OTHER ANIMAL FOODS 49 



As pork often contains injurious worms called trichinae, 

 which are invisible without the aid of a microscope, 

 it should never be served rare, but always well done. 

 Whenever there is doubt about the condition of any 

 meat, the same precaution should be taken. If pre- 

 pared at all, it should be thoroughly cooked. 



How should a knowledge of the chemistry of meats 

 guide in the preparation of soups and stews ? In these 

 it is desirable to get out all of the juices possible. For 

 this reason but little heat is used, the meat being 

 allowed to simmer for several hours. Meats are gener- 

 ally considered to be the most difficult to digest when 

 fried, and the easiest to digest when rare-broiled or 

 roasted. 



Another useful fact to know about meats is that 

 cheaper cuts often contain a higher per cent of building 

 materials than those which are more expensive. For in- 

 stance, round steak usually has more proteid than 

 sirloin or " porter-house " and much less waste. Many 

 of the cheaper cuts from the neck or flank, when prop- 

 erly prepared, furnish a larger proportion of the use- 

 ful food elements than others that are more costly. 



As meat is such a commonly used food, it is important 

 to be able to tell that which is not wholesome. Good 

 beef is of a clear dark red color. It is firm and 

 compact, contains no clots of blood, and, if it has been 

 well nourished, is marbled with spots of white fat. 

 The flesh of old animals is darker and drier than that 

 of young animals, and their fat is of a yellowish color. 



