Meats and game

Front matter

Q AWE.

SECOND EDITION.

LONDON l

Preface

Little, if any, originality is claimed for the following recipes, most of which have appeared in the Cookery columns of the Queen during the last eight or nine years, from whence they have been collected at the request of many readers of the Queen , to save reference to back numbers not always within reach. Additional recipes have, however, been given, to bring this little work as much up to date as possible ; but all these, like the previous ones, have been carefully tested, and are all (as I know from practical experience) well within the capacity of any ordinary “ good plain cook,” gifted with fair intelligence and a little goodwill. I desire also to take this opportunity of acknowledging my indebtedness to the various authors of standard foreign cookery books, and also to offer my grateful thanks to Mrs. A. B. Marshall, and several other well-known chefs', whose kindness has so materially helped and rendered possible my work in tlmse last years.

S. Beaty-Pownall.

Chapter I. On The Choice And Cutting Up Of

MEAT.

Commonly speaking, the word “ meat ” is applied only to butcher’s meat, as it is called, i.e., beef, veal, mutton, lamb, and pork. Besides these, however, we can reckon for our joints on venison, poultry, and game. In France, and indeed abroad generally, fish is often pressed into the service to act as the releve or joint; but, though this is both a wholesome and pleasant variety, fish “ joints ” need not be considered, for the present.

It must be borne in mind that the housekeeper who knows the various joints, and also can distinguish between good and inferior meat, is placed at a considerable advantage over the woman who has to trust to her tradesman or her cook in this matter.

MEATS.

It may, therefore, be well to begin first by describing the appearance of the various kinds of meat.

In beef the fat should be of a rich cream or pale butter colour ; if it is deep yellow, of a decided shade, the animal has probably been fed almost exclusively on oilcake, and its flesh will as a result be coarse and greasy. The fat should not be overabundant, and if it is so distributed as to marble the meat delicately, the latter is pretty sure to be of excellent quality. The suet should be white and quite firm. The lean should be of a clear, bright, cherry-rod, evenly and rather closely grained, and elastic to the touch. Any beef of a dark brown, almost livid, shade of red may be safely rejected as of inferior quality. The finest beef is obtained from Scotch bullocks, fed on old, long-established English pastures. Ox beef is the best, and indeed almost the only sort kept by good butchers, though lieifei beef, which is lighter in colour and smaller in the bone than ox beef, is not to be despised. Bull beef is to be seen occasionally (though seldom, if ever, at a first-rate butcher’s), but is easily detected by its deeper colour, coarser grain, and unpleasant smell. In choosing beef, look, if possible, at the kidney, as this is a pretty safe test, a good one being of a deep rosy red, with firm, elastic, and cream-coloured fat whilst that of an inferior boast will almost certainly be of a dark purplish brown, and deficient in fat, while what there is of it will be rather flabby and pinky in colour. Over-fat beef is always wasteful, and in general rather coarse ; but over-lean beef betrays bad feeding and probable toughness. It

CHOICE AND CUTTING UP OF MEAT.

may be well to give the young housewife the benefit of M. Gouffe’s advice on the subject of meat and its choice. This well-known chef says : “ First of all make a point of acquainting yourself with the current prices of the articles you intend purchasing ; never rely solely on one tradesman, nor place entire confidence in bis statements, but trust a good deal to your own judgment; very few, even of the most superior provision dealers, can resist the temptation of relieving themselves of doubtful commodities at the expense of an inexperienced customer.” This advice is, of course, given to French housewives, who do their own marketing in many cases, which is a practice few British housekeepers have time or opportunity for. Still, it is a good thing to visit occasionally even so unattractive a shop — as it is to many women — as a butcher’s, as you learn a good deal in that way (remember, unless you think it worth while to look after your own interests, no one else will), and you will soon see how differently customers are treated. The woman who insists on getting the joint of the size and kind she requires, ruthlessly returning the one that does not come up to her mark, soon becomes known, and is respected (and, if a good and practically ready-money customer, also feared) accordingly. For her you will see the dainty well-floured little joints hanging up labelled ; no makeweight in the shape of superfluous bone or fat will find its way into her house ; the butcher is far too well aware of the result of such treatment to venture on it. At the same time, it must be remembered that the cook needs as much watchfulness as

b 2

MEATS.

