Cottage Roasting

Appears in

A Shilling Cookery for the People

By Alexis Soyer

Published 1854

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ON THE COMFORT AND ECONOMY OF ROASTING BY GAS, WHERE IT CAN BE PROCURED.

Experiment made at the Royal Naval School, Greenwich Hospital, by M. Soyer.

Two interesting trials have taken place at the above establishment with an apparatus manufactured by Messrs. Smith and Phillips, patentees, of Skinner-street, Snow-hill, under the superintendence of M. Soyer, which in their results finally determine the question on the merits and economy of roasting by gas.

The result of the first trial, which took place on the 8th inst., was, that 36 legs of mutton, weighing 288 lbs., were roasted at a cost of 1s. 2d.

In order to arrive at more positive results in regard to its economy, a second trial was deemed requisite, which took place on the 11th inst., when equal weights of mutton were cooked. Twenty-three joints, weighing 184 lbs., were roasted by gas, at a cost of 10½d., with gas supplied at 4s. per 1000 feet. When cooked, the above weight of meat was found to weigh 145 lbs., dripping 19 lbs., and gravy, or osmazome, 2½ lbs., thus showing the actual loss to be 18¾ lbs. Twenty-three joints of mutton were cooked in the usual way, as adopted at the institution, namely, in one of Count Romford’s ovens, hitherto considered the most economical way of roasting. When put in they weighed 184 lbs., when done 132 lbs., dripping 18 lbs., gravy none, thus showing a loss of 34 lbs. The coke consumed in this oven was 102 lbs., coal 30 lbs., thus proving the great economy of gas over the oven by a saving of 13 lbs. of meat, 1 lb. of dripping, 2¾ lbs. of gravy. The value of the saving is as follows:— Meat at 6d. per lb., 6s. 6d.; dripping at 5d. per lb., 5d., and gravy at 1s. 6d. per lb., 4s. 1½d., making a total of 11s. 0½d.

The experiments took place before the governor, Sir C. Adam, and lady, Sir J. Liddle, M.D., Lieut. Rouse, general superintendent, Lieut. Monk, Messrs. Lee and Seville, inspector of works, who expressed their admiration at the cleanliness and simplicity of the apparatus.

In order to show the advantage of the system in all its branches, a rump steak was broiled by M. Soyer, before the company present, who partook of it, and who declared it was perfection, and free from all odour.—Mechanics’ Magazine.

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Cookery for the People

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