FoodNet

Foods, their selection and preparation

1935

Page 176

Presented as published in 1935. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
since rolling usually increases the diameter of the roast. (, d ) The composition of the meat. Fat tissue usually conducts heat more slowly than lean tissue, except that of very under¬ nourished animals. Melted fat which has escaped from the cells transmits heat rapidly. (e) The temperature of the meat at the begin¬ ning of the cooking period. Cooking may be begun when the meat is frozen, when it is still chilled, or at room temperature. The lower the initial temperature of the meat, the longer the cooking time required. Tables giving time per pound are made up of averages and may not cover a certain con¬ dition. The actual cooking time may be longer or shorter than these averages for many and varied reasons. Determining Doneness. Cooking time is a practical guide for certain tender cuts of def¬ inite thickness, such as chops, steaks, and ham slices. Inserting a fork is a practical test for determining the doneness of less tender cuts. A highly skilled meat cook is able to tell the approximate doneness of roasts by their "feel,” their resistance to pressure. The meat thermometer, however, is the only accurate guide to the doneness of roasts. Cooking time cannot be depended upon. > Automatic Regulators Control Oven Temperatures Westinghouse Regulators and Thermometers. Modern automatic oven regulators make it possible to maintain easily the low temperatures de¬ sirable for cooking meat in the oven, while the meat thermometer shows the stage of doneness of the meat. The meat thermometer and the oven regulator go hand in hand to produce uni¬ form, desirable results in cooking all kinds Taylor Instrument Companies Oven Thermometer • {Left) When there is no automatic regulator, an oven thermometer may be used to regulate the temperature by hand, and is useful in checking the accuracy of the automatic regulators. Meat Thermometer • {Right) When inserted in the center of the meat, this device registers its temperature and indi¬ cates the stage of doneness of roasts. Also in broiling, a meat thermom¬ eter may be used to determine the doneness of thick steaks and chops. When ovens are not automatically controlled, an oven ther¬ mometer should be used for determining the temperature. Also, oven regulators should be checked occasionally with an accurate oven thermometer. METHODS OF COOKING MEAT Both dry- and moist-heat methods are used in cooking meat. Only tender cuts may be cooked by dry heat, since added water or steam is required to soften or make tender the connective tissue in the less tender cuts. [197] National Live Stock and Meat Board Roast Ready for the Oven • Add no water; use no cover Tender cuts, or those low in connective tissue, are best when cooked by dry heat. These include roasts, steaks, and chops from the ribs and loins of all carcasses except Utility Grade, and from certain parts of the chuck and round in choice and good grades. Methods of cooking by dry heat are roast¬ ing, broiling, pan-broiling or griddle- broil¬ ing, and frying. With these methods, the heat is applied so as to bring about the desired color changes, with the minimum loss of fat, meat juices, vitamins, and the maximum development and retention of flavor and nutrients. Since tenderness is an important factor in determining the price of a given cut, it is uneconomic to cook tender cuts by moist-heat methods.