The chief secret in preparing the family steak lies in selection. Like cooking the hare, you must first catch it. Choose a thick cut from the sirloin of a mature, well fatted beeve, avoiding any having dark yellow fat. Detach a portion of the narrow end and trim off any adhering inner skin. Place the steak upon a hot spider, and quickly turn it. Do this frequently and rapidly until it is thoroughly seared, without burning. It may now be cooked to any degree without releasing the juices. Serve upon a hot platter. Pour over a scant dressing of melted butter. Season. Whosoever partakes will never become a vegetarian.
STUFFED BEEFSTEAK. E. H. W.
Take a flank or round steak and pound well; sprinkle with pepper and salt. Make a plain dressing; spread it on the steak; roll it up; tie closely, and put in a skillet with a little water and a lump of butter the size of an egg; cover closely and let it boil slowly one hour; then let it brown in skillet, basting frequently. When done, dredge a little flour into the gravy, and pour over the meat.
TO FRY STEAK. MRS. H. T. VAN FLEET.
Have a nice tenderloin or porterhouse steak, one inch and half in thickness, well hacked. Over this sprinkle salt, pepper, and a little flour. Have ready a very hot spider. Into this drop plenty of good, sweet butter (a quarter of a pound is not too much); when thoroughly melted, lay in the meat; turn frequently. While cooking, make many openings in the steak to allow the butter to pass through. When done, place on a hot platter and serve immediately.
BEEFSTEAK AND ONIONS. MRS. H. T. VAN FLEET.
Have a steak well hacked; over this sprinkle pepper, salt, and a little flour. Into a very hot spider drop one teaspoonful of lard; when melted, lay in steak; pour over this two tablespoons boiling water, and cover steak with four good-sized onions, sliced very thin. Cover quickly and cook five minutes; then turn all over together, and cook five minutes longer. Care should be taken that the onions do not turn. Take up on hot platter; place onions on top of meat, and serve immediately.
BEEFSTEAK AND MUSHROOMS. CALEB H. NORRIS.
Put the steak on to fry, with a little butter. At the same time put the mushrooms on in a different skillet, with the water from the can and one-half cup extra; season with pepper and salt, and thicken with a tablespoonful of flour. Take the steak out, leaving the gravy, into which put the mushrooms, cook for a few minutes, and pour all over the steak.