Foods and home making

Roast meat is made more tender by baking it at a low rather than a high temperature. A temperature of joo° F. gives satis- factory results. The best way to determine how long meat should remain in the oven is by the use of a roast-meat thermometer. This is a pencil-shaped device which may be thrust into a piece of meat. By reading the end of the thermometer extending from the roast its internal temperature can be determined. How are the less tender cuts cooked ? The less tender cuts Meats for Dinner — buying Beef 365 may be cooked in a short time if they are chopped before cooking. For chopped meats, the round or shoulder cuts are desirable. Buy a certain cut of meat, then have it chopped (ground) or chop it at home. If you deal with a reputable butcher and can depend upon him to chop the cut of meat that you order, it is well to ask him to chop the meat. In his larger machine the meat can be chopped easier than at home where the small food chopper is used. Meat cakes may be mixed and prepared as follows : Mix these ingredients. Let the mixture stand at least 5 minutes. Then shape it into cakes, pressing the cakes so as to make them firm. Heat a frying pan until very hot. Grease the pan with a piece of fat from the meat. Remove the fat. Put the cakes in the pan. Sear on both sides ; turn them often so as to prevent the cakes from sticking. Turn down the flame so that the center of the cakes may be cooked without burning the outside. The length of time of cooking will depend upon the thickness of the cakes and upon how well done you desire the meat. If you like well-done meat, the cakes should be cooked until the pink color in the center of the cakes has disappeared. If you have had no experience in cooking meat cakes, it might be well for you to test the meat by cutting a cake in two when you think the meat is sufficiently cooked. You can then tell by the appearance whether the other cakes are cooked as you desire them. Have ready a hot platter. Put the meat on the hot platter and serve it at once. Yield : 6 average or 8 small servings. Variations. — One egg may be added to the mixture. This will help to keep the cakes from breaking up. Cooked or canned tomatoes may be used instead of water. The tomato will give the meat a good flavor. Meat loaf may be made by shaping chopped meat into one loaf instead of into several small cakes and baking it in the CHOPPED MEAT CAKES 1 pound beef, chopped \ cup water 1 teaspoon salt •I teaspoon pepper 366 Dinner oven. In order to keep the meat loaf in shape, it is well to put an egg in the mixture. The recipe follows : In a mixing bowl, beat the egg. Add the water and mix. Then add the other ingredients and mix well. Shape the mixture into a loaf. Grease a baking dish or bread pan with a bit of bacon. Place the loaf in the pan or dish. Put the slices of bacon on top of the loaf. Bake in a hot oven — 400° F. — for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot. Yield : g slices.