Making The Best Use

Of Fresh Meat

(Extracts from talk broadcast from

ZJV by the Nutrition Section of the

South Pacific Health Service).

TV/TEAT is one of the most prized foods in the world. Nearly every nation likes to eat meat and because of this great demand, it is expensive and the average family cannot afford to include it in its meals every day.

The consumption of meat varies con siderably throughout the world. Accord ing to the returns of the Food and Agri cultural Organisation of the United Nations, Argentina produces enough meat for every one of its people to obtain over 10 oz a day, if they can afford it. Aus tralia, New Zealand and some of the other South American countries are the next largest meat producers and could provide their people with 1 to 9 oz a day.

The other countries of the world have much less, the lowest amounts ieing one-sixth to half an ounce in South East Asia and parts of the Far East.

All lean meats provide body building proteins, iron and some of the vitamins necessary for good health. Liver and other organs are even richer in iron and vitamins than the so-called better cuts of meat The cheapest grades and cuts of meat, such as brisket and stewing steak, though fairly lean and not so tender, are as equally nutritious as the higher priced steaks and roasts. These cuts can taste just as well if prepared and cooked the right way. The chief difference is that cheaper meat takes more time in cooking and more skill in seasoning.

Cuts of meat differ in tenderness according to the age, fatness and part of the animal from which they are taken.

The part of the animal which gets the most exercise has more tough muscle.

The tender cuts of beef come from the rib and loin and make up about a quarter of the carcass. The less tender and less expensive cuts are the shoulder, flank, round, rump, neck brisket and shank.

In plump young lamb and pork all cuts are tender, while the rib and loin of veal are generally more tender than the rest of the carcass. The cheaper cuts of lamb, pork and veal—that is shoulder, breast and shank—make good chops, roasts, pot roasts and stews.

When buying meat, choose with care and thrift and always bear in mind how it is going to be cooked. This is im portant because meat cooked the wrong way can be tough and tasteless.

Bought meat should be unwrapped as soon as possible because the wrapping paper tends to draw r out the juices. Wipe with a damp cloth, place on a dry plate and coyer loosely with waxed paper or plastic and store in the coolest place possible. A slight drying of the cut surface will retard the growth of bacteria.

Use minced meat, whether it is cooked •r raw, as promptly as possible as it spoils more quickly than whole pieces.

After cooking, allow the meat to cool uncovered and then cover tightly to prevent the drying of the surfaces.

Meat nies, stews, soups and savoury sauces which have been thickened with flour or potatoes should be used as promptly as possible as they go bad very quickly.

There are many and various ways of cooking meat. To boil fresh meats, cut off any superfluous fat and weigh the joint. If over 4 lb allow the following cooking times, but if lighter than 4 lb allow proportionately less. For a thin piece, such as ribs of mutton, allow 15 minutes to the pound and 15 minutes over, but if the piece is thick, like a leg of mutton or round of beef, 20 minutes to the pound and 20 minutes over is the correct length of time to allow.

Pork and veal require 25 minutes to the pound and 25 minutes over. .If necessary, tie the meat in shape. Place the meat in boiling water sufficient to cover, bring to boiling point and skim.

Let it boil for five minutes to harden the outside, then allow to simmer during the rest of the time. Seasoning should be added when half cooked.

Serve boiled mutton with white, parsley, onion or caper sauce, boiled rabbit with onion sauce, and boiled fowl with egg sauce. A small fowl or rabbit will cook in three quarters of an hour; large ones will take from IVz hours to 2 hours according to their age. A rabbit should he soaked in salted water for one hour before cooking.

Heavily salted meat should be soaked overnight in cold water and then placed in fresh cold water and brought very slowly to boiling point. The water should be poured off and fresh boiling water poured on. The meat should then be simmered very slowly until tender. Allow 30-35 minutes to every pound according to the thickness of the piece.

Skim frequently when simmering and when tender serve with cooked carrot, turnip, dumplings and greens.

Boiled salt pork should be skinned and sprinkled with bread raspings. Boiled ham is cooked in the same way. If ham is to be eaten cold, allow it to cool in the cooking water. This makes the ham more mellow and juicy. When taken out of the water, remove the skin and cover with bread raspings or glaze. meat is a good hot weather food.

There are several ways of serving it, but one of the most delicious and less well-known is with a glaze. This is merely a strong, well-flavoured gelatine mixture. It can be made by adding gelatine to a stock, or by evaporating stock to form a jelly. When the mixture begins to thicken it is poured oyer the cold meat or the meat may be placed in a mould and the glaze mixture poured round it.

Meat Glaze

Place 2 quarts of good stock (white) in a clean pan with 1 or 2 pints of cold water and reduce. Skim well during re duction. As liquid decreases in bulk change into smaller pans. As liquid thickens care must be taken to prevent burning. When reduced to a consistency of treacle pour into jars and seal. Use as required.

Quickly Made Meat Glaze

1 gill brown stock. *4 oz gelatine. 1 teaspoon Marmite, Vegemite or Bovril if liked.

Melt the gelatine in the stock, add flavouring, use when cool.

Meat Loaf

IVz cups stale breadcrumbs.

Vz cup milk. 2 eggs beaten or 2 dried eggs recon stituted. 3 cups fresh meat minced. 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped (if available).

Vz teaspoon salt.

Dash of pepper.

Little thyme.

'Mix together breadcrumbs, milk and eggs and allow to stand Vz hour. Mix together meat, apples, and onion, stir in seasonings and soaked crumbs and pack into a loaf tin. Bake in a moderately hot oven for about 35 minutes. This quantity will give a fair sized loaf which should serve about eight people. It may be served hot with gravy or sauce, or sliced cold with gravy or tomato sauce or sliced with salad.