Frozen meat

“ They always boil their mutton, only roasting the breast as a delicacy. On a winter's journey, when the frozen meat requires extra time for cooking, they eat it half raw, slicing off pieces from the surface, and returning it again to the pot. ”

“ If thawed in water the least warm, the meat will spoil, and be rendered unfit to eat. Meat that has been frozen, requires a much longer time to cook, than if that accident had not happened. All frozen animals must be thawed in cold water previous to cooking. Cold roast-beef is much liked in England. In America, where meat is more abundant, and therefore less costly, it is not considered a proper dish to place before a visitor; therefore, in our country, a large piece is seldom cooked with a view to next day's dinner. ”

“ Cold is one means of preserving meat from decay. In the markets of northern Russia, the frozen carcases of animals stand exposed for sale in the winter air for a considerable time, and are sawn in pieces, like sticks of wood, as the purchases are made; such meat, when thawed, being entirely fit for food. Beef and pork are preserved by salting down in brine, and in this condition may be carried on long voyages or kept for future use. Salted meat is not as nutritious as fresh, since the brine absorbs its rich juices and hardens its fibres. ”

“ Frozen meat is that which has been kept well below freezing point, and can be kept for an indefinite time. Chilled meat is not frozen, but it can be kept wholesome for some weeks when in a low temperature. Chilled meat is of better quality than frozen meat, and, as the Argentine ports are within three weeks of Smithfield, her produce has a distinct advantage over that of countries farther away, where the journey takes six weeks, and the meat cannot be kept chilled, but must be frozen. ”

“ Meat which is intended for freezing purposes should be thoroughly chilled before being sent to the freezers, as it not only aids in the freezing of the beef, but it has a much better appearance when it comes from the freezer if it is properly chilled before being frozen. ”

“ Class I. Meats intended for immediate consumption and passed to the consumer within, at the most, one week after slaughter. Class II. Cold storage meats, which are placed in refrigerators, frozen, and kept for a longer period than one week. There is evidently also a limit to the length of time which meat should remain in cold storage, no matter how low the temperature may be, since the action of organisms which produce decay cannot be entirely overcome. The exact limit at which frozen meats can be kept without becoming inedible has not been determined. ”

“ To the gravy that is now running from the meat add nothing but a tea-cup of boiling water. Skim it, and send it to table in a boat. Serve up with the beef in a small deep plate, scraped horseradish moistened with vinegar.
Fat meat requires more roasting than lean, and meat that has been frozen will take nearly double the usual time.
Basting the meat continually with flour and water is a bad [71] practice, as it gives it a coddled par-boiled appearance, and diminishes the flavour. ”

“ The ravages of cattle diseases in South Africa is strongly suggested on seeing refrigerator cars being emptied of frozen meat. The poorer portions of beeves and sheep find their way to the compounds, the meat being eaten by the mine "boys." The frozen meat comes from Australia and New Zealand, arriving every week, and is shipped to what is called an agricultural country. ”

“ It is true that, when meat has been once frozen, its flavor is injured, but the reduction of meat to 32° or thereabouts, and the solidification of its juices, are very different things; and it would be easy to regulate the temperature within a range of several degrees. ”

“ Progressive authorities recognize the necessity of freezer storage in meat plants. In combination pork and beef or pork plants, newer installations will be made with far less curing space for sweet pickled meats and far greater space for storing meats frozen either before or after curing to the end of producing palatable meats, not salt soaked and of inferior quality. There are slaughtering plants for export where beef is shipped chilled or frozen, and mutton frozen. ”

“ If the weather is very cold, however, and there is danger that the meat will freeze hard before morning, haste is made to cut it up the same day, or else it is put into a basement or other warm room, or a large fire made near it to prevent it from freezing. Meat that is frozen will not take salt, or keep from spoiling if salted. Salting is one of the most important of the several processes in the art of curing good bacon, and the pork should be in just the right condition for taking or absorbing the salt. ”

