between good and poor meat. The first has a fresh, bright
color, with plenty of back- and kidney-fat, and fine thread-
like particles of fat running through the flesh : the odor is
sweet, and the general appearance clean. On the other
hand, meat in bad condition is dark and dull in color, with-
out the tracery of white fat throughout the flesh and its abun-
dance on the back and about the kidneys ; even if the fat is
abundant, its color will be yellowish and its consistency soft ;
the odor will be more or less unpleasant. No amount of
washing will restore the excellence of stale or tainted meat,
or counteract its poisonous effect upon the system. The
fact should be remembered in this connection, that meats
which have been kept on the ice, and are then exposed to
the action of a warm atmosphere, taint much more quickly
than those that have never been iced.
BEEF.
Good beef is of a clear, bright-red color, veined or mar-
bled with whitish fat, with abundant kidney-fat or suet, and
thick back-fat : the fat of a prime creature is of a clear,
whitish-yellow color, rather hard and brittle, as contrasted
with the dull yellow fat of mferior beef, which is also soft,
and greasy. The second grade of beef is of a dusky-red
color, with scant fat interspersed among the muscular fibre
and very little upon the back and kidneys ; the odor of the
meat is good ; and, if it is hung long enough, the flesh will
be comparatively tender. Poor beef has little or no back-
fat, very scant yellowish kidney-fat, and dark-red, hard flesh ;
in cooking it, the aid of vinegar will soften the fibres to some
extent, but it can never be made entirely good ; if the odor
is rank and strong, it will always be noticeable.
The carcass of beef as marketed is cut into sides, and
these again into fore- and hind-quarters. The engraving
shows a side of beef with the cutting-hnes placed where
TTVl
■ t ■I ^ \
side of Beef.
z?
24 PRACTICAL AMERICA AT COOKERY.
most butchers locate them : in different parts of the country,
they vary slightly ; but, as has ahready been said, the difference
is more in name than in appearance. The choicest parts of
the carcass are along the line of the backbone. One rather
unusual cut, the baron of beef, is not shown : it consists of
the double loin or sirloin, and is too large for ordinary pur-
poses, the average weight being about one hundred pounds.
The following figures indicate the position, in the picture,
of the different cuts of beef : —
1. Shin, or leg; used for soups and plain stews.
2. Round ; used for steaks, pot-roasts, and beef a la mode.
3. Rump ; used for steaks, stews, and corned beef.
4. Butt or flank steak ; used for steak, pressed beef, and
corned beef.
5. Large sirloin steaks ; large, juicy steaks, used for broil-
ing and frying.
6. Sirloin roast or porterhouse steaks ; used for the choice
roast or beefsteaks.
7. Flank ; used for corned beef or stews.
8. Navel ; used for corned beef.
9. Plate ; used for corned beef;
10. Ribs ; used for roasting.
11. Chuck ribs ; used for roasting and steaks.
12. Shoulder-piece; used for soups, stews, mince, and
pot-roasts.
13. Shank, or shin ; used chiefly for soups.
14. Neck ; used for soups, stews, and hash or mince.
15. Brisket; used for corned beef, spiced beef, and stews.
There is choice to be exercised in regard to steaks and
Page 23
Presented as published in 1885. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
between good and poor meat. The first has a fresh, bright color, with plenty of back- and kidney-fat, and fine threadlike particles of fat running through the flesh : the odor is sweet, and the general appearance clean. On the other hand, meat in bad condition is dark and dull in color, without the tracery of white fat throughout the flesh and its abundance on the back and about the kidneys ; even if the fat is abundant, its color will be yellowish and its consistency soft ; the odor will be more or less unpleasant. No amount of washing will restore the excellence of stale or tainted meat, or counteract its poisonous effect upon the system. The fact should be remembered in this connection, that meats which have been kept on the ice, and are then exposed to the action of a warm atmosphere, taint much more quickly than those that have never been iced.
BEEF.
Good beef is of a clear, bright-red color, veined or marbled with whitish fat, with abundant kidney-fat or suet, and thick back-fat : the fat of a prime creature is of a clear, whitish-yellow color, rather hard and brittle, as contrasted with the dull yellow fat of inferior beef, which is also soft, and greasy. The second grade of beef is of a dusky-red color, with scant fat interspersed among the muscular fibre and very little upon the back and kidneys ; the odor of the meat is good ; and, if it is hung long enough, the flesh will be comparatively tender. Poor beef has little or no backfat, very scant yellowish kidney-fat, and dark-red, hard flesh ; in cooking it, the aid of vinegar will soften the fibres to some extent, but it can never be made entirely good ; if the odor is rank and strong, it will always be noticeable.
The carcass of beef as marketed is cut into sides, and these again into fore- and hind-quarters. The engraving shows a side of beef with the cutting-hnes placed where
TTVl
■ t ■I ^ \
side of Beef.
z?
most butchers locate them : in different parts of the country, they vary slightly ; but, as has ahready been said, the difference is more in name than in appearance. The choicest parts of the carcass are along the line of the backbone. One rather unusual cut, the baron of beef, is not shown : it consists of the double loin or sirloin, and is too large for ordinary purposes, the average weight being about one hundred pounds. The following figures indicate the position, in the picture, of the different cuts of beef : —
1. Shin, or leg; used for soups and plain stews.
2. Round ; used for steaks, pot-roasts, and beef a la mode.
3. Rump ; used for steaks, stews, and corned beef.
4. Butt or flank steak ; used for steak, pressed beef, and corned beef.
5. Large sirloin steaks ; large, juicy steaks, used for broiling and frying.
6. Sirloin roast or porterhouse steaks ; used for the choice roast or beefsteaks.
7. Flank ; used for corned beef or stews.
8. Navel ; used for corned beef.
9. Plate ; used for corned beef;
10. Ribs ; used for roasting.
11. Chuck ribs ; used for roasting and steaks.
12. Shoulder-piece; used for soups, stews, mince, and pot-roasts.
13. Shank, or shin ; used chiefly for soups.
14. Neck ; used for soups, stews, and hash or mince.
15. Brisket; used for corned beef, spiced beef, and stews. There is choice to be exercised in regard to steaks and