Catoctin clarion., 1917-02-15

series OF lessons prepared for the in
struction of the housewife, Miss X. A:
Pritchett, State Home Demonstration
Agent, gives the following information
regarding the selection and use OF
meat cuts:
Meat As a FOOD.
A few facts we should know about
meat are called to our attention.
The meats that we commonly use
are derived from the flesh of domestic
and wild animals Of herbivorous habits
and from fowls. The flesh Of carnivor.
GUS animals is seldom used as food.
The quality of the meat is depend
ent upon the condition of the animal
from which it is derived The crea-
ture should be in perfect health and
full fed. Methods of slaughter, trans.
portation and preservation all affect
the quality of beef In meat, as it is
purchased we have bone, fat and the
flesh, consisting of the muscles of the
animal, with its connective tissue.
The color of meat should be clear and
fairly bright, not purplish or dull
There should be little or no odor and
the meat should bo firm and elastic to
the touch.
Beef should be a bright red and well.
streaked with fat.
Veal should be pink and somewhat
laSc frp, than honf ~ uatory and
flabby it is too young.
Mutton is a duller red and firm. Tho
fat is white or slightly yellow and
hard.
Lamb is pink rather than red and
slightly less firm than mutton.
Pork is rather pale and somewhat less
firm than beef and mutton, and the
fat is softer.
To understand the difference be-
tween tough and tender cuts we must
be familiar with the structure of the
muscles. Each muscle consists Of
bundles OF tubes held together by con-
nective tissue. In tough meat tho
muscle tubes are thicker and there is
more connective tissue present. Exer-
else strengthens the muscles and this
accounts for the fact that the unex-
ercised muscles of the young animal
gives us softer meat In the mature
animal the muscles most exercised
furnish the tough meat, and the less
used muscles the tender If you think
of the proportionate amount of eXer-
else that the different muscles receive,
you can easily determine where the
tough meat will occur,
The tough cuts come from the neck
and legs; the tender cuts from the
middle Of the back, the toughness in
creasing as the cuts approach the
neck and hind legs. The muscles Of
the abdomen are also tender but they
give a coarse e-grained meat.
The tender cuts from the ribs and
loin are the most highly priced, and,
therefore, bring the highest prices.
These cuts are liked because of their
tenderness, although the nutrtive
value OF the tough meat is as high as
llldl Ol Ilt lthuSI, VI poSSlDls C'th
higher. For the sake OF economy, We
are forced to use the relatively cheap
er cuts, and to seek for meat sub5ti-
tutes. We must also take pains to
use the cooking processes that will
mako the tough meats palatable.
Meat Is valuable chiefly for its
protein, fat and mineral salts. IN
spite Of the fact that meat is en-
mon article of diet, 1t should not be
used in excess. Other forms of PRO.
tein, as those in eggs and milk, are
usually digested as easily, and NEST
people can digest vegetable protein; II
the vegetables are carefully prepar d.
Small children should not eat meat,
for it has stimulating properties VIII ch
are undesirable for them and it tai IS
away the taste for foods more import
ant for growth. When used largely N
the diet rsat tends to cause intestinal
putrefaction and to form excess of
acid in the body. 1t is less likely 20
be harmful if taken with plenty Of
fruits and green vegetables and
liberal drinking Of clear water.