the butcher. If dishonest, she will allow the tradesmen to send inferior goods whilst charging for the primest quality, and will encourage a proportion of fat with every joint that no good housekeeper would ever dream of permitting, as it increases her perquisite of dripping and kitchen fat. Insist on a ticket hearing the date and weight of each joint accompanying it into the house, and resolutely enforce the appearance of these tickets each week when the butcher’s book comes up for payment. Also now and again pay a surprise visit at the time of the butcher’s visit, and see the meat he has brought and verify its weight for yourself. This will often open your eyes as to the discrepancy between the weight of the meat as in your butcher’s book and the look of the joint on the table. Moreover, a careless cook without the least dishonesty will waste and then throw the blame on the tradesman.

To return, however, to our beef. Where economy has to be considered, frozen meat is often bought, and if obtained from a trustworthy source and properly treated will be little inferior to the average home-fed beef, though it must be confessed that naturally it will not bear comparison with really first-rate English-fed Scotch ox beef. Foreign meat is judged in much the same way as the home-grown, though a somewhat darker purplish tone of the flesh tints, in the round especially, may be observed. It is also moister on the surface than English beef ; but be careful in this matter, for foreign beef badly, or too rapidly, thawed will “ weep,” as it is technically

CHOICE AND CUTTING UP OE MEAT. 5

called, till all the juice and nourishment has exuded from it. Beef is at its best in winter, as then only can it be hung long enough to be really tender.

Veal should be plump, finely grained, but rather less closely textured than other meat. It should be of a delicate pinky colour, the fat, which should be evenly and not too abundantly distributed, of a pure white, and semi-transparent ; whilst the kidney should be small and surrounded by a delicate, sweetsurell ng suet. B/emember that veal taints very quickly, and is then most uirwholesome ; so in hot weather twenty-four to thirty-six hours is the utmost limit it should be given. The calf should be from two to four months old.

Mutton, to be in perfection, should be at least four years old, a park-fed wether of four or five years being esteemed the most perfect mutton obtainable. Nowadays such perfection is seldom attained, save in some very large households, where a small flock is kept up for family use. Next to this mutton come the down and hill mutton. The sheep fed on the salt marshes, the pr^-salo of the French, or our own down mutton fed near the sea coast, are cases in point. This mutton is usually black-faced, and smaller in bone and build than the ordinary inlandfed sheep, though the locally famous Romney Marsh mu-1 ton, when in perfection, combines size with flavour.

It is not difficult to tell the age of a sheep with a little care. Look at the breast bones when the sheep is “ dressed,” as it is technically called when prepared for show in the shop. If these bones are

MEATS.

quite red, the sheep is little more than a lamb, and under a year old ; if the bones are beginning to whiten at the upper anil lower bones, though the middle of the breast bone is still reddish, the animal is between one and two years ; and thenceforward the bones will grow more generally white till at four years old they are perfectly white. Always choose small-boned, rather small mutton, with very white and firm waxy fat, not too abundant, but evenly distributed, the lean being of a purple-brown of a darkish tint when freshly cut, whilst if seen through the skin of the leg it is apt to look quite purple ; it should be fine in the grain, plumplooking, and much drier than beef on the surface. Well-hung good mutton looks quite dry, whilst its colour darkens almost to black ; such meat is always good. In cool, dry weather, in an airy dry larder, mutton will hang advantageously for a fortnight to three weeks, and at any time should hang a week before eating. Like beef, frozen mutton is coming into use, though it is not so popular as it deserves to be for two reasons : one is the trouble in thawing: it properly, the second is that when thawed it is very apt to look anything but appetising in its raw state. Unthawed, the fat is perfectly white, and the lean is of a very pale pink shade ; when, however, it is thawed it looks very often as if in an advanced stage of decomposition, especially if seen through the skin, as on the leg, when it has an absolutely appalling range of colouring, from a greenish yellow to a deep purple. All this, however, disappears when it is cooked ; and if properly treated, frozen

