CHAPTER II.

MARKETING--CARE AND USES OF MEATS.

_Beef._

_Veal._

SELECTION AND USES OF MEATS.

In selecting beef, the best parts are cut from the thick portion, from the shoulder to the rump, and these are the most expensive parts, including sirloin, sirloin steaks, and first, second, and third cuts of the fore quarter. The best steaks are made by sawing up these pieces. Steaks from the _round_ or _buttock_ are tougher and not so sweet as steaks from rib pieces. The best steaks are from the sirloin and sirloin steak. Steaks that have large bits of bone should be cheaper, as the bone is so much loss. A roasting piece cut close to the fore shoulder is always tough and poor. Tough steaks must be pounded with a steak hammer.

MODES OF COOKING AND USING THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF ANIMALS.

_Beef._

The _Sirloin_ is to be roasted, and it is considered the best piece for steaks. The piece next forward of the Sirloin is about as good as any for roasting.

The _Rump_ is to be corned, or cooked _à la mode_.

The _Round_ is used for corning, or _à la mode_.

The _Edge_ or _Etch Bone_ is corned, or for soup.

The _Hock_ or _Shin_ is used for soups.

The _Rib_ pieces of the fore quarter are used as roasting pieces. The _first cut_, which is next the Sirloin, is the best, and the others are better for corning.

The _Head_ is used for mince pies, and the _Tongue_ for smoking. The _Legs_ are used for soups.

The remaining pieces are used for salting down, stews, soups, and mince pies, according to various tastes.

The _Tallow_ is to be tried up for candles.

_Veal._

The _Loin_ is used for roasting.

The _Fillet_ (which is the leg and hind flank) is used for cutlets, or to stuff and boil, or to stuff and roast.

The _Chump end_ of the loin is used for roasting.

The _Knuckles_ are used for broths.

The _Neck_ is used for stews, pot pies, and broths, as are most of the remaining pieces.

Many persons roast the fore quarter, which is divided into two pieces, called the brisket, or breast, and the rack.

_Mutton._

The _Leg_ is boiled, or stuffed and roasted.

The _Loin_ is roasted.

The rest are for boiling, or corning.

The Loin is chopped into pieces for broiling, called _Mutton Chops_.

The Leg is often cut into slices and broiled.

Many cure and smoke the leg, and call it smoked venison.

_Pork._

The _Shoulder_ and _Ham_ are used for smoking.

The _Spare Rib_ is used for roasting, and often is used as including all the ribs.

The _Shoulder_ sometimes is corned and boiled.

That which is to be salted down must have all the lean taken out, which is to be used for sausages, or broiling.

The _Feet_ use for jelly, head cheese, and souse.

MARKETING.

In selecting _Fish_, take those that are firm and thick, having stiff fins and bright scales, the gills bright red, and the eyes full and prominent. When Fish are long out of water they grow soft, the fins bend easily, the scales are dim, the gills grow dark, and the eyes sink and shrink away. Be sure and have them dressed immediately, sprinkle them with salt, and use them, if possible, the same day. In warm weather put them in ice, or corning, for the next day. Shell Fish can be decided upon only by the smell. Lobsters are not good unless alive, or else boiled before offered for sale. They are black when alive, and red when boiled. When to be boiled, they are to be put alive into boiling water, which is the quickest and least cruel way to end life.

In selecting _Beef_, take that which has a coarse, loose grain, which easily yields to the pressure of finger, or knife; which is a purplish red, and has whitish fat. Ox Beef is best. If the lean is purplish and the fat very yellow, it is bad Beef. If it is coarse-grained and hard to break or cut, it is tough. Stall-fed has lighter fat than grass-fed Beef.

If meat is frozen, lay it in cold water to thaw. A piece of ten pounds, or more, will require all night to thaw. Beef and Mutton improve by keeping. Meat is better for not being frozen, except fresh Pork.

In selecting _Veal_, take that which is firm and dry, and the joints stiff, having the lean a delicate red, the kidney covered with fat, and the fat very white. If you buy the head, see that the eyes are plump and lively, and not dull and sunk in the head. If you buy the legs, get those which are not skinned, as the skin is good for jelly, or soup.

In choosing _Mutton_, take that which is bright red and close grain, with firm and white fat. The meat should feel tender and springy on pressure. Notice the vein in the neck of the fore quarter, which should be a fine blue.

In selecting _Pork_, if young, the lean can easily be broken when pinched, and the skin can be indented by nipping with the fingers. The fat also will be white and soft. _Thin_ rind is best.

