Buckeye cookery

he lean of mutton is quite different from that of beef. While beef is a bright carnation, mutton is a deep, dark red. The hind-quarter of mutton ig best for roasting. The ribs may be used for chops, and are the sweeter; but. the leg chops are the most economical, as there is much less bone, and no hard meat, as on the ribs. For mutton roast, choose the shoulder, the sad- dle, or the loin or haunch. The leg should be boiled. Small rib chops are best for broiling; those cut out from the leg are generally tough. Mutton cutlets to bake are taken from the neck. Almost any part will do for broth. As much of the fat should be removed as practicable; then cut into small pieces and simmered slowly until the meat falls to pieces. Drain off and skim off any remaining: fat, and thicken with rice or vermicelli. Mutton is in season at any time, but is not so good in autumn. TonauE.—Beef’s tongue, calf’s tongue, lamb’s and sheep’s tongue, pig’s tongue, can all be procured of the butchers, and they are all prepared in the same way. Calf’s tongue is considered best, but it is usually sold with the head; beeve’s tongues are what is referred to generally when ‘tongue’? is spoken of. Lamb’s tongues are very nice. In purchasing tongues, choose those which are thick, firm, and have plenty of fat on the under side. To SeLect Hams.—The best hams, whether corned or cured and smoked, are those from eight to fifteen pounds in weight, having a thin skin, solid fat, and a small, short, tapering leg or shank. In selecting them, run a knife along the bone on the fleshy side; if it comes out clean the ham is good, but. if the knife is smeared it is spoiled. Hams may be steamed, being careful to keep the water under the steamer boiling, and allow twenty minutes to the pound. When done, brown slightly in the oven. Pork.—Great care must be taken in selecting pork. If ill-fed or diseased, no meat is more injurious to the health. The lean must be fine-grained, and both fat and lean very white. The rind should be smooth and cool to the touch. If clammy, be sure the pork is stale, and reject it. If the fat is full of small kernels, it is an indication of disease. In good bacon the rind is thin, the fat firm, and the lean tender. Rusty bacon has yellow streaks in it. Fresh pork should seldom be eaten, and never except in the fall and winter. LamMB is good at a year old, and more digestible than most immature meats. ‘‘Spring Lamb” is prized because unseasonable. It is much in- ferior to the best mutton. The meat should be light red and fat. If not too warn weather, it ought to be kept a day or two before cooking, but it does not keep well. It is stringy and indigestible if cooked too soona fter killing. The fore-quarter of lamb, if not fresh, the large vein in the neck, which should be blue, will be greenish in color. If the hind-quarter is stale, the kidney-fat will have a slight smell. GAME AND POULTRY. | To preserve game and poultry in summer, draw as soon as possible after | they are killed, wash in several waters, have in readiness a kettle of boiling water, plunge them in, drawing them up and down by the legs, so that the water may pass freely through them; do this for five minutes, drain, wipe dry, and hang in a cold place; when perfectly cold, rub the insides and necks with pepper; prepared in this way, they will keep two days in warm weather: when used wash thoroughly. Or wash well in soda-water, rinse in clear water, place inside several pieces of charcoal, cover with a cloth, and hang in a dark, cool place. The most delicate birds can be preserved in this 424 GAME AND POULTRY.