CHOICE AND CUTTING UD OF MEAT.

meat, if not perhaps to be reckoned with really first-rate home-grown mutton, is at all events decidedly superior to a great deal of (so-called) English mutton. Remember that the best way to thaw this meat is to hang it for several hours either in the kitchen or in some place of about the same temperature, remembering that it should, save in very dry, cold weather, be cooked as soon as it is properly thawed. Remember, also, that owing to the extra quantity of moisture it possesses, joints of it should be hung with the uncut part down, i.e., in hanging a leg be sure to hang it by the thick part, leaving the shank end down — or, in thawing, the juice would run out at the cut part. This is, by the way, one great reason for the prejudice against frozen meat, as being “ so dry.” One more note about thawing meat, and a gruesome one. Be careful where it is hung, as all moisture is attracted by cold, and any steam or exhalations from drains, &c., will infallibly gather round the meat, and, as the frost in the latter gives, will taint and corrupt it.

Lamb should be plump, a pale brownish pink in the lean, with opaline and firm, hard fat. A faint bluish tinge is generally noticeable in the latter. Be sure the butcher always sends a piece of “ caul ” (a thin, semi-transparent membrane) over the fat to protect it whilst roasting. “House lamb” is in season from Christmas to Lady Bay, and is so-called from its having been born about midwinter, and, consequently, reared under shelter and principally fed on milk. “ Grass lamb ” succeeds to this, and is the young lamb brought up naturally, more or less

MEATS.

out of doors, on the young spring grass. Lamb, to be in perfection, should he from four to five months old.

Fresh pork requires great care in its choice, and should never be bought, from any but a first-rate source; moreover, it should never be used in the summer, as it is then absolutely unhealthy. It should be small, and not too fat. For eating fresh, a pig of five to six score (1001b. to 1201b.) should be chosen, as it gives the nicest and daintiest joints. The fat should be a pure white, free from any bruises or discolourations. which (like kernels in the flesh) betray unhealtliiness. The lean should be of a faint mushroom pink, closely and finely grained, and perfectly even in texture. For eating fresh, a “ porker,” i.e., a pig of one year or under, should be chosen.

It is well to bear in mind, when choosing meat, that the smaller, in reason, the more appetising the meat is. This is specially the case where a small family has to be catered for. For instance, 41b. to 61b. is an ample-sized piece for a few people; but when taken from a large beast, if the ribs or sirloin be chosen, it will look like nothing but an overgrown chop ; whereas if cut from a small animal, a piece of equal weight will be a neat miniature joint. This applies to all animals, to none, however, more forcibly than to oxen. But butchers will not supply this as a rule to any but regular and valued customers, as small meat is by no means so profitable to them.

Having settled on the meat you intend to buy, it is well to have a clear notion of what joints there are, and we may as well begin with beef.

CHOICE AND CUTTING UP OF MEAT. 0

The usual joints are the sirloin, the ribs, ilie round or the topside, the brisket, the aitchbone, and the buttock, or silverside, as it is also called. Besides these there are inferior pieces, such as the thick and thin flank, the chuck and middle ribs, the leg of mutton piece, the shin, and the neck, clod or sticking piece. These the wholesale butcher easily recognises, but individual and family wants have created a d uiand for various cuts, and in consequence the side of dead meat cut up by the local butcher often differs in some points from the plan of the wholesale salesman.

A sirloin may be roasted whole with the fillet or undercut, or it maybe boned, rolled, and roasted; or the fillet may be removed, in which case it is almost always boned and rolled. When a sirloin is very large and long boned it is better to divide it as above, removing the streaky square piece at the end, which may be either used for baked Irish stew, or it may be salted and then boiled.

A fillet or undercut may be larded and roasted, or braised whole, as a miniature joint, or it may be sliced down for fillets or small steaks. Abroad the bif tech, or filet, is always cut from this part, as it is more tender than other portions of the meat; but in England the rump steak is preferred because of its superior flavour.

The ribs may be either roasted whole, or they may be boned, rolled, and either roasted or braised. It should be borne in mind that in choosing ribs for one’s joint it is well to stipulate for the “ foreribs,” i.e., those next to the sirloin, as the “middle” and

MEATS.