“ If the meat be frozen, it should be thawed, by putting it into cold water, before it is put on the spit.
The process of roasting requires some care to conduct it properly. The meat [83] should be gradually turned before the fire, in order to effect its uniform exposure to the rays of heat. A covering of paper prevents the fat from taking fire, and frequently basting the meat with gravy or melted fat, prevents it from being scorched or becoming dry, bitter, and unpalatable. It is necessary to be very careful in placing the meat to be roasted at a proper distance from the fire. ”

“ The lean of good fresh beef is of a bright red color, a fine close grain, and feels tender to the touch on pinching it between your thumb and finger. The fat is firm and very nearly white. The suet about the kidney, firm and quite white. If, on the contrary, the lean is coarse, tough, and of a dull color, and the fat scanty, yellow, and moist, do not buy that meat for any purpose. The same rules will apply to mutton. If the weather is so cold that the meat is frozen, thaw it by lying it all night or early in the morning in a tub of cold water. ”

“ Packers, using ice machinery for cooling, can bring the temperature low enough during the warm weather to properly chill the meat; however, it must not be frozen. If the cooler in which meats are chilled is not cold enough to make the Hams, Shoulders, Bellies, etc., firm and solid in 48 hours, it is advisable to lay the meat on the floor over night and place crushed ice over it; this will harden the meat. 73 Those using a common ice house can employ the crushed ice method, which is to spread the meat on the floor and throw cracked ice over the meat, allowing it to remain over night. ”

“ Frank explained to me that some chicken producers blast their birds with air as cold as -40o F, but he never does. Freezing causes a breakdown in protein, loss of natural juices, and reduced tenderness. Also, when you cook a frozen bird, the bones and nearby meat may turn an unappetizing dark color. ”

“ Before leaving the subject of animal food I may say a few words on the latest, and perhaps the greatest, triumph of science in reference to food supply—i.e. the successful solution of the great problem of preserving fresh meat for an almost indefinite length of time. It has long been known that meat which is frozen remains fresh. ”

“ In selecting Beef, take that which has a coarse, loose grain, which easily yields to the pressure of finger, or knife; which is a purplish red, and has whitish fat. Ox Beef is best. If the lean is purplish and the fat very yellow, it is bad Beef. If it is coarse-grained and hard to break or cut, it is tough. Stall-fed has lighter fat than grass-fed Beef.
If meat is frozen, lay it in cold water to thaw. A piece of ten pounds, or more, will require all night to thaw. Beef and Mutton improve by keeping. Meat is better for not being frozen, except fresh Pork. ”

“ The accession of putrefaction is prevented, and its progress arrested, by a temperature below that at which water freezes. In the colder climates of the world, butchers’ meat, poultry, and even vegetables, are preserved from one season to the other in the frozen state. In North America millions are thus supplied with animal food, which, we can state, from personal experience, is often superior in flavour, tenderness, and apparent freshness, to that from the recently killed animal. ”

“ Some days I would go without any fire at all, and eat raw frozen meat and melt snow in my mouth for water. ”

“ If possible, keep the meat so clean that it will not be necessary to wash it, as water extracts the juices. When it is frozen, lay it in cold water to thaw, and then cook quickly, to prevent its losing its moisture and sweetness. ”

“ POULTRY
The box of frozen poultry your dealer displays fresh from cold storage is most attractive and appetizing. A Nationally known name on the box guarantees the quality. Such poultry was especially selected and carefully fed some time before killing. It is fine-flavored and dainty. Always buy your frozen poultry in the frozen state and thaw it out at home. Directions for thawing are on page 13.
Cold storage makes possible a full variety of foods at all seasons
[11]
GREAT VARIETY OF MEAT CUTS
The great importance of meat as food lies in its high protein content. ”

“ The moisture is well preserved by freezing, a little from the surface only evaporating; so that if cooked when three, four, or five months old, meat will frequently appear as profuse of gravy, as if it had been but recently killed.” Captain Scoresby has not informed us why fish cannot be taken to Greenland in a frozen state, though this is a mode of preservation much used in Russia and Germany, and even in this country.
Some attention is necessary for thawing provisions which have been frozen. “When used, the beef cannot be divided but by an axe or saw ”

