jrtÁPiM^ Beef and Veal in Family Meals '7A Guide for Consumers ^ ^, i^s, UNITED STATES HOME AND PREPARED BY DEPARTMENT OF GARDEN BULLETIN AGRICULTURAL AGRICULTURE NUMBER 118 RESEARCH SERVICE CONTENTS Page Page Buying beef and veal 1 General principles of cookery 10 Identification of cuts 2 Degree of doneness _ 10 Ground and stew meat 2 Cooking time _._ 11 Variety meats 3 Cooking frozen meat 12 Aged meat' 3 Basic cooking methods 12 Cured meat 3 Roasting 13 Tenderized meat 4 Rôtisserie cooking _ ___ IS Signs of good quality 4 Broiling 15 Prices 6 Outdoor broiling 15 Amount to buy 6 Pan broiling 17 Storage 8 Pan frying 17 Braising 17 Fresh meat 8 Simmering _ 20 Frozen meat 8 Cooking variety meats 21 Processed meats and Making gravy 23 meat products 8 Recipes 24 Cooked meats and Index «=.. 37 meat products 9 Other publications 38 j Prepared by Consumer and Food Economics Institute tfÂgriculturai Research Service Acknowledgment is made to the Nationol Live Stock and Meat Board for supplying photographs of the retail meat cuts. Revised June 1975 Washington, D.C. Slightly revised January 1978 BEEF AND VEAL IN FAMILY MEALS: A Guide for Consumers Meat is a mainstay of the The average family in this coun- American diet, and beef is the try spends more than one-third meat that Americans eat in great- of every food dollar for meat, est quantity. poultry, and fish, so it makes good Veal, though less popular than sense to be informed when you beef, is prized for its delicate fla- buy and cook it. vor and fine texture. // you are puzzled by retail beef Beef and veal abound in flavor and veal cuts and unsure about and nutritive value. Whether you how to prepare them, this publica- eat a hearty steak, a quick ham- tion can answer many of your burger, or a savory veal cutlet, questions. you get high-quality protein, B Illustrations help you identify vitamins, and iron. The variety the numerous beef and veal cuts meats (liver, heart, kidney, and found in supermarkets. Next you other organs of beef and veal) will find information on how to are rich sources of these nutri- select and store these meats, and ents. In addition, beef and calf how to choose a cooking method liver are widely acclaimed for for each cut. vitamin A value. If you are new at cooking, you will particularly welcome the step- Lean, well-trimmed beef pro- by-step directions for basic beef vides only a moderate number of and veal cookery. calories. Calories per serving are Experienced homemakers can included here for some of the beef benefit from the up-to-date meth- and veal cuts cooked by various ods and timetables. Streamlined methods, and for all beef and veal recipes and quick variations fit recipes. today's tempo. BUYING BEEF AND VEAL Beef and veal are both produced months old. Baby beef comes from from cattle—the age of the ani- animals only 7 to 10 months old. mal is the difference. Veal usually Veal is grayish pink, smooth comes from cattle less than 3 textured, and has very little fat. It has a delicate flavor when months old. Beef comes from more cooked. Beef is red in color and mature animals—usually 15 to 30 has a coarser grain. 1 Identification of Cuts • Boneless brisket is a thin flat piece of meat that has been Learn to identify meat cuts by boned; it often is cured and sold their appearance. Names given to as corned beef. cuts of meat differ in various • A crown roast of veal has parts of the country and some- rib sections "frenched" (meat re- times even from store to store in moved from the end of each rib the same town. Names often indi- bone). The ribs are shaped and cate the section of the carcass fastened into a crown. Chops also from which the meat was cut. may be "frenched." Study the illustrations (pages 18 • Kidney chops of veal are loin and 19) and table 1 below. With chops with a slice of kidney. a little practice you will learn to • Breast of veal may be boned recognize the different cuts. and rolled, or the breast bone may The part of the carcass from be removed to form a pocket be- which the meat was cut is a good tween the ribs and lean for stuff- guide to the best cooking meth- ing. ods. Meat from the upper middle • A cushion shoulder of veal is sections (rib and loin) is the most a square flat piece of meat made tender and can be cooked by dry by removing the bones from the heat methods. Meat from the blade roast. Taking out the bones shoulder (chuck), round (or forms a pocket that can be filled rump), shank, and plate is less with stuffing. tender and is usually cooked by moist heat methods. Other beef and veal cuts (not Ground and Stew Meat illustrated) include: Ground meat is sold in bulk, • Filet mignon is the tenderloin loaves, or patties. Ground round of beef, frequently is leaner than regular • Delmonico steak is the rib ground beef or ground chuck and eye. commands a higher price. TABLE 1.