[Sca-cooks] Sweating meat

[galefridus at optimum.net]

The description "cooking meat far from the fire so that it is 'as if  steamed'" sounds very similar to modern slow-cook barbecue, in which one frequently cooks a fairly tough cut of meat at a low enough temperature (typically around 200F, +/- 20F) that the connective tissue softens to the point that the meat becomes tender. I have done this many times with whole beef brisket and plates of beef short ribs, and once or twice with lamb shoulder. Nevertheless, the meat is decidedly NOT steamed, since it is cooked with dry heat (hot smoke, actually). I had thought that hot smoking was a relatively modern technique, but I will have to read Anthimus and reevaluate, I think.
-- Galefridus
> Message: 6
> Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:36:31 -0400 (EDT)
> From: JIMCHEVAL at aol.com
> To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
> Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Sweating meat
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> 
> I wonder if this is similar to what Anthimus  means when he 
> talks about 
> cooking meat far from the fire so that it is "as if  steamed":
> 
> "But as I have said [cook mutton] far away and for a long time,  
> so that it 
> becomes as if steamed"
> 
> "Suckling pigs are fit enough and  suitable boiled, or in gravy, 
> or roasted 
> in the oven without too much heat, and  do not use the full 
> measure [of 
> heat] but rather so that they become as if  steamed."
> 
> The Romans in fact did steam meat (which the French would not  
> again for 
> centuries) but he is the only one I know of who refers to 
> creating a  similar 
> effect without actually doing that.
> 
> Jim  Chevallier
> www.chezjim.com