Beef is one of the most nutritious, and, in the end, the most
economical, kinds of meat, for there is not a scrap of it which a good
housekeeper will not utilize for food.
As to Choosing It.
Good steer or heifer beef has a fine grain, a yellowish-white fat, and
is firm. When first cut it will be of a dark red color, which changes
to a bright red after a few minutes' exposure to the air. It will also
have a juicy appearance; the suet will be dry, crumble easily and be
nearly free from fibre. The flesh and fat of the ox and cow will be
darker, and will appear dry and rather coarse. The quantity of meat
should be large for the size of the bones. Quarters of beef should be
kept as long as possible before cutting. The time depends upon climate
and conveniences, but in the North should be two or three weeks. A
side of beef is first divided into two parts called the fore and hind
quarters. These are then cut into variously-shaped and sized pieces.
Different localities have different names for some of these cuts. The
diagrams represent the pieces as they are sold in the Boston market,
and the tables give the New York and Philadelphia names for the same
pieces. In these latter two cities, when the side of beef is divided
into halves, they cut farther back on the hind quarter than they do in
Boston, taking in all the ribs--thirteen and sometimes fourteen. This
gives one more rib roast. They do not have what in Boston is called
the tip of the sirloin.
The Hind Quarter.
In Philadelphia they cut meat more as is done in Boston than they do
in New York. The following diagram shows a hind quarter as it appears
in Boston. In the other two cities the parts 1 and 13f are included in
the _fore_ quarter. The dotted lines show wherein the New York
cutting differs from the Boston:
[ILLUSTRATION: Diagram No. 1. Hind Quarter of Beef.]