Cooley's Cyclopaedia of Practical Receipts Volume Ii Part 49

=MEAT, COLD, to Stew.= Let the cold meat be cut into slices about half an inch thick. Take two large-sized onions, and fry them in a winegla.s.s of vinegar; when done, pour them on to the meat; then place the whole in a stewpan, and pour over sufficient water to cover it. After stewing about half an hour add sufficient flour and b.u.t.ter to thicken the gravy, and also pepper, salt, and ketchup, to flavour; then let it simmer gently for another half an hour. Serve up with a little boiled rice around it.

=MEAT EXTRACTS.= Some preparations of this nature have been already noticed under the heads ESSENCE and EXTRACT; the following are additional and highly valuable formulae:--

_Prep._ 1. (Dr Breslau.) Young ox-flesh (free from fat) is minced small, and well beaten in a marble mortar, at first alone, and afterwards with a little cold or lukewarm water; the whole is then submitted to the action of a press, and the solid residuum is treated in the same manner, with a little more cold water; the juice (reddish in colour) is now heated to coagulate the alb.u.men, strained, and finally evaporated in a water bath to the consistence of an extract. As ordinary flesh contains only 1% of kreatine, while that of the heart, according to Dr Gregory, contains from 137% to 141%, this is the part employed by Dr Breslau. The product possesses an agreeable odour and taste; and is easily soluble in water.

2. (Falkland.) Fresh lean beef (or other flesh), recently killed, is minced very fine, and digested, with agitation, in cold water, 1 pint, to which hydrochloric acid, 6 drops, and common salt, 1 dr., have been added; after about an hour the whole is thrown upon a fine hair sieve, and the liquid portion allowed to drain off without pressure, the first portions that pa.s.s through being returned until the fluid, at first turbid, becomes quite clear and transparent; when all the liquid has pa.s.sed through, cold water, 1/4 pint, is gently poured on, in small portions at a time, and allowed to drain through into that previously collected. The product is about 3/4 pint of cold extract of flesh, having a red colour, and a pleasant, soup-like taste. It is administered cold to the invalid--a teacupful at a time, and must on no account be warmed, as the application of even a very slight heat causes its decomposition and the separation of a solid ma.s.s of coagulated alb.u.men. This cold extract of flesh is not only much more nutritious than ordinary beef tea, but also contains a certain quant.i.ty of the red colouring matter of blood, in which there is a much larger proportion of the iron requisite for the formation of blood-particles. The hydrochloric acid also greatly facilitates the process of digestion. This formula is a modification of the one recently recommended by Liebig for the preparation of a highly nutritive and restorative food for invalids.

3. (EXTRACTUM SANGUINIS BOVIS--Dr Mauthner.) Pa.s.s fresh blood (caught from the slaughtered animal) through a sieve, evaporate it to dryness in a water bath, and when cold rub it to powder.--_Dose_, 10 to 20 gr., or more, per diem, in a little water.

_Obs._ The above preparations are intended to supersede the inefficient compounds--beef tea, meat soups, &c.--during sickness and convalescence.

MM. Breslau and Mauthner describe their extracts of flesh and blood as being peculiarly advantageous in scrofulous exhaustion, exhaustion from anaemia, diarrha, &c. The extract of Falkland or Liebig is represented as having been employed both in the hospitals and in private practice at Munich with the most extraordinary success. It is said to be capable of a.s.similation with the least possible expenditure of the vital force.

=Meat, Fluid.= This preparation consists of lean meat, in which the alb.u.men has been changed so as to be non-coagulable by heat, and the fibrin and gelatin from their normal insoluble condition to one admitting of their being dissolved in water.

In this soluble condition, the first stage effected in stomach digestion, the several bodies are known as peptones or alb.u.minose, and the proportion of their simple const.i.tuents remains the same as in ordinary fibrin, alb.u.men, and gelatin.

The alteration is effected by finely mincing meat and digesting it with peptone, hydrochloric acid, and water, at a temperature of about 100 Fahr., until dissolved.

The solution is then filtered, the bitter principle, formed during the digestion, removed by the addition of a little pancreatic emulsion, and the liquor, which has been neutralised by the addition of carbonate of soda, evaporated to a thick syrup or extractive consistence.

Fluid meat is the only preparation which entirely represents, and yields the amount of nourishment afforded by, lean meat; it differs altogether from beef tea and extracts of meat, as all these contain only a small portion of the different const.i.tuents of meat. A patent has been granted to its inventor, Mr Darby.

=Meat, Liebig's Extract of.= _Syn._ EXTRACT OF FLESH, EXTRACTUM CARNO.

