Venison

The choice of venison should be regulated by the appearance of the fat, which, when the venison is young, looks bright, thick, clear, and close. It first changes towards the haunches. To ascertain whether it is sweet, run a knife into that part; if tainted it will have a rank smell. It should not be cooked if too high.

Beef

True, well-fed beef may be known by the texture and colour; the lean will exhibit an open grain of deep coral-red, and the fat will appear of a healthy, oily smoothness, rather inclining to white than yellow. The suet firm and white. Yellow fat is a test of meat of an inferior quality. Heifer- beef is but little inferior to ox beef; the lean is of a closer grain, the red paler, and the fat whiter. Cow beef may be detected by the same signs, save that the older the beast the texture of the meat will appear closer, and the flesh coarser to the sight, as well as harder to the touch. Scotch cattle, bred in English pastures, produce the best beef. The Devon and Hereford stock affords good beef; the Lincolnshire breed will not bear comparison with it.

Veal

When you observe the kidney well surrounded with fat, you may be sure the meat is of a good quality. The whitest is not the best veal; but the flesh of the bull-calf is a brighter colour than that of the cow-calf. The fillet of the latter is generally preferred, on account of the udder. There is a vein in the shoulder very perceptible; and its colour indicates the freshness of the meat; if a bright red or blue, it is recently killed; if any green or yellow spots are visible, it is stale. The suet will be flabby, and the kidney will smell.

Mutton

The best is of a fine grain, a bright colour, the fat firm and white. It is better for being full-grown. The meat of the ewe is not so bright, while the grain is closer. The ram mutton may be known by the redness of the flesh, and the sponginess of the fat.

Lamb should be eaten very fresh. In the fore quarter, the vein in the neck being any other colour than blue betrays it to be stale. In the hind quarter, try the kidney with your nose; the faintness of its smell will prove it to be stale.

Poke

In young pork the lean when pinched will break; the thickness and toughness of the rind shows it to be old. In fresh pork the flesh is firm, smooth, a clear color; and the fat set. "When stale it looks clammy and flabby. Measly pork may be detected by the kernels in the fat; it should not be eaten. Dairy-fed pork bears the palm over all others.

Bacon

Excellent young bacon may be thus known: - the lean will be tender and of a bright colour; the fat firm and white, yet bearing a pale rose tinge; the rind thin, and the lean tender to the touch. Rusty bacon has yellow streaks in it.

Hams

The test of a sweet ham is to pass a sharp knife to the bone, and when drawn out smell it; if the knife is, daubed greasy, and the scent disagreeable, it is bad. A good ham will present an agreeable smell when the knife is withdrawn.