BEEF

(bēfe). Syn. Chaire de bœuf , Du bœuf , Fr.; Rindfleisch , ., Ger.; Bu′bula , Ca′′ro bo′vis , ., L. The flesh of bovine animals, generally; but ordinarily only that of the domestic ox, cow, or bull. Qual. Good beef is highly wholesome and nutritious; and is well adapted to persons of good appetite, or that labour or take much exercise. For the delicate, especially those suffering from debility, partial anæmia, amenorrhœa, and similar ailments, it is, perhaps, superior to every other kind of animal food. If cooked so as to be left full of gravy, it sits lightly on the stomach, and its fat proves even more digestible than that of either veal or mutton. It has been proved that under-done beef is one of the causes of tapeworm. Choice. Ox-beef is known by having a fine smooth, open grain, a lively and agreeable red colour, and a tender texture, with the fat of a pleasing pale whitish-yellow or but slightly yellow, and the suet white and hard. When fine and well fed, the flesh is inter-grained or marbled with fat.— Cow-beef has a closer grain than ox-beef, and the lean is of a deeper red.— Bull-beef is closer still, the fat dark, hard, and skinny, the lean of a deep coarse red, and it has a strong smell and flavour.— Heifer beef resembles ox-beef, except in being smaller, often an advantage; but it lacks the rich flavour of the flesh of full-grown oxen. Joints, Managem., . Beef is CURED , SALTED , and DRESSED , in all the ways common to the other meats; the only care nece ary being in the selection of the appropriate joint or part. The ribs, sirloin, rump, and veiny piece are the proper joints for ROASTING or BAKING . The buttock or round, edge-bone, second round or mouse-buttock, brisket, flank, shoulder or leg-of-mutton piece, and the clod, those generally BOILED , STEWED , or SALTED . The choicest STEAKS are cut from the middle of the rump; the next best from the veiny piece, or from the chuck-rib. In summer, excellent ones may also be cut from the shoulder. In France, steaks cut from the sirloin (without bone) are preferred to all others, and are exceedingly delicate and tender. The neck may be either stewed or boiled, and is much used to make soup and gravy. In the country, the round, when fine, and well hung, is also often roasted or baked. According to Mi Acton, “the finest part of the sirloin is the chump-end, which contains the larger portion of the fillet; of the ribs, the middle ones.” Beef is in season during the whole year, but is finest—when it is most relished—during the winter months, when, owing to the temperature of the air, it may be ‘hung’ a long time, and thus increased in tenderne and flavour. See Ox , Baking , Boiling , E ences , Roasting , Salting , Tea , . (also below ).