This preparation is an aqueous infusion evaporated to the consistence of a thick paste, of those principles of meat which are soluble in water.[32]

[Footnote 32: "Altered as they be by the Application of Heat." Deane and Brady, 'Pharmaceutical Journal,' Oct. 1866.]

It is chiefly composed of alkaline phosphates and chlorides, a nitrogenous crystalline base known as kreatine, various extractive matters, which it has been surmised may have originated in the decomposition of certain nitrogenous bodies, and possibly of a small quant.i.ty of lactic acid, as it contains neither alb.u.men nor fibrin, two of the most important and nutritious ingredients of flesh; it must not, therefore, be regarded as a concentrated form of meat. Liebig says that it requires 34 lbs. of meat to yield 1 lb. of this extract--a statement which, as Dr Pavy justly remarks, shows how completely the substance of the meat which const.i.tutes its real nutritive portion must be excluded. This absence of direct nutrient power, now admitted by physiologists, whilst disqualifying the extract as a subst.i.tute for meat, does not, however, preclude its use in certain cases of indisposition requiring the administration of a stimulant or restorative, in which circ.u.mstances it has been found a useful and valuable remedy, and has been suggested as a partial subst.i.tute for brandy where there is considerable exhaustion or weakness, accompanied with cerebral depression and lowness of spirits. In this latter respect its action seems a.n.a.logous to strong tea.

In the vast pastures of Australia and the pampas of South America are countless herds of oxen and sheep, whose numbers far exceed the food requirements of the comparatively spa.r.s.e population of those districts.

The fat, horns, hoofs, bones, skins, and wool of these cattle, which form the chief part of the wealth of those countries, are exported princ.i.p.ally to Europe. Until within a few years, however, no means had been adopted for the utilisation of the superfluous flesh of the animals, beyond employing it as a manure. By manufacturing it, however, into "extract of meat," this waste has been remedied, and immense works for its preparation are now erected both in South America and in Australia. The process followed by the different makers, although varying in some particulars, is essentially the same, and consists in extracting by water, either hot, cold, or in the form of the steam, those portions of the meat which are soluble in that fluid, and subsequently evaporating the solution so obtained until it becomes of a proper consistence to be put into jars. The extract so obtained keeps well (if all the fat and gelatin are removed), and is most conveniently adapted for exportation. It is said that the extract as being obtained from cattle that have had English progenitors possesses a flavour superior to that which comes from South America, where the animals are of a different and inferior breed.

The following interesting description of the manufacture of "Liebig's Extract of Meat" is taken from the Buenos Ayres 'Standard' of September, 1867. The establishment, of which it is a description, is at Fray Bentos, on the Uruguay, South America. "The new factory is a building which covers about 20,000 square feet, and is roofed in iron and gla.s.s. We first enter a large flagged hall, kept dark, cool, and extremely clean, where the meat is weighed, and pa.s.sed through apertures to the meat-cutting machines. We next come to the beef-cutting hall, where are four powerful meat-cutters, especially designed by the company's general manager, M. Geibert; each machine can cut the meat of 200 bullocks per hour. The meat being cut is pa.s.sed to 'digerators' made of wrought iron; each one holds about 12,000 lbs. of beef; there are nine of these digerators, and three more have to be put up. Here the meat is digerated by high-pressure steam of 75 lbs.

per square inch; from this the liquid which contains the extract and the fat of the meat proceeds in tubes to a range of 'fat separators' of peculiar construction. Here the fat is separated in the hot state from the extract, as no time can be lost for cool operation, otherwise decomposition would set in in a very short time.

"We proceed downstairs to an immense hall, sixty feet high, where the fat separators are working; below them is a range of five cast-iron clarifiers, 1000 gallons each, worked by high-pressure steam through Hallet's tube system.

"Each clarifier is provided with a very ingenious steam-tap. In the monstrous clarifiers the alb.u.men, fibrin, and phosphates are separated.

From hence the liquid extract is raised by means of air-pumps, driven by two thirty horse-power engines, up to two vessels about twenty feet above the clarifiers; thence the liquid runs to the other large evaporators. Now we ascend the staircase reaching the hall, where two immense sets of four vacuum apparatus are at work, evaporating the extract by a very low temperature; here the liquid pa.s.ses several filtering processes before being evaporated in vacuo. We now ascend some steps and enter the ready-making hall, separated by a wire gauze wall, and all the windows, doors, &c., guarded by the same to exclude flies and dust. The ventilation is maintained by patent fans, and the place is extremely clean. Here are placed five ready-making pans constructed of steel plates, with a system of steel discs revolving in the liquid extract.

