The Chemistry of CookeryWilliams, W. Mattieu (William Mattieu)
Science
The Chemistry of Cookery
Williams, W. Mattieu (William Mattieu)
Cooking
The following simple practical formula may be reduced from these data.
When a considerable quantity of much-used frying-fat is accumulated,
heat it to about 300° Fahr., as indicated by the crackling of water
when sprinkled on it, or, better still, by a properly-constructed
thermometer. Then pour the melted fat on hot water. This must be
done carefully, as a large quantity of fat at 300° poured upon a
small quantity of boiling water will illustrate the fact that water
when suddenly heated is an explosive compound. The quantity of water
should exceed that of the fat, and the pouring be done gradually.
Then agitate the fat and water together, and, if the operator is
sufficiently skilful and intelligent, the purification may be carried
further by carefully boiling the water under the fat and allowing its
steam to pass through; but this is a little dangerous, on account of
the possibility of what the practical chemist calls ‘bumping,’ or the
sudden formation of a big bubble of steam that would kick a good deal
of the superabundant fat into the fire.
Whether this supplementary boiling is carried out or not, the fat and
the water should be left together to cool gradually, when a dark layer
of carbonised impurities will be found resting on the surface of the
water, and adhering to the bottom of the cake of fat. This may be
peeled off and put into the waste grease-pot to be further refined with
the next operation. Ultimately the worst of it will sink to the bottom
of the water.
A careful cook may keep the supply of frying fat continually good, by
simply pouring it into a basin (a deep pudding-basin with small area
at bottom is best), letting it solidify there, and then paring away
the bottom sediment. Even this dirty-looking sediment need not be
altogether wasted. When a considerable quantity has accumulated it may
be purified by the method of Dubrunfaut and Fua above described.
As ordinary thermometers register but little above 212°, and laboratory
thermometers are too delicately constructed for kitchen use, I
requested Messrs. Davis & Co. to construct a special thermometer for
testing the temperature of heated fat. They have accordingly made an
instrument that answers the purpose very well. It is like a laboratory
thermometer, _i.e._ a glass tube with long bulb and the degrees
engraved on the glass itself, but the bulb is turned at right angles to
the tube, so that it is horizontal when the tube stands perpendicular,
and lies under a stand just above the level of the bottom of the
kettle. The instrument thus stands alone firmly, with its bulb fully
immersed even in a very shallow bath of fat.
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