“ cliuck ribs,” sometimes called the “ wing ribs,” have the bones so long as to produce a most ungainly joint, and are not economical from the large proportion of bone to meat they possess.

The rump is the portion from which are cut the finest steaks for broiling ; when cut in a piece with the two sirloins, saddle fashion, it forms what is called the “ baron of beef,” a joint more often heard of than seen.

The aitchbone, just under the rump, is roasted, but more frequently slightly salted and stewed or boiled. Its chief objection is the ungainly bone in the centre of it.

The round comes next. The round is often divided in two, the inner side being called the topside or “tender round,” the outer one being known as the silverside. The whole round is usually roasted ; or else spiced, stewed, and pressed, and then served as “ spiced beef.” When divided, the topside, from its freedom from bone and superfluous fat, forms a most economical roast, though the meat is perhaps hardly so fine as that of the sirloin.

The silverside is usually salted and boiled, though if stewed fresh with vegetables, spice, &c., it makes a most excellent joint, It is economical to buy a good piece of the round, as it can hang, and will then afford excellent steak for pies and puddings, and even for frying, though, of course, not so delicate as the rumpsteak, but it is delicious as stewed steak. It must be remembered that, as these last joints have no bone and little or no fat of their own, the butcher will, unless checked for it, all but invari-

CHOICE AND CUTTING UE OE MEAT. 11 ably send a “ makeweight,” as lie calls it, of either bone or extraneous suet, as large as lie thinks the inexperience of the customer, or the carelessness of the cook, will permit.

The veiny piece lies below the round, and is used for inferior steak, and is also most excellent for stews, ragouts, &c.

The jlanlcs, thick and thin, come next ; the thick flank next to the veiny piece, whilst the thin flank divides the thick one from the brisket. The thick flank boils and stews admirably, whilst the thin flank is excellent for soup or broth, and for collaring. The best “mutton” broth is made from this thin flank of beef (if the bull may be forgiven), though in Scotland it is often replaced by the “ runner,” thick or thin, which is shown in the diagram giving the Scotch method of cutting up beef.

The brisket, which answers to the breast of mutton, is not so delicate for salting and plain boiling as the silverside ; but if salted and slightly spiced, stewed with vegetables, pressed, and allowed to cool in its own gravy, produces a most delicate lunch or breakfast dish. Its only fault is a tendency to an undue amount of fat.

The leg of mutton piece is in reality the top of the foreleg, and though, like the veiny piece of the thick and thin flanks, butchers contemn it as “ inferior,” it is most juicy and excellent if hung, especially for ragouts, for which indeed in France it is usually reserved.

The neck, clod or “sticking piece” as it is also called, is used for stock making, and for clarifying soup.

MEATS.

The hough and the shin are also used for what cooks call “ gravy meat,” though for this in reality a coarse strip known as the “ skirt ” is to be preferred, and very often the top of the hough, if nicely stewed, will produce an excellent dish of stewed steak, &c.

The ox-liead makes excellent brawn and soup, and the cheek if nicely spiced, seasoned, and stewed, will produce a very appetising “ stew ” for household use. The tail is used for soup, and also for entrees, as are also the liver, sweet and throat breads, the palate, &c.

The heart is good, roast or stewed; whilst the feet or “heels” make good jelly, and when stewed, a most nourishing dish for invalids. But for these the beast must be young.

There is a joint well known in America, and much appreciated also at home, known as “ a porterhouse steak.” This is simply a rib cut off like a chop from the loin of mutton. It is expensive, as it must be cut from the sirloin to ensure the undercut. It is broiled.

Veal is usually divided into the loin (corresponding to the sirloin), the best end of the neck (or the ribs of beef), the chump (which answers to the rump and aitchbone of beef cut into one piece), the fillet (or round of beef), and the neck, breast, and shoulder, which answer exactly to similar pieces in mutton. In fact, veal is cut up partly like beef and partly like sheep. An illustration is also given of the French mode of cutting up veal, as it helps to explain many foreign recipes.