"These five pans, by medium of discs, 100 in each pan, effect in one minute more than two million square feet evaporating surface.

"Here concludes the manufacturing process. The extract is now withdrawn in large cans and deposited for the following day.

"Ascending a few steps we enter the decrystallising and packing hall, where two large cast-iron tanks are placed, provided with hot water baths under their bottoms; in these tanks the extract is thrown in quant.i.ties of 10,000 lbs. at once, and here decrystallising is made a h.o.m.ogeneous ma.s.s and of uniform quality. Now samples are taken and a.n.a.lysed by the chemist of the establishment, Dr Seekamp, under whose charge the chemical and technical operations are performed.

"It may be mentioned that the company's butcher killed at the rate of 80 oxen per hour; separating by a small double-edged knife the vertebrae, the animal drops down instantaneously on a waggon, and is conducted to a place where 150 men are occupied dressing the meat for the factory, cutting each ox into six pieces; 400 are being worked per day."

Mr Tooth at a meeting before the "Food Committee" held at the Society of Arts in January, 1868, said that he did not claim any difference in the composition of his article (which was made in Australia) as compared with that made by the South American Company.

In the annexed table the composition of some of the extracts of meat of commerce is given:--

+--------------+-------------+-------+---------------+----------+----------+ Liebig's Tooth, French Company, Whitehead. Twentyman. Company. Sydney. South America. +--------------+------+------+-------+---------------+----------+----------+ Water 1856 1600 1706 1650 2449 2081 Extractive, soluble in alcohol 4543 5300 5128 2800 2208 1337 Extractive, insoluble 1393 1300 1057 4600 4447 5910 Mineral matter 2208 1800 2109 950 896 672 +------+------+-------+---------------+----------+----------+ 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 +--------------+------+------+-------+---------------+----------+----------+

The following are the characteristics of extract of meat of good quality.

It should always have an acid reaction, its colour should be a pale yellowish brown, and it should have an agreeable meat-like odour and taste. It should be entirely soluble in cold water, and should be free from alb.u.men, fat, and gelatin.

=Meat Pie.= Stew 2 lbs. of beef steak with one small onion, the gravy from which is to be thickened with flour, and flavoured with pepper and salt.

Put it into a baking dish, and cover with a lard crust. It should be baked for one hour. The addition of two kidneys will greatly improve the pie.

=Meat (Australian) Pie.= Take 2 lbs. of Australian meat, or 1-1/2 lb. of meat and 1/2 lb. of kidney. Season to taste, pour in a little water, cover with a lard crust, and bake _not more_ than half an hour.

=MEAT PRESERVING.= "The Belgian _Musee de l'Industrie_ notes the following methods of preserving meats as the most deserving of attention amongst those communicated to the French Academy of Sciences, and published in the _Comptes Rendus_. 1. M. Bundet's method, by which the meat is kept in water acidulated with carbolic acid in the proportion of 1 to 5 parts of acid per 1000 of water. A series of experiments proved that all kinds of meat could thus be kept fresh for lengthened periods, without acquiring an ill taste or odour.

"The meat may be placed in barrels or air-tight tin cases, filled with acidulated water of the strength above specified, and headed up; or the pieces may be packed in barrels or cases in alternate layers with charcoal, pounded small, and saturated with water containing 5/1000 of carbolic acid. The charcoal serves as a vehicle for the antiseptic fluid, and as an absorbent of any gaseous matters given off by the meat. The latter should be wrapped in thin linen covers to prevent the charcoal working its way into the tissues.

"This method, it is suggested, might be employed in curing pork in place of 'salting,' or of the more lengthy and costly process of 'smoking,' and also for the preservation of poultry, game, b.u.t.ter, eggs, &c.

"2. In the case of South American meat M. Baudet proposes the use of large sacks of caoutchouc. The meat should be packed in them, with alternate layers of charcoal as above described, and each sack, when filled, should be hermetically closed by drawing another empty caoutchouc sack, cap-wise, over it. The caoutchouc, it is supposed, would fetch enough in the market--its low price notwithstanding--to cover expenses of packing and freight, and so permit the meat to be sold in Europe at a very small advance on cost price. If intended for use a second time, the empty bags should be steeped in boiling water for a few minutes, to remove any organic impurities adhering to them.

"3. M. Gorge's method, which is in use in La Plata, consists in was.h.i.+ng and drying the meat, and afterwards steeping in successive waters containing hydrochloric acid and sulphite of soda, and then packing it in air-tight cases holding 1, 5, or 10 kilog. each. Meat thus treated requires to be soaked in warm water for about half an hour before use.

