Each cut requires different handling to secure the maximum amount of nutriment and flavor. The waste occasioned by improper cooking is a large factor in both household and national economy.
It has been estimated that a waste of an ounce each day of edible meat or fat in the twenty million American homes amounts to 456,000,000 pounds of valuable animal food a year. At average dressed weights, this amounts to 875,000 steers, or over 3,000,000 hogs. Each housekeeper, therefore, who saves her ounce a day aids in this enormous saving, which will mean so much in the feeding of our men on the fighting line.
So the housekeeper who goes to her task of training the family palate to accept meat subst.i.tutes and meat economy dishes, who revolutionizes her methods of cooking so as to utilize even "the pig"s squeak," will be doing her bit toward making the world safe for democracy.
The following charts, tables of nutritive values and suggested menus have been arranged to help her do this work. The American woman has her share in this great world struggle, and that is the intelligent conservation of food.
SELECTION OF MEAT
BEEF--Dull red as cut, brighter after exposure to air; lean, well mottled with fat; flesh, firm; fat, yellowish in color. Best beef from animal 3 to 5 years old, weighing 900 to 1,200 pounds. Do not buy wet, soft, or pink beef.
VEAL--Flesh pink. (If white, calf was bled before killed or animal too young.) The fat should be white.
MUTTON--Best from animal 3 years old. Flesh dull red, fat firm and white.
LAMB--(Spring Lamb 3 months to 6 months old; season, February to March.) Bones of lamb should be small; end of bone in leg of lamb should be serrated; flesh pink, and fat white.
PORK--The lean should be fine grained and pale pink. The skin should be smooth and clear. If flesh is soft, or fat yellowish, pork is not good.
SELECTION OF TOUGHER CUTS AND THEIR USES
Less expensive cuts of meat have more nourishment than the more expensive, and if properly cooked and seasoned, have as much tenderness. Tough cuts, as chuck or top sirloin, may be boned and rolled and then roasted by the same method as tender cuts, the only difference will be that the tougher cuts require longer cooking. Have the bones from rolled meats sent home to use for soups. Corned beef may be selected from flank, naval, plate or brisket. These cuts are more juicy than rump or round cuts.
1. _For pot roast_ use chuck, crossrib, round, shoulder, rump or top sirloin.
2. _For stew_ use shin, shoulder, top sirloin or neck.
3. _For steaks_ use flank, round or chuck. If these cuts are pounded, or both pounded and rubbed with a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 2 parts oil before cooking, they will be very tender.
4. _Soups_--Buy shin or neck. The meat from these may be utilized by serving with horseradish or mustard sauce, or combined with equal amount of fresh meat for meat loaf, scalloped dish, etc.
DRY METHODS
1. _Roasting or Baking_--Oven roasting or baking is applied to roasts.
Place the roast in a hot oven, or if gas is used, put in the broiling oven to sear the outside quickly, and thus keep in the juices.
Salt, pepper and flour. If an open roasting pan is used place a few tablespoonfuls of fat and 1 cup of water in the pan, which should be used to baste the roast frequently. If a covered pan is used basting is unnecessary.
Beef or mutton (5 to 8 lbs.) 10 min. to the lb. 10 min. extra Lamb (5 to 8 lbs.) 12 min. to the lb. 12 min. extra Veal (5 to 8 lbs.) 15 min. to the lb. 15 min. extra Pork (5 to 8 lbs.) 25 min. to the lb. 25 min. extra Turkey 20 min. to the lb.
Chicken 30 min. to the lb.
Duck 30 min. to the lb.
Goose 30 min. to the lb.
Game 30 min. to the lb.
2. _Broiling_--Cooking over or under clear fire. This method is used for chops or steaks.
Sear the meat on both sides. Then reduce the heat and turn the meat frequently. Use no fat.
_Time Table_--(Count time after meat is seared).
1/2 inch chops or steaks, 5 minutes 1 inch chops or steaks, 10 minutes 2 inch chops or steaks, 15 to 18 minutes
3. _Pan Broiling_--Cooking in pan with no fat. _Time table same as for broiling_ chops, steaks, etc.
4. _Sauteing_--Cooking in pan in small amount of fat. Commonly termed "frying." Used for steaks, chops, etc. _Time table same as for broiling._
MOIST METHODS
1. Boiling--Cooking in boiling water--especially poultry, salt meats, etc.
2. Steaming--A method of cooking by utilizing steam from boiling water, which retains more food value than any other. Too seldom applied to meats.
3. Frying--Cooking by immersion in hot fat at temperature 400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Used for croquettes, etc.
If a fat thermometer is not available, test by using small pieces of bread. Put into heated fat:
A--For croquettes made from food requiring little cooking, such as oysters, or from previously cooked mixtures, as rice, fish or meat croquettes, bread should brown in one-half minute.
B--For mixtures requiring cooking, as doughnuts, fritters, etc., bread should brown in one minute.
COMBINATION METHODS
1. Pot Roasting--Cooking (by use of steam from small amount of water) tough cuts of meat which have been browned but not cooked thoroughly.
Season meat. Dredge with flour. Sear in hot pan until well browned.
Place oil rack in pot containing water to height of one inch, but do not let water reach the meat. Keep water slowly boiling. Replenish as needed with boiling water. This method renders tough cuts tender, but requires several hours cooking.
2. Stewing--A combination of methods which draws part of flavor into gravy and retains part in pieces which are to be used as meat.
Cut meat into pieces suitable for serving. Cover one-half of meat with cold water. Let stand one hour. Bring slowly to boiling point. Dredge other half of meat with flour and brown in small amount of fat. Add to the other mixture and cook slowly 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until tender, adding diced vegetables, thickening and seasoning as desired one-half hour before cooking is finished.
3. Frica.s.seeing--Cooking in a sauce until tender, meat which has been previously browned but not cooked throughout.
Brown meat in small amount of fat. Place in boiling water to cover.
Cook slowly until tender. To 1 pint of water in which meat is cooked, add 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, and 1/4 cup milk, thoroughly blended. When at boiling point, add one beaten egg, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon cold water well mixed, Add cooked meat and serve.
[Ill.u.s.tration: VEAL]
Neck for stews.
Shoulder for inexpensive chops.
Sweetbread--broiled or creamed.
Breast for roast or pot roast.