172 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



the object in view of making a general contribution to our knowledge 

 of this important subject that we have planned the work of this dem- 

 onstration. 



The lean portion of beef is composed of cylindrical fibers about 

 1-500 of an inch in diameter, and from 1-50 of an inch to 2 inches 

 in length. Each of these fibers is composed of a cell wall of connective 

 tissue or sarcolemma enclosing the muscle plasma. This last is the 

 contracting substance of the muscle. These microscopic fibers are bound 

 together by enveloping sheaths of connective tissue, and these bundles 

 are again bound together into larger ones, so that the whole body of the 

 muscle is made up of a contracting muscle plasma and enveloping con- 

 nective tissue. 



The two ])rinie considerations in the selection of beef are tender- 

 ness and flavor. Toughness in meat is caused principally by the thickness 

 of the sarcolemma or other connective tissue. Age and exercise thicken 

 this substance and hence toughen the meat. Acid softens or gelatinizes 

 this portion of the muscle and hence renders the meat tender. Cooking 

 increases the acidity of meat, and this acid and the heat used, change 

 its connective tissue into gelatine. 



The fineness of the grain of meat is also an indication of the amount 

 of connective tissue present. Coarse grained meat is usually tough. 

 As good a way as I know to test the tenderness of a steak is to take 

 it between the thumb and forefinger and note the resistance which it 

 oflfers to firm pressure. One may pinch a hole in a tender steak in 

 this way very easy indeed. 



The color of meat is also to some extent of value as an indication 

 of tenderness. Dark meat is dark because of the amount of blood con- 

 tained in it. The more exercise the animal has had the tougher will 

 be his meat, the more blood will be in his muscles and the darker will 

 be the color of the lean. We see an instance of this fact in comparing 

 the meat of a fat young beef animal with that of a dairy cow. The lean 

 of the former will be a bright cherrv red ; and the lean meat of the 

 latter will be a very dark, bluish red, and is most undesirable. 



The color of the fat of meat is also useful as an indication of the 

 quality of beef. Fat that has been put on rapidly, as in successful 

 fattening, is light in color, and llir wliiUr the color the better we like it 

 Shorthorn and TTcrcford cattle have very white fat if quickly fattened. 

 The fat of Angus cattle is slightly darker, but is still of excellent qual- 

 ity. The fat of Jersey cattle, especially old ones, or those which have 

 been fattened slowly, is very dark and of a saffron yellow hue. 



The flavor of meat is due very largely to nitrogenous compounds 

 which are easilv extracted with water and which the chemist therefore 



