The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-10-22 00:00:00

AUSTRALIAN FROZEN MEAT.

On the above subject The Times has published the follow.
ing letter:—

Sir,—At the present time, when the Australian
frozen meat question seems to be attracting public
attention, I trust a few remarks on the subject by
h one who as had practical experience in the cooking
and serving of it for three voyages out and home from
the colonies on board the steamship Orient and also in
various parts of Canada, where meat is kept in a
similar condition all the winter' may not be considered
out of place and not unworthy of a corner of your
paper.

In the first place, it is said there is a strong objection
to its dark colour, as compared with English meat,
and this is put down to the "freezing process." A
greater error does not exist. This is explained as
follows :—At home cattle are prepared for the butcher
or market up to three or four years old, rarely up to
five, as the cost of food, attendance, pasturage, &c.,
is so high in England that it does not pay the grazier to
keep them longer. Veal up to seven or perhaps eight
months old should be white ; at one year the flesh
becomes pink; at two years light red—if cooked and
carved at this period (two years) the meat cuts out
nearly white; at three years full red, and after that
It gradually grows darker year by year. Now in Aus-
tralia the cost of natural feeding is next to nothing,
for the stock roam nearly wild over large tracts of
splendid pasturage. But when running this way find-
ing their own food, it is found that they do not "put
on flesh" as quickly as home or stall-fed cattle; there-
fore, they are allowed to live on up to seven or eight
years, when they have become less wild and have
made themselves fit for market at any time, and are
actually driven from their pasturage to the slaughter
pens without any artificial preparation. This accounts
for the cheapness of the meat, and proves that it is
age, and age only, that makes the meat of a dark
colour, and not the freezing, as is generally supposed.
In the second place, it is said that the meat loses its
succulence or juiciness by freezing, or rather by the
thawing after. This is also an error likely to tell
against the ready sale of the meat. If no artificial
means are employed to thaw it, such as steeping it in
hat or cold water, or hanging it in a hot kitchen or
closet, or in some way hastening on the thawing,
it is impossible for it to lose as stated. The meat
should be hung up in the larder or meat safe, or in
any place where the heat is not above the outside
temperature, and let hang until perfectly thawed out.
In fact, the thawing cannot be carried on too slowly,
as the colder the temperature the less likely to
waste. By probing with a skewer it can easily be
ascertained if it is completely thawed. The meat when
required for use should be wiped dry and put to roast
before a brisk fire, well basted, and slightly under-
cooked. For boiling—boil up sharply for five minutes,
then pull back and gently simmer till cooked. In
the third place some (who are not in favour of the
movement) have said the meat is very coarse and
underbred. This is error the third without doubt.
The sheep are for the most part by the best black-
faced Shropshire Downs and Border Leicestershire
rams with Merino ewes—a hardier, cleaner•feecling
or better flesh-forming class of sheep does not exist.
The beef is of the best blood of England and Scotland,
the finest and purest strains money can buy, as can
be confirmed by any who have inspected the meat
just brought home as cargo by the Orient—nearly
4,600 sheep of splendid quality and just the right
weight to suit the English consumer (from 701 b.
to 851 h. each), also a large quantity of first-class
,nef, the whole together equal to anything that can
be procured in London or elsewhere as a market lot.
And if that does not convince them, I will engage to
put a dinner on the table from Australian beef and
mutton, either in its plainest or most recherche form,
side by side with beef and mutton of any other
country, and the greatest judges of meat will not be able
to tell the difference (if any exists) either in appear-
ance or flavour.—l am, your obedient servant,
A. CLARE, Chef de Cuisine, steamship Orient.
Royal Albert Dock, Oct. 11.

THE AMERICAN COTTON CROP.—The monthly re-
turns issued by the Wa.hington Agricultural Depart-
ment respecting the condition of the cotton crop, up
to the first of this month, show a general average of
68. The State averages are as follows: North Caro-
lina, 69; South Carolina, 63; Georgia, 73; Florida,
82; Alabama, 75 Mississippi, 68; Louisiana, 75.
Texas, 60; Arkansas, 50 • and Tennessee, 58. The
weather, on the whole, 149.; been generally favourable
to the crops, but drought still prevails in some sec-
tions. In almost all sections the failure of the
top crop, with much shedding of bolls, is reported.

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