"4. M. Leon Soubeiran has recommended braying and drying, in the fas.h.i.+on adopted by the Chinese and Mongols, as described by M. Simon, French consul in China, in a communication made by him to the Societe d'Acclimatation. The _pemmican_ of our Arctic voyagers and the _charqui_ of South America are familiar examples of meat preserved by a.n.a.logous processes. The late M. Payen, a distinguished member of the Academy, insisted upon the great perfection to which this system might be carried by the aid of hot-air stoves and suitable apparatus."

Besides the foregoing, numerous patents have from time to time been taken out, and processes proposed for the preservation of meat; so as to enable it to be sent from those distant countries, such as South America, Australia, Canada, &c., where it is greatly in excess of the wants of the population, to other lands, in which the supply is as much below the demand, and the meat at such a price as to preclude its being regularly used as an article of food by the body of the people.

As the putrefactive changes set up in dead flesh are dependent upon the combined influences of moisture, air, and a certain temperature, it follows that most of the various methods of meat preservation resolve themselves into so many different efforts to remove the meat from the operation of one of the conditions above specified as necessary for its decomposition.

The _charqui_ or jerked beef of South America affords an example of meat preserved by means of being deprived of moisture. It occurs in thongs or strips which have been prepared by placing freshly killed meat between layers of salt and drying them in the sun. _Charqui_, although it retains its soundness for a great length of time, and is rendered eatable by soaking in water and prolonged cooking, is difficult of digestion and wanting in flavour, and if any fat be a.s.sociated with it, this is liable to become rancid.

_Pemmican_ is meat which, after being dried and powdered, is mixed with sugar and certain spices, both of which a.s.sist to preserve the meat as well as to improve its flavour, and to remove the tendency to rancidity caused by any fat that may be accidentally present.

Another process for the preservation of meat by means of desiccation is that of MM. Blumenthal and Chollet, who, in 1854, obtained a patent for preparing tablets composed of dried meat and vegetables, which, after being several times dipped into rich soup, were dried in warm air after each immersion.

At a meeting of the Food Committee, held at the Society of Arts, in May, 1868, specimens of dried beef and mutton in powder, from Brisbane, were shown by Mr Orr, who said they had been dried on tinned plates by means of steam. Dr A. S. Taylor, F.R.S., who examined the sample, found it perfectly fresh and good. It had been prepared at least six months previously.

At a subsequent meeting, the Committee reported that the soup prepared from this desiccated meat, with the addition of a small quant.i.ty of vegetables, was considered very successful, and the Committee were of opinion that meat so preserved was likely to prove a valuable and cheap addition to the food resources of the people.

The specimen from which the soup was made had been in the Society's possession, and formed part of the contents of a tin opened upwards of two years ago. The preservation was perfect.

We have only s.p.a.ce briefly to describe some of the more prominent of the processes which have been devised for the preservation of meat by excluding atmospheric air.

Mr Tallerman, a large importer of Australian meat, stated in evidence before the Food Committee of the Society of Arts, in May, 1870, that in the preservation of the meat he sent over to this country he had recourse to a very old practice, which was that of packing the joints in fat, the meat being previously salted or cured. Instead of the meat being packed in brine, the casks with the meat are filled up with melted fat.

In Mr Warrington's patent, which dates from 1846, it is proposed that animal substances shall be preserved by enveloping them in a layer of glue, gelatin, or concentrated meat gravy, or otherwise by dipping them in warm solutions of such substances, or by wrapping them in waterproof cloth, or by covering them with caoutchouc, gutta percha, or varnish, or thin cream of plaster of Paris, which when set was saturated with melted suet, wax, or stearin.

The patent of Prof. Redwood, which resembles Mr Warrington's in seeking to exclude atmospheric air by surrounding the meat with an impervious substance, claimed the use of paraffin for this purpose, the paraffin being afterwards coated with a mixture of gelatin and treacle, or gelatin and glycerin. The paraffin is easily removed from the meat by plunging this latter into boiling water, which dissolves the outer coating of gelatin mixture, and at the same time melts the paraffin and liberates the enclosed joint.

Messrs Jones and Trevethick's patent consisted in exhausting of air the vessel containing the meat, then forcing into it a mixture of nitrogen and sulphurous acids, and subsequently soldering the apertures. Dr Letheby says meat, fish, and poultry preserved in this manner have been found good after seven or eight years; and specimens of them were exhibited in the London Exhibition of 1862.