The best joints are the sirloin, rump, edge-bone, buttock, and the five or six fore-ribs; and the thin-flank, the sticking-piece, the leg, shin, and cheek, are the worst.
VEAL.
Instructions for choosing it.
Veal is best and cheapest from March to July.
Veal ought to be fine in the grain, firm, white, and fat. The leg bone should be small. If fresh, the eyes will be full and bright, the flesh not clammy but dry, and the large vein of the shoulder of a bright red. The kidney taints soonest, and if that be sweet, and neither soft nor slimy, the whole calf is fresh. On the contrary, if any part of the flesh be green or yellow, or feels flabby, it is stale. The fillet of a cow-calf is preferable on account of the udder, but the meat of the bull-calf is generally firmest, whitest, and best, when dressed. The finest calves have the smallest kidneys.
The Joints of Veal.
| Hind-Quarter. | Fore-Quarter. |
| 1 Loin, best end | 5 Fore-knuckle |
| 2 Loin, chump-end | 6 Neck, best end |
| 3 Fillet | 7 Neck, scrag end |
| 4 Hind-knuckle | 8 Blade-bone |
| 9 Breast, best end | |
| 10 Breast, brisket end |
A shoulder is the fore-knuckle and blade-bone together; and a leg is the fillet and hind-knuckle together.
The best end of the loin, the fillet, and the best end of the breast, are the choicest pieces: the knuckle, and scrag end of the neck, are the worst.