The middle cut has no bone, but it is not tender. It is better for braising than for roasting. Some- times the rump is not divided, and is cut into steaks. If cut parallel with the backbone, it will be tough. If cut at right angles, and from the end nearest the loin, it makes the The Boston Cook Book. 217 best steaks, and is well worth the extra price charged for cutting in this manner. The face of the rump has a thick piece of fat in the middle, often purposely' covered by a thin cutting from the ten- derloin. This is a cheap piece for roasting, but not of the best qualit3\ The sirloin is se^^arated from the rump in a slant- ing direction. Never buy the first slice, as it alwaj^s has a small narrow bone near the top in addition to the rib, and a larger por- tion of tough flank and gristle than the middle or second cuts. As it lies on yig. 21. Sirloin Roast, second Cut. the counter you ma}^ easily tell if it be the first slice by the small bone ; and if you press on the top of the meat near the middle, a small sec- tion of meat bulges out. This is the end of the muscle forming the face of the rump and vein, and is very tough. The second cut of sirloin has the most tenderloin, and only a straight rib at right angles with the backbone. Any part after the first slice is taken off, until you come to the tip, is called the second cut, and is sold for roasts or steak. The tip is very juicy. The whole hind-quarter is hung up by the shin, the juices all flow down, and the tip holds a large portion. The muscles which are the least used have the most tender fibre and the least juice. These muscles, lying along the loin or middle of the backbone, above the ribs, and forming the top of the sirloin, are more tender, but less juicy, than those of the rump and round. The tenderloin, Ij-ing along the middle of the back under the sirloin, from below the tip to the face of the rump, is protected b}^ its bed of suet below, and its roof of bones above. It is a muscle very little used, is very tender, but dry, and entirely without flavor. This is removed 2l8 The Boston Cook Book. whole, and sold as the long fillet ; or divided, and the smaller part, Ij'ing under the rump, sold as the short fillet. In cold weather it is economy to bu}^ a large sirloin. Remove the fillet, or tenderloin, and cook that first, as it Fig. 22. Tip of Sirloin. spoils easily ; corn the flank, or use it for a stew ; and roast the upper part. If very large, roast it slightly the first time, and it may be roasted again for a second dinner. The Fore Quarter. The back half of the fore quarter has the backbone on the upper edge. The best roasting piece is the first cut of the rib, which joins the tip of the sirloin, and is sometimes sold for the tip. The tip has onl}^ one thick muscle above the rib, and the bones are usually slanting. One side of the first cut of the rib looks just like the tip ; the other side has the beginning of another tough muscle next to the skin, and the bones are straight. There are ten ribs in the fore quarter ; three are left in the sirloin. This first cut may be one, two, three, or four ribs ; but two are enough to roast for a small family. The shoulder blade begins in the fifth rib, and above this lie what are called the chuck ribs. The meat above the blade is tough, and

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The middle cut has no bone, but it is not tender. It is better for braising than for roasting. Sometimes the rump is not divided, and is cut into steaks. If cut parallel with the backbone, it will be tough. If cut at right angles, and from the end nearest the loin, it makes the The Boston Cook Book. best steaks, and is well worth the extra price charged for cutting in this manner. The face of the rump has a thick piece of fat in the middle, often purposely covered by a thin cutting from the tenderloin. This is a cheap piece for roasting, but not of the best quality The sirloin is separated from the rump in a slanting direction. Never buy the first slice, as it always has a small narrow bone near the top in addition to the rib, and a larger portion of tough flank and gristle than the middle or second cuts. As it lies on [illustration: Fig. 21. Sirloin Roast, second Cut.]. Sirloin Roast, second Cut. the counter you may easily tell if it be the first slice by the small bone ; and if you press on the top of the meat near the middle, a small section of meat bulges out. This is the end of the muscle forming the face of the rump and vein, and is very tough. The second cut of sirloin has the most tenderloin, and only a straight rib at right angles with the backbone. Any part after the first slice is taken off, until you come to the tip, is called the second cut, and is sold for roasts or steak. The tip is very juicy. The whole hind-quarter is hung up by the shin, the juices all flow down, and the tip holds a large portion. The muscles which are the least used have the most tender fibre and the least juice. These muscles, lying along the loin or middle of the backbone, above the ribs, and forming the top of the sirloin, are more tender, but less juicy, than those of the rump and round. The tenderloin, lying along the middle of the back under the sirloin, from below the tip to the face of the rump, is protected by its bed of suet below, and its roof of bones above. It is a muscle very little used, is very tender, but dry, and entirely without flavor. This is removed The Boston Cook Book. whole, and sold as the long fillet ; or divided, and the smaller part, lying under the rump, sold as the short fillet. In cold weather it is economy to buy a large sirloin. Remove the fillet, or tenderloin, and cook that first, as it Fig. 22. Tip of Sirloin. spoils easily ; corn the flank, or use it for a stew ; and roast the upper part. If very large, roast it slightly the first time, and it may be roasted again for a second dinner. The Fore Quarter. The back half of the fore quarter has the backbone on the upper edge. The best roasting piece is the first cut of the rib, which joins the tip of the sirloin, and is sometimes sold for the tip. The tip has only one thick muscle above the rib, and the bones are usually slanting. One side of the first cut of the rib looks just like the tip ; the other side has the beginning of another tough muscle next to the skin, and the bones are straight. There are ten ribs in the fore quarter ; three are left in the sirloin. This first cut may be one, two, three, or four ribs ; but two are enough to roast for a small family. The shoulder blade begins in the fifth rib, and above this lie what are called the chuck ribs. The meat above the blade is tough, and

Mrs. Lincoln's Boston cook book