In selecting _Hams_, run a knife along the bone, and if it comes out clean, the ham is good, but if it comes out smeared, it is spoilt. Good Bacon has white fat and the lean adheres closely to the bone. If the Bacon has yellow streaks, it is rusty, and not fit to use.

In selecting _Poultry_, choose those that are full grown, but not old. When young and fresh killed, the skin is thin and tender, the joints not very stiff, and the eyes full and bright. The breast bone shows the age, as it easily yields to pressure if young, and is tough when old. If young, you can with a pin easily tear the skin. A goose, when old, has red and hairy legs, but when young, they are yellow and have few hairs. The pinfeathers are the roots of feathers, which break off and remain in the skin, and always indicate a _young_ bird. When very neatly dressed they are all pulled out.

Poultry and birds ought to be killed by having the neck cut off, and then hung up by the legs to bleed freely. This makes the flesh white and more healthful.

ON THE CARE OF MEATS.

Beef and Mutton are improved by keeping as long as they remain sweet. If meat begins to taint, wash it and rub it with powdered charcoal and it removes the taint. Sometimes rubbing with salt will cure it.

Corn-fed Pork is best. Pork made by still-house slops is almost poisonous, and hogs that live on offal never furnish healthful food.

Measely Pork has kernels in it, and is unhealthful.

A thick skin shows that the Pork is old, and that it requires more time to boil.

If your Pork is very salt, soak it some hours.

Take all the kernels out, that you will find in the round, and thick end of the flank of Beef, and in the fat, and fill the holes with salt. This will preserve it longer.

Salt your meat, in summer, as soon as you receive it.

A pound and a half of salt rubbed into twenty-five pounds of Beef, will corn it so as to last several days, in ordinary warm weather.

Do not let Pork freeze, if you intend to salt it.

Too much saltpetre spoils Beef.

In winter, meat is kept finely, if well packed in snow, without salting.

_Directions for cutting up a Hog._

Split the Hog through the spine, take off each half of the head behind the ear, then take off a piece front of the shoulder and next the head, say four or five pounds, for sausages.

Then take out _the leaf_ which lies around the kidneys, for lard.

Then, with a knife, cut out the whole mass of the lean meat, except what belongs to the shoulder and the ham.

Then take off the ham and the shoulder. Then take out all the fat to be used for lard, which is the loose piece, directly in front of the ham.

Next cut off a narrow strip from the spring, or belly, for sausage meat. Cut up the remainder, which is clear Pork, for salting, in four or five strips of nearly equal width. Take off the cheek, or jowl, of the head for smoking with the ham; and use the upper part for boiling, baking, or head cheese.

The feet are boiled and then fried, or used for jelly. It is most economical to try up the thin flabby pieces for lard to cook with.

The leaf fat try by itself, for the nicest cooking.

Clean all the intestines of the fat for lard. That which does not readily separate from the larger intestines use for soap grease.

Of the insides, the liver, heart, sweet-breads, and kidneys, are sometimes used for broiling or frying. The smaller intestines are used for sausage cases.

In salting down, leave out the bloody and lean portions, and use them for sausages.

_To try out Lard._

Take what is called _the leaves_ and take off all the skin, cut it into pieces an inch square, put it into a clean pot over a slow fire, and try it till the scraps look a reddish brown, taking great care not to let it burn, which would spoil the whole. Then strain it through a strong cloth, into a stone pot, and set it away for use.

Take the fat to which the smaller intestines are attached (not the large ones), and the flabby pieces of pork not fit for salting, try these in the same way, and set the fat thus obtained where it will freeze, and by spring the strong taste will be gone, and then it can be used for frying.

_Directions for salting down Pork._

Cover the bottom of the barrel with salt an inch deep. Put down one layer of Pork and cover that with salt, half an inch thick. Continue thus till the barrel is full. Then pour in as much strong pickle as the barrel will receive. Always see that the Pork does not rise above the brine. When a white scum, or bloody-looking matter rises on the top, scald the brine and add more salt.

Leave out bloody and lean pieces for sausages.

The Pork ought to be packed as tight as possible, and _always_ kept _under_ the brine. Some use a stone for this purpose. In salting down a new supply, take the old brine, boil it down and remove all the scum, and then use it to pour over the Pork.

_Mr. H. H.’s Receipt for Curing Hams._

Take an ounce of saltpetre for each ham, and one pint of molasses to every pound of saltpetre.