—Identification of retail cuts of meat Retail cuts Section of carcass Beef Veal Shoulder Chuck roasts Shoulder roasts Rib Rib roasts and steaks Rib roasts and chops Loin Club, T-bone, and porter- Loin roasts and chops house steaks Sirloin Sirloin steaks Sirloin roasts and steak Round , Round and rump roasts, Round and rump roasts, round steaks cutlets, and round steak Foreshank Shank crosscuts Shank and shank crosscuts Short plate Short ribs Breast and riblets Flank Flank steak None Ground veal is sold as loaves or mus gland disappears as the ani- patties. Mixtures of ground beef, mal matures, sweetbreads are veal, and pork are sometimes sold available only from veal and very for meat loaf. young beef. Stew meat—beef or veal—con- Tripe consists of the plain or sists of cubes or small pieces of smooth lining from the first beef boneless meat. stomach, the honeycombed lining from the second stomach, and the Variety Meats pocket-shaped part from the end Beef variety meats include of the second stomach. The pocket- liver, heart, kidneys, brains, shaped section is smooth on the tongue, sweetbreads, and tripe. outside and honeycombed inside. Variety meats from veal usually Honeycombed tripe is considered are smaller, more tender, finer in a great delicacy. You can buy texture, milder in flavor, and tripe partially cooked, pickled, or lighter in color than those from canned. beef. Liver is a fine-textured variety Aged Meat meat with a distinctive flavor and Fresh meat usually reaches the high nutritive value. Whole liver consumer within 6 to 10 days after should have a moist, smooth sur- slaughter. Some high-quality beef, face when bought; sliced liver however, is ''aged" by holding it may appear slightly porous. at temperatures of 34^ to 38** F. Heart is very firm and smooth for 3 to 6 weeks, or by holding it textured. Long, slow cooking in for 2 days at about 70**. Ultra- liquid is needed to make it tender. violet light is used to reduce bac- Kidneys from beef and veal con- terial growth in the second sist of irregular lobes and deep method. clefts. Veal kidneys are more ten- Aging develops additional ten- der and delicate than beef kidneys. derness and characteristic flavor. Brains are soft, very tender, Since proper aging of meat re- and delicate in flavor. Veal and quires controlled conditions, it is beef brains differ little in flavor, not practical to do it at home. texture, and tenderness. Tongue is one of the less tender variety meats and needs long, slow Cured Meat cooking in liquid. Tongue can be In curing, the meat is treated bought fresh, pickled, corned, or with curing ingredients—pri- smoked. marily salt and sugar. After cur- Sweetbreads, the thymus ing, the meat may be smoked with glands, are made up of two parts a nonresinous wood for added —the heart sweetbread and the flavor. Hickory is a popular wood throat, or neck, sweetbread. They for smoking cured meats. are white and soft and have a Cuts of beef frequently cured very delicate taste. Since the thy- are the brisket (called corned beef when cured), the tongue, and some sausages and luncheon meats that contain beef. Dried beef, another cured product, is usually made from the round. Veal tongue may- be cured, but other veal cuts usual- ly are not. Tenderized Meat Meat sometimes is treated be- it was processed under sanitary fore cooking to increase tender- conditions, and that it is honestly ness. Some tenderizing treatments labeled. It appears on each whole- are applied before the meat is sale cut of an inspected and ap- sold; others are applied in the proved carcass and may or msiy home. The two chief methods of not appear on the smaller retail tenderizing meat are— cuts. The colored stamping fluid is • Treatment with liquid or harmless and need not be trimmed powdered tenderizers. Meat some- from meat before cooking. times is treated with liquid ten- Processed meats—certain cured derizer before sale. The tenderizer products, such as corned beef or may be injected into the vascular dried beef, canned meats, and system of the animal before frozen meat products—have a slaughter; this meat usually is similar circle on the package, can, sol(i under a trade name. Or, pow- or label. This stamp indicates that dered tenderizers can be bought the product carries the same as- for home use.