The cheaper cuts of meat should have a long, slow cooking to break up the fiber. A cheap cut of meat often contains more nourishment than an expensive cut. For example, there is more nourishment in a well-cooked piece of round than in a well-cooked fillet. Tough meats are better boiled, as a lower degree of heat can be used and slower cooking.

How To Roast Beef

Beef should be well streaked with fat, of a bright red color, elastic to the touch, and have a thick outside layer of fat. Put the meat in the pan which has been heated hot on top of the stove, then sear the meat in the hot pan on all sides, turning it with a fork. Then place it in the pan on a rack, sprinkle first with flour, then with salt and pepper. Put two tablespoonfuls of drippings in the pan if you have them, but no water, as water steams the meat. Cook in a very hot oven for ten minutes, then reduce the heat, basting often with the fat in the pan. Roast ten minutes to a pound, if liked rare, and fifteen minutes if liked well done.

Rolled Roast - Should be cooked a little longer.

Searing - First cooking the meat in a hot oven hardens the outside and keeps the juices in. Place on the platter with the fat side up. Carve in thin slices across the grain.

Gravy For Roast Beef

Pour the fat from the pan in a bowl, then pour about a pint of hot water or stock in the pan, to get all of the settlings. Put four tablespoonfuls of hot fat in a sauce pan, stir into it two tablespoonfuls of flour, well mixed, stir in the hot water or stock from the pan. Season to taste with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup or mushrooms. Cook for ten minutes.

Yorkshire Pudding

Beat two eggs very lightly, add one-half teaspoon-ful of salt and one cup of milk. Stir this gradually on three-fourths cup of flour, beat until smooth. Pour in hot gem pans that have in them drippings from the roast beef. Bake in a hot oven thirty minutes, basting twice with beef drippings, but not until they have been baking for fifteen minutes. Serve around the roast beef. This is a much better way than baking it in a pan.

Fillet Of Beef

Have your butcher remove the fat veins and trim into shape. The best way of cooking it is to lard it. If you do not care to do that, first place it in the pan on several slices of pork and cover the top with thin, narrow strips, dredge with flour, salt and pepper, or cover the top of the fillet with buttered, seasoned crumbs. Place around the fillet one carrot, turnip and onion cut in thin slices, and a couple of stalks of celery. Cook in a hot oven for thirty minutes. After ten minutes' cooking pour into the pan one cup of stock. Baste frequently. The fillet should be served rare. Put in a sauce pan a couple of tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour. When melted, stir slowly in the gravy from the pan, which has been strained from the vegetables, and the fat skimmed off Pour into it a half can of mushrooms that have been drained from the liquor. Cook ten minutes. Pour around the fillet. If this does not make gravy enough add a little hot water to it.