Then take a quarter of a pound of common salt for every pint of molasses used.

Heat the mixture till it nearly boils, and smear the _meat_ side with it, keeping the mixture hot and rubbing it in well, especially around the bones and recesses.

Let the hams lie after this from four to seven days, according to the size of the hams.

Then place them in a salt pickle, strong enough to bear an egg, for three weeks. Then soak eight hours in fresh water.

Then hang in the kitchen, or other more convenient place, to dry for a fortnight. Then smoke from three to five days, or till well smoked.

Then wrap them up in strong tar paper, tying it close.

Then tie them tight in bags of coarse unbleached cotton, stuffing in shavings, so that no part of the paper touches the cotton. Hang them near the roof in a garret, and they will never give you any trouble.

_To prepare Cases for Sausages._

Empty the cases, taking care not to tear them. Wash them thoroughly, and cut into lengths of two yards each. Then take a candle rod, and fastening one end of a case to the top of it, turn the case inside outward. When all are turned, wash very thoroughly and scrape them with a scraper made for the purpose, keeping them in warm water till ready to scrape. Throw them into salt and water to soak till used. It is a very difficult job to scrape them clean without tearing them. When finished they look transparent and very thin.

_Sausage Meat._

Take one-third fat and two-thirds lean pork and chop them, and then to every twelve pounds of meat, add twelve large even spoonfuls of pounded salt, nine of sifted sage, and six of sifted black pepper. Some like a little summer savory. Keep them in a cool and dry place.

_Bologna Sausages._

Take equal portions of veal, pork, and ham, chop them fine, season with sweet herbs and pepper, put them in cases, boil them till tender, and then dry them.

_Another Receipt for Sausage Meat._

To twenty-five pounds of chopped meat, which should be one-third fat and two-thirds lean, put twenty spoonfuls of sage, twenty-five of salt, ten of pepper, and four of summer savory.

_Pickle for Beef, Pork, Tongues, or Hung Beef._

Mix, in four gallons of water, a pound and a half of sugar or molasses, and of saltpetre two ounces. If it is to last a month or two, put in six pounds of salt; if you wish to keep it over the summer, use nine pounds of salt. Boil all together gently, and skim, and then let it cool.

Put the meat in the vessel in which it is to stand, pour the pickle on the meat till it is covered, and keep it for family use.

Once in two months boil and skim the pickle, and throw in two ounces of sugar and half a pound of salt.

When tongues and hung beef are taken out, wash and dry the pieces, put them in paper bags and hang in a dry, warm place. In very hot weather, rub the meat well with salt before it is put in the pickle, and let it lie three hours for the bloody portion to run out. Too much saltpetre is injurious.

_Another by measure, and with less trouble._

For every gallon of cold water, use a quart of rock salt, a tablespoon heaping full of saltpetre, six heaping tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, and two quarts of blown salt. No boiling is needed; keep it as long as there is salt undissolved at the bottom. When scum rises scald it, and add more sugar, salt, and saltpetre. Keep weights on the meat to keep it under.

In very hot weather fresh meat will often spoil if it is put in cold pickle. At such times put the meat into hot pickle and boil it for twenty minutes, and the meat will keep a month or more. If you save the pickle, add a little more salt to it.

_To salt down Beef to keep the year round._

To one hundred pounds of beef, take four quarts of rock salt pounded very fine, four ounces of saltpetre made very fine, four pounds of brown sugar, all well mixed.

Scatter some over the bottom of the barrel, lay down one layer, and over that scatter the proportion of salt belonging to such a portion of the meat, allowing rather the most to the top layers. Pack all down very close, and if any scum should rise, sprinkle a pint or more of salt over the top.

_To Cleanse Calf’s Head and Feet._

Wash clean, and sprinkle pounded rosin over the hair, dip in boiling water and take out immediately, and then scrape them clean. Then soak them in water four days, changing the water every day.

_To Prepare Rennet._

Take the stomach of a new-killed calf, and do not wash it, as it weakens the gastric juice. Hang it in a cool and dry place five days or so, then turn the inside out and slip off the curds with the hand. Then fill it with salt, with a little saltpetre mixed in, and lay it in a stone pot, pouring on a teaspoonful of vinegar, and sprinkling on a handful of salt. Cover it closely and keep for use.

After six weeks, take a piece four inches square and put it in a bottle with five gills of cold water and two gills of rose brandy, stop it close, and shake it when you use it. A tablespoonful is enough for a quart of milk.