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The Roasting of flesh is a good commendable way of Preparation, and is rather sweeter than Boyling, it affords a good dry firm Nourishment, but it is some-what harder of Concoction, but very sweet and plea∣sant by reason that the friendly influences of the Air hath its Free Egress and regress, not being any ways inclosed, so that the pure spirituous parts are kept living, which do render it brisk and lively.
There are two things to be observed in the flesh you Roast: 1st. That you have your flesh (if Beef) as soon as it is throughly cold, and then to give it some Salt, and to keep it in a cool place a day or two; for if you salt it much, the Salt being of a fiery hot nature, when the flesh comes to the fire, it does (as it were) scorch or burn it, destroys the Spirits and sweet Oyl, insomuch that it becomes in its nature and operation hot and unpleasant, causing great thirst in the Eater: In Roasting it is also to be considered, that you have a good clear strong and equal fire, and that your flesh be placed at a convenient distance, not too near, because it will burn or scorch, and so harden the out-side, that the Heat shall not be able to pene∣trate into the middle thereof, so that the out-side will be too much, and the in side too little; neither is your flesh to be too far off; for then it flattens the Spirits, such flesh loseth its pure sweetness, with its colour and fragrant smell, being dull on the Pallate and heavy on the Stomach, in comparison of that which is placed at a convenient distance, having a continued brisk fire.
The next thing that you ought to observe, is, That it be neither over nor under done, but of the two, it is better that it be under-done; the point of time when the Preparation is at the hight, is difficult, and it can be no other way known but by its colour, smell and taste, which by a little Custom every House-Wife may understand; for that Pallate that is used to eat and drink things well and properly prepared, can presently distinguish the contrary; and so on the other side, those that do accustom themselves to either Foods of Drinks ill prepared, cannot distinguish the good from the evil, or the right from the wrong: The same is in the sense of smelling, as all such that do use to kill Beasts, and to be much in Slaughter-Houses a∣mongst the dead Carkasses, the terrible Fumes and
stupified Stinks are hardly smelled or perceived by them; the same is to be understood of Tallow-Chand∣lers and other stinking Trades; for every particular thing has power to strengthen and awaken its simile; therefore there are but few that have their perfect Taste or Smell, only those that do accustom themselves to the eating and drinking such things as are well pre∣pared, their Pallates are made the more perfect there∣by: But of all the ways of Preparing Flesh, boyling is the easiest, if the Rules be followed set down in the fore-going Paragraph.