The loin is roasted, so also is the neck ; the fillet is used for fricandeau, cutlets, &c. ; the breast can be stewed, braised, or collared; the shoulder is

CHOICE AND CUTTING UP OF MEAT. 13 roasted, or boned, stuffed and stewed ; whilst the knuckle of veal, answering to the liougli or shin of beef, is excellent for stock, and also for stewing. All skin and bone from veal should be utilised for soup, being peculiarly gelatinous and delicate. It must be remembered that the udder, or the firm white fat attached to the fillet, and the kidney suet are especially delicate, and are always carefully reserved by French cooks for the preparation of all kinds of delicate forcemeat where they replace the butter usually used for the purpose in England.

In mutton, the leg, the liaunch (i.e., the leg and part of the loin), the loin, and the saddle (the two loins cut in one) are the best roasting joints, though the best encl of the neck will also make a neat little joint for a small family, whilst a well-hung and a well-roasted shoulder is certainly not to be despised, with all due deference to the smart club man, who imagined “ Awli ! shouldah of mutton ! Why, don’t they make glue from that ? ” A shoulder also, if boned, stuffed, and rolled, is good whether braised or roasted. For boiling, the leg and the neck are to be preferred, whilst the breast, if not too fat, is good rolled and stuffed, or collared.

Lamb is cut up and treated much like mutton, save in the early part of the season, when it is simply cut into four quarters and roasted.

In pork the divisions are the leg ; the loin which contains the loin and the chump end (answering to the sirloin and rump of beef) ; the neck, from the end of the loin to the scrag, locally often called the sparer ib ” ; the belly or spring (answering to the

MEATS.

the thin flank or brisket of beef) ; and shoulder. sometimes also called the “ hand,” which include? both the shoulder and the breast. The sparerib, the loin, and the leg are all roasted ; the leg is also of'ter slightly salted and then boiled, treatment also bestowed on the hand, which is usually too fat tc roast well. The spring is slightly salted, boiled, and then usually served cold, for breakfast or lunch.

The head, after removing the cheeks, is usually made into brawn, the tongue, feet, and ears being mixed with it.

This will give a general idea of the method of cutting up and utilising the various parts of the animals. The average weights, roughly speaking, are as follows : —

Beef — Sirloin, from 51b. or 61b. (if small) to 141b.

Bibs, 2|lb. or Bib. to 141b.

Bound of beef, 41b. to 241b. upwards.

Fillet, lib. up to 61b. or 81b.

Porterhouse steak, 241b. to 341b., according to size of beef.

Mutton— Leg, from 91b. to 101b.

Neck, whole, 611). to 81b.

,, sci’ag, 31b. to 4 lb.

CHOICE AIS1D CUTTING UP OE MEAT.

1. Sirloin, or bade sye.

2. Heuk bone.

3. Buttock. 1 Together tb e

4. Large round. ) Rump.

5. Small round.

6. Hock or bougb.

7. Thick flank.

8. Thin flank.

9. Nine holes.

10 & 11. Large and small runner.

12. Spare or fore sye.

13. Brisket.

14. Shoulder sye.

15. Skin.

10. Neck.

17. Sticking piece.

1. Sirloin.

2. Rump.

3. Aitchbone.

4. Round.

5. Mouse round.

6. Veiny piece.

7. Thick flank.

8. Thin flank.

9. Hough.

10. Fore rib.

11. Middle rib.

12. Chuck rib.

13. Leg of Mutton piece.

14. Brisket.

15. Clod.

16. Neck.

17. Shin.

18. Cheek.

This average is for medium-sized mutton (always the best, as heavier meat is as a rule much coarser than the smaller kind). Frozen meat generally runs from lib. to 21b. smaller for each joint, whilst Welsh or moor-fed sheep is but little more than half ibe weight, joint for joint, of the ordinary mutton.

1 & 4. Thick flank or Tendc de tranche.

2. Calotte, or rump.

3. Gate a la noix, round and aitchbone.

5. Aloyau, or sirloin.

6. Paleron, or shoulder.

7. Cofcs, or ribs.

8. Talnnde de collier, or collarbone.

9. Surlonge.

10. Bavette d' aloyau, or fag end of the sirloin.

11. Collier, or neck.

12. Breast.

13. Hough, or Gtte.

14. Plat de c6te, end of ribs.

15. Cheek.

Lamb runs about the same weight as Welsh mutton.