“ The freezing of meats such as beef and poultry, and holding them to a desirable season has rapidly become an important factor in packing house work. Not only beef, poultry, butter and other food products are accumulated, but pork cuts, such as hams, shoulders, bellies, etc., are frozen and carried indefinitely or until it appears desirable to thaw and cure them. ”

“ Actual freezing, many contend, injures the quality of meat, and certainly if the meat is heated carelessly on arrival it quickly deteriorates. As a matter of fact, however, most meat is now "chilled," that is packed in chambers in which the air is made cold, but is not suffered to reach freezing point. ”

“ For example, a pound of bologna has as much protein as a pound of smoked ham and even a little more than a pound of beef with a moderate amount of bone and fat. Some of the canned meats provide economical main dishes, too, especially when extended with other foods.
Cool quickly any leftover meat, broth, or gravy (set pan in iced or very cold water) ; refrigerate at once. Store in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Cooked meat loses flavor quickly; cover or wrap loosely and plan to use within 1 or 2 days. Broth, gravy, and sauce made with meat are highly perishable. ”

“ Freeze-Em-Pickle is a preparation for Curing Hams, Shoulders, Bacon, Corned Beef, Dry Salt Meat, Pickled Pork and Meat for Making Bologna and other kinds of sausage, etc. The Freeze-Em-Pickle Process retards fermentation and souring of brine when used according to our directions. It gives a delicious, mild flavor, curing the meat more uniformly and with a fine color. By its use curing is made easier, and anyone, without being experienced, can cure meats successfully. ”

“ Frozen pork, particularly cured or seasoned pork, will not retain its quality as long as beef or lamb. Pork should be frozen as soon after cutting as possible before any spoilage or rancidity can occur. Usually the hams, bacon, and shoulders are cured and do not require freezing. ”

“ It is necessary that the greatest care should be exercised not to let the pork freeze while curing. Brine for barreled pork will not freeze at the freezing point of water, but the meat in the brine will freeze, and will not cure if the temperature is lower than the freezing point for any length of time. ”

“ Smoked beef is good if stewed a few minutes with a lump of butter mixed with flour and enough milk to cover the whole, which may be seasoned with pepper. Fried fish that has become cold can be revived in the same way; the flour may be omitted and some salt must be added.
An onion may be boiled in bread sauce, and removed before serving, or pepper may be added; celery chopped and cooked in a stew or sauce adds a peculiarly pleasant flavor. Tough meat of all kinds should be stewed, and except salt pork, meat should be rarely fried. ”

“ Still another nice way of using cold meats is to mince the lean portions very fine and add to a batter made of one pint of milk, one cup of flour and three eggs. Fry like fritters and serve with drawn butter or sauce.
COLD MEAT AND POTATO, BAKED.
Put in a frying pan a round tablespoonful of cold butter; when it becomes hot, stir into it a teaspoonful of chopped onion and a tablespoonful of flour, stirring it constantly until it is smooth and frothy; then add two-thirds of a cupful of cold milk or water. ”

“ At a temperature of 28 degrees, the meat will not freeze after it is cured, and the brine of course does not freeze, as salt water will not freeze, at that temperature. When meat is taken out of such cold storage to be smoked, it should first be soaked for three to five hours in fresh water, then washed in boiling hot water and smoked the same as regular fresh cured meat. ”

“ The batter, or egg and bread-crumbs form a sort of crust which keeps it tender and juicy. Any attempt to fry cold meat without either results in a hard, stringy, uneatable dish.
White Meat of any kind is excellent warmed over in a little milk, in which you have cut a large onion, and, if you like it, a slice of salt pork or ham, and a little sliced cucumber, if it is summer; thicken with the yolks of one or two eggs, added after the whole has simmered twenty minutes; take care the egg thickens in the gravy, but does not boil, or it will curdle. ”