The wholesome cooking of food is as important as its selection, because the manner of cooking makes it easier or more difficult of digestion.
The necessity of a thorough education in this regard is recognized by men who follow cooking as a profession, and a regular apprenticeship must be served before a cook is recognized as proficient. He can then command good wages.
In cooking any food, heat and moisture are necessary, the time needed varying from thirty minutes to several hours. Baked beans, and meats containing much connective tissue, as boiling and roasting cuts, require the longest time.
The purposes in the cooking of foods are:
To develop the flavor which makes the food appetizing, thus encouraging the flow of gastric juice;
To sterilize, thereby killing all parasites and microörganisms, such as the tapeworm in beef, pork, and mutton, and the trichinæ in pork;
To convert the nutrients into a more digestible form, by partially or wholly converting the connective tissue into gelatin.
According to the variety and kind, food may be roasted, broiled, boiled, stewed, baked, steamed, or fried.
Cooking of Meats