Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1920 — How to Lower Your Meat Bills [ARTICLE]

How to Lower Your Meat Bills

Hints From the Department of Justice

CUTS THAT COST LESS HAVE HIGH FOOD VALUE. From Maine to California women purchase meat in practically the same way. Nine out of ten have learned for years, as do some even now, that the more expensive and most tender cuts of meat must naturally be most nutritious and that the cheaper and tougher cuts are to be discarded or left with the butcher to dispose of, not realizing if they purchase only the tender cuts, he must keep the prices high enough to cover thasloss of what isn’t sold. Our leading dietitians of today are teaching the women that the tougher cuts of meat are exactly as nutritious as the more tender, if not more so, because the blood Is drawn to the parts In which the muscles are constantly used. a beef animal of 500 pounds about 75 pounds are tender meat, the loin in the hind quarter composed of sirloin, porterhouse and single steaks and the prime ribs of the fore quarter. These two commercial cuts being the most tender are most in demand and every butcher, no matteiswhat the locality, will tell you he has no difficulty in disposing of them. The difficulty lies In selling the cheaper cuts as well as the extra meat portions. The greatest trouble in selling the cheaper cuts comes from the fact that women do not know how to cook them to make them palatable. A long slow cooking is the secret of converting tough meat into delightfully tender roasts or steaks. Excellent dishes may be served fronK_flank, chuck, rump steak or neck, providing the meat is carefully seasoned, seared to seal in the juices and then cooked to a delicate brown. This necessitates a moderate temperature.

Just as many tender expensive steaks are ruined in cooking by keeping on the tire too long; tougher one* are condemned because of the lack of the proper cooking. Whereas a long slow cooking will ruin a porterhouse, it only adds to the excellent qualities of a rump or round steak. For every meat animal handled there is a heart, liver, kidney, tripe, tongue, sweetbread, tall and head to Ibe used. We know that an animal has to have a neck, fore and hind shanks, legs and shoulders to hold together the choice loin and ribs. What is true of the cuts of beef la likewise true of other meats.

Beef a la Mode. Three pounds of either of the following cuts, chuck, brisket, rump, neck or hanging tenderloin will make a splendid dish treated as follows: Crush half a dozen kernels of black pepper with as many cloves. Rub this well Into the meat. Skewer or tie the meat together as for a pot roast and put into a crock with one small onion, sliced, one sliced carrot, a bit of thyme and three bay leaves. Add a cupful of vinegar and water enough to barely cover and let stand in a cool place for 24 hours. When thoroughly marinated, femove the meat from the liquor and sear on all sides in a pan of hot vegetable shortening. Sprinkle a tablespoonful of flour over the meat and gradually pour the liquor and seasoning, adding salt, over the meat Add a pint of boiling water. Allow all to boll up, then set to simmer until meat is done, turning frequently. When beef Is done, strain the remaining liquid and add conked carrots, turnips and small onions. Let cook three minutes and pour over the meat. Serve with plain boiled potatoes.

Table Showing Caloric Value of Commercial Cuts of Beef.

Inexpensive . Calories Cuts. Per TT>. Shank 875 Round ." 950 Rump. 1,400 Flanks.! 1,240 Plate 1,285 Chuck .1,105 Shoulder and clod 840 Neck 1,070 Expensive Calories Cuts. Per tt>. Loin 1,190 Prime ribs 1,450

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