BEEF. 79 



The principal roasting-piece is /, the loin or sirloin ; r, the 

 rump, is the favorite steak-piece, while b, the buttock or 

 round, is very nice boiled, when corned, and is the piece 

 chosen par excellence for the popular dish, beef d la mode. 

 The flanks, (/, thick flank, and t f, thin flank) are also nice 

 for boiling, when corned ; A, the hock, and s, the shin, make 

 nice soups, and afford what is technically called stock, while 

 t, the tail, is used for ox-tail soup. These are the pieces in 

 the hind quarter. 



In the fore quarter, fr, fore rib, m r, middle rib, c r, chuck 

 rib, are all roasting-pieces, but not of equal excellence. The 

 part of the shoulder-blade of the middle rib being removed, 

 the spareribs below make a good broil or roast, n, the neck, 

 is used fresh for soup, and the back end of the brisket, b t, is 

 boiled, corned, or stewed. I m, leg-of-mutton piece, is coarse, 

 but is as frequently stewed as boiled, s, the shin, is used for 

 the same purposes as the shin and hock of the hind quarter. 



It will be observed that the most valuable pieces, the roast- 

 ing, are upon the upper part of the carcass ; and the inferior, 

 the boiling, occupy the lower part. Every beast, therefore, 

 that lays on beef on the upper parts of its body is more val- 

 uable to the butcher, than one that lays the same quantity of 

 flesh on its lower parts. (Stephens's Book of the Farm.) 



There is no difference in price between heifer and ox beef, 

 both being equally well fed. The lean of ox-flesh has a 

 brighter red, and the fat not so clear a white as heifer-beef, 

 and it is generally thought a little richer than cow-beef. 

 Good beef should have a tender feel, .a bright red color in 

 the lean parts, and be white in the fatty portions. 



A LA MODE BEEF. 



Take a piece of the round of beef, eight or ten pounds, 

 cut out the bone, and tie your beef in a handsome round 

 shape ; with a small, sharp knife make incisions in the beef, 



