Cured picnics, sometimes called picnic hams, are cut from the lower portion of the shoulder. These sell for less per pound than ham but contain less lean meat and the qual¬ ity of the meat is less desirable than that in the ham. Because this cut is difficult to carve, it often is boned before cooking. The Boston Butt is cut from the upper shoulder. It is boned before curing, and makes a compact piece of convenient size for a small family. It may be sliced and fried or roasted. Bacon is the preferred breakfast meat. Bellies from the light and medium carcasses are used. Hogs are bred to yield the strips of fat and lean that indicate quality in bacon. The heavy bellies go into salt pork. Bacon may be bought in the piece or sliced. The price per pound is less in the piece than sliced and it keeps better in the piece, but it is difficult for an inexperienced person to slice bacon evenly. Some retailers buy bacon by the side and slice it for the consumer; others handle only the bacon sliced and packaged by the packer. The usual pound package contains twenty to forty slices, depending upon the thickness. Thin sliced bacon runs forty slices to the pound. CARE AND STORAGE Meat is a highly perishable food. Its palatability and high nutritive value must be protected from the time of slaughter until it is eaten. To prevent deterioration, it is chilled at the processing plant for 48 hours after slaughter at temperatures just above freezing. It is shipped in refrigerated cars or trucks. Both wholesale and retail markets keep meat under constant refrig¬ eration. There is a growing tendency to market fresh meats in frozen form. These are kept at frozen storage temperatures until sold to the consumer. The same good care should be given to meat after it is purchased by the consumer as it has had previously. Proper refrigeration is of first importance. Refrigeration. All fresh, smoked, and cooked meats should be kept under refrig¬ eration. Ideal temperatures for fresh meats are 33° to 36° F., with a relative humidity of 80 to 90 per cent. Smoked meats and cooked meats may be stored at slightly higher temperature but always should be under refrigeration. A temperature of not Slices removed from the desirable center portion above 40° F. should be maintained in the portion of the home refrigerator where meat is stored. As soon as meat is delivered, its outside wrappings should be removed and it should be placed in the coldest part of the refrig¬ erator, loosely covered with waxed paper to prevent drying. Many modern refrig¬ erators have a special meat compartment in which proper temperature and humidity are maintained. Ground meats and, next, meat cut in small pieces spoil most rapidly. To prevent deterioration, meat should be stored in as large pieces as possible. Since ground meat is particularly perishable it should be ground or purchased on the day it is to be cooked. When it is necessary to hold ground meat for more than 24 hours it should be pre¬ pared for cooking and then frozen. Variety meats (page 210) spoil more rapidly than muscle meats. They should be used promptly after delivery, held in frozen storage, or precooked. Brains and sweet¬ breads, especially, should be kept frozen or precooked by simmering in seasoned, acidulated water before storing.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Cured picnics, sometimes called picnic hams, are cut from the lower portion of the shoulder. These sell for less per pound than ham but contain less lean meat and the qual¬ ity of the meat is less desirable than that in the ham. Because this cut is difficult to carve, it often is boned before cooking. The Boston Butt is cut from the upper shoulder. It is boned before curing, and makes a compact piece of convenient size for a small family. It may be sliced and fried or roasted. Bacon is the preferred breakfast meat. Bellies from the light and medium carcasses are used. Hogs are bred to yield the strips of fat and lean that indicate quality in bacon. The heavy bellies go into salt pork. Bacon may be bought in the piece or sliced. The price per pound is less in the piece than sliced and it keeps better in the piece, but it is difficult for an inexperienced person to slice bacon evenly. Some retailers buy bacon by the side and slice it for the consumer; others handle only the bacon sliced and packaged by the packer. The usual pound package contains twenty to forty slices, depending upon the thickness. Thin sliced bacon runs forty slices to the pound. Meat is a highly perishable food. Its palatability and high nutritive value must be protected from the time of slaughter until it is eaten. To prevent deterioration, it is chilled at the processing plant for 48 hours after slaughter at temperatures just above freezing. It is shipped in refrigerated cars or trucks. Both wholesale and retail markets keep meat under constant refrig¬ eration. There is a growing tendency to market fresh meats in frozen form. These are kept at frozen storage temperatures until sold to the consumer. The same good care should be given to meat after it is purchased by the consumer as it has had previously. Proper refrigeration is of first importance. Refrigeration. All fresh, smoked, and cooked meats should be kept under refrig¬ eration. Ideal temperatures for fresh meats are 33° to 36° F., with a relative humidity of 80 to 90 per cent. Smoked meats and cooked meats may be stored at slightly higher temperature but always should be under refrigeration. A temperature of not Slices removed from the desirable center portion above 40° F. should be maintained in the portion of the home refrigerator where meat is stored. As soon as meat is delivered, its outside wrappings should be removed and it should be placed in the coldest part of the refrig¬ erator, loosely covered with waxed paper to prevent drying. Many modern refrig¬ erators have a special meat compartment in which proper temperature and humidity are maintained. Ground meats and, next, meat cut in small pieces spoil most rapidly. To prevent deterioration, meat should be stored in as large pieces as possible. Since ground meat is particularly perishable it should be ground or purchased on the day it is to be cooked. When it is necessary to hold ground meat for more than 24 hours it should be pre¬ pared for cooking and then frozen. Variety meats (page 210) spoil more rapidly than muscle meats. They should be used promptly after delivery, held in frozen storage, or precooked. Brains and sweet¬ breads, especially, should be kept frozen or precooked by simmering in seasoned, acidulated water before storing.

Foods, their selection and preparation