Meat is a general term applied to the flesh of animals used for food. It includes the muscular flesh, sinews, fat, heart, liver, stomach, brains, and tongue. Meat is divided into three classes: -

Meat, including beef, veal, mutton, lamb, and pork.

Poultry, including chicken, turkey, geese, and ducks, or all domestic fowls.

Game, including partridges, grouse, pigeons, quail, or other birds, venison, and any wild meat that is hunted in the forest or field.

Meat consists of several substances, - fibrine, albumen, gelatine, fat, and the juice of flesh.

Fibrine exists in the blood and flesh. In the former it is soluble, owing to the alkaline nature of the blood; it is deposited by the blood, made into flesh, and becomes insoluble flesh-fibrine, and forms the basis or fibre of muscular tissue. It is separated into bundles by membranes, and into larger separate masses by cellular tissue, in which fat is deposited. Its true color is white; but the blood in the veins which penetrate every part of the fibre gives it a reddish tinge. This may be seen by washing a piece of lean meat in cold water. The red coloring matter is soon drawn into the water, and the meat is a mass of white fibre. Fibrine is hardened and contracted by intense heat, but softened by moderate and long-continued heat. Meat that has tough fibre should simmer and not boil.

Albumen exists in the flesh and in the blood. It is the soluble portion of the flesh. It dissolves in cold water, but hardens in hot water.

Gelatine is a peculiar substance found in the tendons and gristly parts of flesh, the shin, and the sinewy parts about the joints, and in the nutritive parts of bones. It may be dissolved by soaking in cold water, and then boiling gently for several hours. The solution hardens when cold. Gelatine hardens in a dry heat, and such parts of meat as contain it in abundance should be stewed, rather than roasted or broiled.

Fat of meat is contained, a good measure of it, in the adipose tissue of almost all flesh which is used as food. It is liquefied by heat, and resolved into various acid and acrid bodies. It is a warmth-giver, and is therefore most appropriately used in cold seasons and climates.

The juice of the flesh consists of water, a small proportion of albumen, and a mixture of other compounds. It is not the blood, for it still exists after the blood has been withdrawn. It may be obtained by chopping lean meat fine, putting it in a closely covered jar without water, and heating it gradually. If heated above 160°, the albuminous matters in it harden and turn brown. The solid residue, consisting of fibres, tissue, etc., is white, tasteless, and inodorous. This separated juice is strongly acid, while the blood is always alkaline. It contains many substances which are very valuable as food, and the savory principle, or ozmazome, which gives flavor to the meat and causes it to differ in different animals. Meat should always be cooked in such a manner as to retain the largest proportion of this juice. The juice is drawn out into the brine in salting, and this renders salt meat less nutritious. The juice when the water has been separated from it by evaporation, is termed extract of meat.

The flesh of all young animals is more tender, but not so nutritious as that of maturer animals. Nearly all parts of an animal may be used as food.

Meat is in season all the year; but certain kinds are better at stated times. Pork is good only in autumn and winter; veal, in the spring and summer; venison, in the winter; fowls, in autumn and winter; lamb, in the summer and fall; mutton and beef at any time.

Fig. 15. Diagram of Ox.

1. Tip of Sirloin.

2. Middle of Sirloin.

3. First Cut of Sirloin.

4. Back of Rump.

5. Middle of Rump.

6. Face of Rump.

7. Aitch Bone.

8. Lower Part of Round. 8 ½. Top of Round.

9. Vein.

10. Poorer Part of Round.

11. Poorer Part of Vein.

12. Shin.

13. Boneless Flank.

14. Thick Flank with Bone.

15. First Cut of Ribs.

c. Chuck Ribs.

d. Neck.

16. Rattle Rand.

17. Second Cut of Rattle Rand.

18. Brisket (a. the navel end; b the butt end).

19. Fore Shin.

Fig. 16. Hind Quarter of Beef.

The figures in the hind quarter correspond to those in the same section of the whole ox.

All meat should be removed from the brown paper in which it is wrapped as soon as it comes from the market, or it will taste of the paper and the paper will absorb the meat juices. Wipe all over with a clean wet cloth. Chops and steaks will keep sweet much longer if examined at once, and any parts that are not clean and sweet removed. In warm weather look at the meat often. Put it on a dish near, but never directly upon, the ice.