Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-08


BY MRS. ANNA HAMILTON WOOD
n GOOD many housekeepers say
~ that they buy very little meat
as they consider it one of the
most expensive items on their market
ing list. Also some doctors advise
against it on the principle that the
animal gases in the tissues of the meat
when mixed with the acidity of the di-
gestiVe organs cause fermentation.
However, meat properly cured and
cooked should be as easily digested by
the average person as many other
solid foods. Its chief value is the pro-
tein it contains which builds muscle
and is absolutely essential for the con-
stant strengthening and renewal of the
tissues of the human body. The fat of
meat is a heat and energy producer. |
Thus it is easy to understand that the
man who earns his livelihood through
manual labor requires more meat on
his table than one of sedentary habits |
The cheaper cuts have the same nu- |
tritive value as the more expensive
but more thought and care is neces-
sary in their preparation in order that
they should be made sufficiently tender
for thorough maStication.
1t is wisdom when buying to know
something of the coloring of good
meats. Beef should be a bright red
in color mutton a dullish red veal
pink, lamb u dark pink and pork /
pale grayish pink. The fat of beef
should be a cream white and that of ]
other meats paler with the exception of +
mutton fat which is slightly yellowish /.
There are great number of palat- |
able meat dishes which can be pre- /
pared at slight cost. For instance. /
piece of round beef, chopped and |
soaked over night in cold water can
be quickly and appetizingly prepared |
and give the pleasure OF a cut twice /
the value. Beef liver Csc per lb.) !
soaked several hours in salt water, /
the thin skin on the edge removed |
and dipped in dry cornmeal before |
frying makes much cheaper and as
equally pleasant n dish as calf's liver. /
Beef Steak
A good sized beef steak is really not |
always an extravaganza for q small |
family because it can be made to do |
for several meals. First the tender
loin is removed, cooked and served for I
dinner. The next day the sirloin or
back can be used with a brown gravy
and a touch of onion and there yet /
remains the bones and the tough end |
for stock
With meat selling in our local mar
kets at the rate of 25c per pound for |
veal chops and 22c to 2Sc for rib beef !
the economical housewife naturally |
turns her attention to other foods pos
sessing the same chemical valuation |
at less cost. Among these are fish. |
milk, cheese, nuts, etc. Even eggs at |
soc per dozen are cheaper when the |
food valuation is compared than meat. |
Because of our proximity to the |
coast cities and our central railroad |
location, Harrisburg is exceptionally |
well provided with fish of all kinds !
Our markets abound with such speci- |
mems as sea trout at sc per pound, |
fresh Spanish mackerel at zoe, halibut |
steaks at 25c and butterfiSh at zoe I
Last Saturday in Broad street market |
there was big run on a fish the /
dealer described as small salmon, and |
1t sold as lof as sc per pound. There /
is an old saying that fish is q brain I
food. 1t should certainly form a part /
of every well regulated diet as it con- /
tains properties for rebuilding not |
only body tissue, but that reserve force |
so needed in our present strenuous !
life against the hour of disease or
mental strain.
Rabbit and Squirrel
Just now while the hunting season I
is on squirrel and rabbit appear fire. |
quently on many tables. | would not I
advocate rabbit as Il cheap dish be- |
cause it costs as much as a moderate I
cut of meat and does not go so far. |
but when the man brings it home over
his shoulder fresh from the great /
brown woodland, the housewife is at /
no expense. The following is the Sc /
cret of preparing it so that it forms |
savory. tender dish.
After cleaning. cut into pieces and |
-four each placing them in steam /
tight cooking pan and seasoning with /
salt, pepper and half cup of chopped |
fat pork. Add one cup of water. |
Cover tightly and place in oven. Let |
cook slowly several hours. If this is !
not feasible because of the use of a |
gas range, soak the pieces in salt /
water or water to which a tablespoon I
full of vinegar has been added for sew I
eral hours before frying. This re-
moves the "gamey" taste and makes /
the meat more tender.
This touch of vinegar-a pinch of |
soda has a similar effects a good |
hint for making all meats and poultry !
more tender. one wise woman dis |
covered that a small garlic kept in /
quart bottle of vinegar which was
used as wash" for her meats was |
wonderful improvement. After the |
pores of the meat had absorbed the
vinegar, she brushed over both sides
with olive oil. The result was meat
rich and tender and with a delicious
flavor hard to define. If this seems |
eXtravagant with sweet OIL it has
been found that equal parts of olive
oil and the best grade 30c cottonseed
oil mixed will go twice as far at much |
less cost and almost equal nutritive
value.
CHEAP MEAT DISHES
Shoulder of Lamb
Select a small shoulder of lamb
worth from soc to 75c. Cut pocket
with a sharp knife over the blade bone
and fill with a dressing of stale bread
! and chopped onion, highly seasoned.
Sew or skewer the pocket shut and
bake until the meat is thoroughly |
cooked. Serve with brown gravy.
Mock Duck
Wipe off a round steak with vinegar
and pound thoroughly with the blunt
end of a knife. Make a dressing of
stale bread and onion and roll it into
the steak tying the meat around with
heavy string at intervals of two inches
Bake and serve with gravy made of
the meat juice and half cup of weak
black coffee.
Beef Kidney Stew
Soak a beer kidney for an hour in
cold water to remove impurities. Put
into fresh water and boil until tender
Skim off fat and boil chopped onions
and potatoes in same liquid in which
kidney was cooked. Season with salt |
and pepper Remove tubes from kid
ney and chop into small pieces. Add |
to stew and thicken the whole with
Drowned flour.