Evening star., 1941-04-21
Learn How
buy
Meat
Intelligent Study
Of Subject Will
Save Money
By Betsy CasWeH,

Woman's Editor
At last we'll keep our promise to
give the brand-new housekeeper
some tips on buying meats. Much
has been written about this matter
in books and articles-but funda-
mentally experience is still the best
teacher. However, we'll give you
few simple signposts to mark your
way, and do hope that they will
prove useful to you in your market
ing career.
First of all. pick your meat dealer
with care, and explain your house
hold needs to him so that he will
better understand your require
ments. If you find his meats salts
factory as to quality and price,
stick to him through thick and
thin. If not. shop around until you
do find satisfaction. But don't
shop around perpetually. You'll
do lot better with some one who
knows you and feels that your reg
ular custom is valuable to him.
Next, pick your meats yourself.
IL oil fCly "CIL " 1lC Ill DCOt dAdl
the markets number and request
mice steak for four" for dinner
that night. But maybe that day
steaks aren't on the bargain list
Maybe you want Sirloin and you
get porterhouse-at a good deal more
expense. And so it goes. Personal
shopping is essential to economy.
Study the meat charts in your
favorite cook book and learn what
cuts come from what section of
what animal. Discuss them with
your butcher and don't be afraid
to try out the less usual cuts
often they are the least expensive
and as full of nourishment as the
more costly varieties. Learn TO
know glandular meats, and to like
them. They are necessary in the
well-balanced diet.
Don't plan your menus with an
unvarying rotation of meats-Such
as beef Sunday, lamb Monday, pork
Tuesday, etc. Watch the adver-
tisements for recommended buys
and build your menus around them.
You'll find enough variety to give
you ample leeway in planning.
The purple stamp that you see
on meats bearing the legend ~. S.
ins'd & p'sd" doesn't have any
thing to do with the tenderness
and flavor Of the meat-it simply
means that you have the guarantee
of the United States Department
of Agriculture that the animal
slaughtered was free from disease,
killed under proper conditions, and
is At for human consumption. The
grading stamps tell more of the
story of the palatability of the meat,
marking it U. S. prime" choice" J."
or good" You can take your pick
of these according to the elasticity
of your budget-always remember
ing that by clever cooking you can
make some of the less tender cuts
taste as good as the most expensive
ones-with the same food value.
Aging meat counts most in the
case of beef. and most markets
now are particular about having
the meat hung the correct length
of time. Lamb reaches its best in
about 10 days-and the hanging
period of veal and pork is relatively
unimportant.
In general, when buying meats,
watch for the following indications
of good quality:
Beef should be clear, bright red,
and very close grained. There
should be firm covering of even
white fat, Of a creamy color. In
the case of many roasts 'marbling"
of fat running through the meat
is desirable.
Veal is best when it is a light,
dusty pink, with very little fat. The
bones are moist and soft, and do
not splinter when sawed. They
are apt to leave soft, reddish crumbs
on the saw edge.
Lamb is pinkish brown, has red
bones, which are easily broken at
the Joints, and a thin covering of
creamy, caul-liks fat.
Pork is a very pale-gray-p pink,
with a close texture, and is well
marbled with fat.
Glandular meats should be fresh
looking, clear in color, and very
firm and moist.
More on meats next Monday!