A CHEAPER MEAT JELLY

One calf’s foot, a pound and a half or two pounds of neck of veal or beef, a small onion, a carrot, a bunch of parsley, a little spice, a bit or two of quite lean ham, dressed or undressed, and five half pints of water, boiled _very_ slowly for five or six hours will give a strong, though not a highly-flavoured jelly. More ham, any bones of unboiled meat, poultry, or game will, in this respect, improve it; and the liquor in which fowls or veal have been boiled for table should, when at hand, be used for it instead of water. These jellies keep much better and longer when no vegetables are stewed down in them.

This is merely _strong_, clear gravy or jelly boiled quickly down to the consistence of thin cream; but this reduction must be carefully managed that the glaze may be brought to the proper point without being burned; it must be attentively watched, and stirred without being quitted for a moment from the time of its beginning to thicken; when it has reached the proper degree of boiling, it will jelly in dropping from the spoon, like preserve, and should then be poured out immediately, or it will burn. When wanted for use, melt it gently by placing the vessel which contains it (see article _Glazing_, Chapter IX.) in a pan of boiling water, and with a paste-brush lay it on to the meat, upon which it will form a sort of clear varnish. In consequence of the very great reduction which it undergoes, salt should be added to it sparingly when it is made. Any kind of stock may be boiled down to glaze; but unless it be strong, a pint will afford but a spoonful or two: a small quantity of it, however, is generally sufficient, unless a large repast is to be served. Two or three layers must be given to each joint. The jellies which precede this will answer for it extremely well; and it may be made also with shin of beef stock, for common occasions, when no other is at hand.