Cooking Frozen Cuts. Thin steaks, chops, cutlets, and ground meat patties may be started to cook while frozen. (See page 192.) Stew meat may be defrosted in the cooking water. Thick steaks, roasts, and pot roasts cook more uniformly if defrosted before cooking. Also, the same cooking tempera¬ tures and time schedules are used for de¬ frosted cuts as for those which have not been frozen. If roasts are started cooking while still hard-frozen, very low cooking temperatures (250° to 275° F.) should be used in order not to overcook the outside while the inside is still uncooked. Insert a meat thermometer into the meat as soon as it is thawed. Then leave the thermometer in the roast until it is done, just as with an unfrozen roast. The cooking time will be longer. Gravies and Sauces. Gravy or a meat sauce is an essential part of any braised meat dish or stew. The drippings or broth contain much of the meat flavor and soluble food nutrients. By making gravy and serving it [204] Ways for Chopped Meat • ( Upper left) Ham¬ burgers may be plain, wrapped in bacon, or broiled on onion slices. ( Upper right) Seasoned ground meat is broiled on toast or rolls, served plain or with barbecue sauce. ( Lower right) a well-made beef loaf is a company dish, sliced hot or cold with the meat, one conserves both flavor and nutrients, and may add other seasonings. Gravy or sauce may accompany meat cooked by any of the other methods. While it is not so essential as with braised or stewed meat, it does extend the meat flavor, since even with dry-heat cooking there are some drippings. If there is excess fat in the drippings, it should be drained off, strained, and stored for future use. For gravy approximately 2 tablespoons of fat and 2 of flour are used for each cup of liquid✪ Gravy. It is usually best to make gravy after the meat is removed, in the pan in which the meat was cooked, in order to utilize all the brown particles in the bottom of the pan. Blend the flour and fat drippings, stirring until the mixture becomes a rich brown, but avoid burning. Since the flour will not brown after the liquid is added, any brown¬ ing must be done before. Frequently, the drippings are brown enough to give the gravy an attractive color without further browning after the flour is added. The liquid used may be water, vegetable liquid, meat stock or milk, or a combination. Many people prefer pork gravy made with milk, and other meat gravies made with water or stock. It is more difficult to make good gravy with hot liquid than with cold, since the flour may cook before the gravy can be stirred smooth. After adding the liquid, stir constantly until the gravy reaches a hard boil. Season with salt, pepper, and any herbs or seasoning vegetables de¬ sired. When there is liquid in the drippings, as is often the case with braised meats, and always with stews, the flour should be blended with a little cold liquid before being added to the meat juices. In all cases the flour must be thoroughly cooked by boiling. If the gravy is too thick, thin with additional liquid and adjust the seasonings. Never hide an attractive serving of meat U.S.D.A. Table XXXVII • Timetable for Cooking Beef1 ROASTED AT 300° F. OVEN TEMPERATURE BROILED2 BRAISED SIMMERED CUT Meat Thermometer Reading Time Meat Thermometer Reading Total Time Total Time Total Time Degrees F. M inutes per lb.

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Cooking Frozen Cuts. Thin steaks, chops, cutlets, and ground meat patties may be started to cook while frozen. (See page 192.) Stew meat may be defrosted in the cooking water. Thick steaks, roasts, and pot roasts cook more uniformly if defrosted before cooking. Also, the same cooking tempera¬ tures and time schedules are used for de¬ frosted cuts as for those which have not been frozen. If roasts are started cooking while still hard-frozen, very low cooking temperatures (250° to 275° F.) should be used in order not to overcook the outside while the inside is still uncooked. Insert a meat thermometer into the meat as soon as it is thawed. Then leave the thermometer in the roast until it is done, just as with an unfrozen roast. The cooking time will be longer. Gravies and Sauces. Gravy or a meat sauce is an essential part of any braised meat dish or stew. The drippings or broth contain much of the meat flavor and soluble food nutrients. By making gravy and serving it [204] Ways for Chopped Meat • ( Upper left) Ham¬ burgers may be plain, wrapped in bacon, or broiled on onion slices. ( Upper right) Seasoned ground meat is broiled on toast or rolls, served plain or with barbecue sauce. ( Lower right) a well-made beef loaf is a company dish, sliced hot or cold with the meat, one conserves both flavor and nutrients, and may add other seasonings. Gravy or sauce may accompany meat cooked by any of the other methods. While it is not so essential as with braised or stewed meat, it does extend the meat flavor, since even with dry-heat cooking there are some drippings. If there is excess fat in the drippings, it should be drained off, strained, and stored for future use. For gravy approximately 2 tablespoons of fat and 2 of flour are used for each cup of liquid. It is usually best to make gravy after the meat is removed, in the pan in which the meat was cooked, in order to utilize all the brown particles in the bottom of the pan. Blend the flour and fat drippings, stirring until the mixture becomes a rich brown, but avoid burning. Since the flour will not brown after the liquid is added, any brown¬ ing must be done before. Frequently, the drippings are brown enough to give the gravy an attractive color without further browning after the flour is added. The liquid used may be water, vegetable liquid, meat stock or milk, or a combination. Many people prefer pork gravy made with milk, and other meat gravies made with water or stock. It is more difficult to make good gravy with hot liquid than with cold, since the flour may cook before the gravy can be stirred smooth. After adding the liquid, stir constantly until the gravy reaches a hard boil. Season with salt, pepper, and any herbs or seasoning vegetables de¬ sired. When there is liquid in the drippings, as is often the case with braised meats, and always with stews, the flour should be blended with a little cold liquid before being added to the meat juices. In all cases the flour must be thoroughly cooked by boiling. If the gravy is too thick, thin with additional liquid and adjust the seasonings. Never hide an attractive serving of meat U.S.D.A. Table XXXVII • Timetable for Cooking Beef1 ROASTED AT 300° F. OVEN TEMPERATURE BROILED2 BRAISED SIMMERED CUT Meat Thermometer Reading Time Meat Thermometer Reading Total Time Total Time Total Time Degrees F. M inutes per lb.

Foods, their selection and preparation