be eaten fresh before it spoiled. Corned beef was eaten either hot or cold. If cold, it was pressed under a heavy weight before serving. Image: Libby, McNeill & Libby Corned Beef, 1898 INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS TO CORN BEEF Rub each piece of beef well with salt mixed with one-tenth part of saltpeter, until the…

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