The midland journal., 1915-11-19
Use THE CHEAPER
CUTS OF MEAT
How the Careful Housekeeper May
Reduce the Cost OF the
Family Food Supply.
FLORENCE ]. HUNT,
Maryland Agricultural College
Extension Service.

Extension Service.
How can lower the cost of the
family food supply is question con-
stantly before every housekeeper. To
find the answer look over your months
bills for food. Is not the meat bill
usually one of the largest. In her de-
sire to find a remedy, gthe housewife
decides to try the cuts of meat which
retail at a low price. Often she fails
to produce a palatable dish and goes
back discouraged to the use of well
known and easily prepared tender
steaks, chops and roasts.
Why don't the cheaper cuts taste as
good? Although they are just as
nutritious, unless properly handled
these cuts are usually lacking in
favor, the long, coarse fibers, and the
large amount Of connective tissue
which is often called "gristle' making
them less palatable.
To give these cuts flavor, they
should be cooked with vegetables and
carefully seasoned. Try doing this
method and these cuts will soon be-
come as much favorite as the tender
steak.
From such cuts as the lower round,
the tail pieces Of the porterhouse
steaks, and even plate meat, you can
fashion delicious combinations as:
Salisbury Steak, Mock Duck with
dressing, and garnish of vegetables,
cannelon of beef or beef loaf with
tomato sauce.
The fibers of some of the cuts which
we do not care to grind can be broken
by pounding with the edge of heavy
saucer or a specially devised hammer.
In doing this, be careful that the juices
do not escape, because if they do the
piece will loose flavor. These can be
absorbed by pounding flour into the
meat, which, when Drowned, will give
added flavor
Meat treated in this way. is called
"Swiss Steak" In cooking at first
have high Temperature; then very
carefully cook at low temperature
Other variations may be made by using
ground, chuck, flank, or skirt steaks
with vegetables, finishing the cooking
at low temperature. A pot roast
should be cooked slowly for several
hours, thus the connective tissues is
softened and the meat made more
tender.
In cooking meat, first scar it on the
outside so as to retain the juices,
thereby preserving the flavor; then
cook slowly over a slow fire. A fire.
less cooker is good to use at this stage
of the cooking. Cross ribs, boned and
rolled, are fine cooked this way, or
rolled flank, chuck or rump.
When meat is put in cold water and
allowed to heat gradually, large
meat is ,tasteless. By long cooking
the connective tissue is softened and
dissolved, which gives to the stock
when cold a jelly-like consistency This
principle is applied to soup making
By putting meat in boiling water, al
lowing the water to boil for few
minutes, then lowering the tempera-
ture, juices in the outer surface are
quickly coagulated, and the inner
juices are prevented from escaping.
This method of cooking is used where
nutriment and flavor are desired in
meat.
In solving the meat problem, the
housekeeper must keep clearly in mind
the retail price, the time she uses in
cooking and preparing, the waste in
fat and bone and the cost of the fuel
consumed in preparing the especial
cuts.