The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1920-1982, 1920-08-11
HOUSEWIFE TOLD
i ALL ABOUT BEEF
Government Explains How to
Know the Grades.
PRICES MAY Be THE same
But the Quality May Be Far From
UnIform-Four Points to Remember
In Distinguishing the Various Grades
-Shrinkage In Cooking Much Great.
er In Common Grade Than In Good
Grade Meat.

Just why one market should charge
30 cents for sirloin steak while another
dealer charged so cents for. the same
cut on that same day; why q rump
roast last week was juicy and tender,
while the n ordered yesterday was
tough and stringy, although both cost
the same price per pound, are queries
sternation to many a housewife.
The fact that sirloin steaks a. be
purchased at such variable prices on
the same day does not necessarily
mean that n dealer is underselling
the other on the same article. The
first may be a sirloin cut from a COW
or steer Of common grade, while the
latter Is from q cow or steer of good
or choice grade. The same explanation
applies to the two roasts. AS a'rule,
a dealer habitually carries the same
grade of meat that is best suited to his
class Of customers. However, when a
dealer carries more than n grade, he
usually sells the same cuts from all
grades at the same price. Until the
public learns that grade as we'll as cut
determines the quality of beef and
should also determine the price, cuts
of low grade will be retailed at the
anne price that similar cuts of good
or choice grade command, although the
difference In wholesale price Is some
times as much as z or 8 cents per
pound between medium grade and COM
mon grade meat.
How to Know the Grade.
For the purpose Of educating the
housewife to know not only the cuts Of
meat, but also to be able to distinguish
between these grades if she would Sc
lect her meat wisely and economically,
the bureau Of markets of the United
States, department Of agriculture has
prepared the following points:
=. The color and texture of the lean
meat; and the extent to which it is
marbled with fat.
2. The thickness Of meat covering the
bone; that is the proportion Of meat to
bone.
3. The amount and character Of the
outside fat and its general distribution
and color. AsSESss.Gsa.ss.yaaNas ialaEsE1Sssss s Ssslssss
4. The amount Of inside fat, such as
kidney fat on the loin cut and the fat
on the inside Of the ribs.
Choice grade beef is not at present
found regularly in most markets, and
the supply is limited. In it the char
acteristics of the good grade are &C
centuated-pronounced marbling Of
fat, smooth, uniform outside covering
Of clear white fat and firm fine tex
tured flesh Of light red color.
Good grade beef has lean meat of
light to medium red color, of firm,
even texture and fairly regular dis
tribution Of fat through the lean, CIV
ing the meat a slightly marbled or
notified appearance. The fat is firm
and usually a creamy white. The
outer covering Of fat is smooth and
firm and should be evenly distributed
wei the loins and ribs.
Medium Grade Beef.
Medium grade beef has meat OF
coarse texture ande dark color which
is inclined to be flabby and watery
The fat is fabby and usually yellow.
ish in color and is %unevenly distribut'
ed, there being almost no inside fat
and a scanty and irregular outside
covering.
Z Common grade beef has a very higf
percentage Of bone to meat. The
meat Is extremely coarse in texture
with no marbling Of fat; Is dark II
color and very watery. The fat, which
is very scanty, is usually Of a pro
nounced yellow color.
The cuts Of good grade beef, whel
compared with cuts of common. grade
are much more palatable. but this I
not all. A series Of tests made in tn
experimental kitchen of the depart
ment Of agriculture on the cookini
quality of the different grades Of bee
shows that the Shrinkage in cOOkin,