1/2 pint of minced onion.
4 tablespoonfuls of minced carrot.
4 tablespoonfuls of minced celery.
A bouquet of sweet herbs.
Have the butcher cut the shin of beef into several parts. Wash it in cold water, and then cut off any particles that do not seem perfectly sweet. The lower end of the leg, near the hoofs, is apt to be a little tainted. Cut all the meat from the bones, and then cut it into small pieces. Put one tablespoonful of the butter in the soup pot, and place on the hottest part of the fire. Put the meat in the pot, and stir frequently until it is browned. It will take about half an hour for this. At first the juices are drawn out of the meat, making a great deal of liquid in the pot. The cooking must be continued until all this juice has evaporated, leaving a dry, brown substance on the bottom of the pan. Now add one pint of the water, and stir the meat well, scraping the brown substance from the bottom of the pot. Add the remainder of the water and the salt and bones. As soon as the soup comes to the boiling point, skim carefully several times. Lay a piece of cheese-cloth in a strainer and place in a bowl. Skim into this, and when the soup has ceased to throw up any more scum, pour back into the soup pot the clear liquid which will be found in the bowl. Draw the soup pot back where the contents will bubble gently for eight hours.
Put the minced vegetables and three tablespoonfuls of butter in a small frying-pan, and cook slowly for half an hour. At the end of that time draw forward to a hotter part of the range and stir until they begin to brown; then draw them to one side of the pan and press out the butter. Add them to the soup, and pour the butter into a cup, as it will be useful in making sauces.
Tie up the spice and the bouquet of sweet herbs in a piece of cheese-cloth and put into the soup pot. Cook the soup for an hour and a half longer; then strain through a coarse napkin into two or three bowls, and cook rapidly. Set away in a cold place and it will become a jelly. When about to use it, remove all the fat and turn into a saucepan, being careful to keep back any sediment there may be at the bottom of the bowl. It will then be ready to serve as a clear soup; or it can have any kind of a garnish added to it, such as cooked rice, macaroni, vegetables, etc. It may require a little more salt and pepper.
This soup may be kept for months if sealed in jars. Have the jars hot and the soup boiling hot. On filling the jars, seal at once, and keep in a cool, dark place.
Second Stock.
Put away in a cold place the meat and bones which were left from the strained stock. In the morning add six quarts of water to it, and cook gently for six hours; then strain and put away to cool. This stock lacks the fine flavor of the first stock, but it is useful for thick soups, sauces, and made-over dishes.