16. Neck.
17. Shin.
18. Cheek.
TO CHOOSE BEEF.
Beef is in reality in season through the entire year, but it is best during the winter months, when it will hang a sufficient time to become tender before it is dressed. Meat of a more delicate nature is better adapted for the table in summer. The Christmas beef of England is too much celebrated to require any mention here.
If young and freshly killed, the lean of ox-beef will be smoothly grained, and of a fine, healthy, carnation-red, the fat rather white than yellow, and the suet white and firm. Heifer-beef is more closely grained, and rather less bright of colour, the bones are considerably smaller, and the fat of a purer white.
Of bull-beef we only speak to warn our readers that it is of all meat the coarsest and the most rank in flavour. It may be known by its dark hue, its close tough fibre, and the scanty proportion, bad appearance, and strong odour of its fat.
In choice and well-fed beef, the lean will be found intergrained with fat: very lean meat is generally of an inferior quality.
The ribs, the sirloin, and the rump, are the proper joints for roasting. The round, or buttock, the edgebone, the second round, or mouse-buttock, the shin, the brisket, the shoulder or leg of mutton piece, and the clod, may be boiled or stewed. The neck is generally used for soup or gravy; and the thin flank for collaring. The best steaks are cut from the middle of the rump; the next best from the veiny piece, or from the chuck-rib. The inside of the sirloin, commonly used for the purpose in France, makes by far the most delicate steaks; but though exceedingly tender, they are considered by some English epicures to be wanting in flavour.
The finest part of the sirloin is the chump-end, which contains the larger portion of the fillet; of the ribs, the middle ones are those generally preferred by experienced housekeepers.