Pork must always be small, if it is to be delicate when eaten fresh.

The diagrams show how the meat is cut up in various parts.

CHOICE AND CUTTING UP OF MEAT. 17

From these illustrations it is easy enough to notice the differences between the various methods of cutting up. The English plan is in every case best suited to the national taste, which runs towards roast or broiled : whereas the Scotch plan is better

ENGLISH MUTTON.

SCOTCH MUTTON.

1. Shoulder.

2. Scrag.

8. Breast.

4. Loin.

5. Leg.

6. Best end of neck.

Both loins in one forms saddle.

The dotted line shows division of breast said neck after shoxdder is removed.

1. Gigot, or leg.

2. Loin.

3. Back ribs.

4. Breast.

suited for boding or stewing ; and the French is specially designed for the preparation of small dishes and little entries — large joints, as we understand them, not been generally popular in the French Cuisine.

MEATS.

BEEF BT THE FRENCH METHOD.

A. Le jar ret, or shin.

B. Le gtte, or moose round.

C. Le gtte d la noix, a compound joint made up of part of the rump, aitchbone, and the round

D. Tende de tranche, or thick flank.

E. La tranche, or the top side.

E. La culotte, or the rump.

G. Le rognon, or kidney (the filet, or undercut, is below the kidneys).

H. Le flanchet, or thin flank.

I. L’aloyau, or sirloin.

J. Lescdtes couverte s, or fore rib.

K. La poitrine, or the brisket.

L. Cotes d'aloyau, middle rib.

M. & N. La gore, ou le collier, the neck, clod or sticking- piece.

CHOICE AMD CUTTING UP OF MEAT.

VEAL AS IN FRANCE

A. he jar ret, or knuckle.

B. La rouctle , or the fillet.

C. Le cuissot, or chump end of the loin. (The portion from C. to E . is the piece known on Erench menus as Za longe, whilst the portion lying between the tail and the kidney, is known as the quasi.) The two dishes known on menus as Noix and Ro die are really cut out of this part, the former being cut lengthwise and the latter across. These pieces are generally used for Fricandeau and other dishes fin own in France.

D. he rognon, or kidney.

E. to F. Le carri, or the best end of the loin, including the kidney.

E. Le s c6telett.es de filet, or fillet cutlets.

G. Le s tendrons, or gristly part of the breast.

H. Le s cStelettes, or best end of the neck.

I. La poitrine, or the breast.

J . L'Spaule, or the shoulder,

K. Le collet, or the neck.

C o

MEATS.

The various names locally given to the different parts of the animal are attached to the diagrams, as literal translation as would be intelligible being given with the French illustrations.

Mutton is cut up in France pretty nearly on tlie Scotch plan, as the illustration shows. The parts are : A. Le gigot, or leg ; B. Le Jlanohet, or loin ; C. Le s cdtelettes, or best end of the neck ; D. Le carri, or fillet, generally served, however, saddle-fashion; E. Le collet, or scrag; F. L’ipaule, or shoulder ; G. La poitrine, or breast.

Chapter II. Beef

Beef in joints maj be roasted, baked, stewed, braised, or boiled as taste and convenience dictate, though in most cases nowadays the first process, roasting in front of an open fire, is seldom managed, thanks to close ranges ; but, undoubtedly, meat cooked in this way is infinitely superior to a joint that has been baked, however carefully the cooking has been managed. Of old roasting was the great talent of the British cook, who appeared born with the instinct of the roaster and broiler (and remember a great French authority declared “ on devient cuisinier, mais on nait rotisseur”), a great gift, for indeed roasting almost needs instinct. Fires differ in intensity ; the meat differs in substance, in thickness, in grain ; the very temperature affects the period required to bring the joint to perfection, &c., so that it is no easy matter to decide just the time that will be needed to roast or bake a joint. Boughlv speaking, for thick pieces, such as the sirloin, the round, &c., twenty minutes to the pound, and fifteen minutes over will be found a fair average,