Experimental cookery

the extent to which the muscles have been used, "tender" and "less-tender" cuts are obtained from the same animal. In general the less-tender cuts are obtained from the neck and legs, the tender cuts along the back. Fat Fat may be deposited around and between each muscle, i.e., inter- muscularly; between the fasciculi, interf ascicularly ; between the fibers, intrafascicularly; or within the fiber, intracellularly. The nodular white spaces between the fibers, Fig. 21, were occupied by fat cells, i.e., intra- fascicular fat. The fat was removed in preparation of the section, but the membrane between the fat cells still shows. Although fat deposited around and within the muscle is not important in the contraction of the muscle, that around the muscle, and particularly in roasts, bastes the roast during cooking and thus afifects the palatability. Fat content. The fat content of the body, and hence of the muscles and finally the "cuts" of meat, varies with the nutritive condition and age of the animal. Well-nourished animals have more fat distributed over and throughout the muscles. In general older animals tend to deposit more fat within and around the muscle than young ones. It is generally conceded that the presence of fat around and particularly within the muscle increases the juiciness of the meat. Some water is de- posited with the fat and this, combined with melted fat is probably responsible for the apparent increased juiciness. Some cuts contain more fat. Cuts coming from certain locations con- tain relatively more fat than cuts from other parts of the body. Fat tends to be deposited first subcutaneously and around the internal organs. In general deposition of fat intermuscularly and intramuscularly comes later, and last of all its deposit within the individual fibers. The deposition of fat within the lean tissues is known as marbling, which undoubtedly in- creases the palatability of the meat. But to secure marbled muscular tissues a rather thick fat covering is essential (i.e., the portion of the cut lying beneath the skin) and, because meat is eaten primarily for its lean content, many housewives think this fat covering of the muscles is unnecessary. The fat covering differs in thickness in various cuts so that no definite statement can be made as to the most desirable thickness. But for a prime rib roast most persons prefer a covering of about ^ inch, some liking more and others less. The fat covering can become so thick and heavy that it does not materially increase the palatability and is wasteful. Adipose tissue. Adipose tissue is largely made up of fat cells within connective tissue. For human fatty tissue Burns gives the composition : water 15 per cent, fat 82.5 per cent, and protein 2.5 per cent. Gortner states that adipose tissue often contains as much as or more water than it does fat. MEAT 201 Courtesy of Fred J. Beard, Iowa State College Fig. 21. — Longitudinal section of muscle fibers of beef. The white nodular spaces are fat cells. The pulling apart of the fibers in preparation is shown by the long, narrow, white spaces. The burled looking part of the fibers is due to pulling of the knife edge in cutting. The cross striations show plainly in the fibers to the left of the fat cells. Magnification approximately x 200. 202 MEAT