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How to choose Veal, Mutton and Beef.
Veal. If the bloody vein in the shoulder looks blue, or
of a bright red, it is new killed; but if black, green, or
yellow,it is flabby and stale, if wrapped in wet cloths, smell
whether it be musty or not. The loin first taints under
the kidney; and the flesh, if stale killed, will be soft and
slimy.
The breast and neck taints first at the upper end, and
you will perceive dusky, yellow, or green appearance ;
and the sweetbread on the breast will be clammy, other-
wise it is fresh and good. The leg is known to be new by
the stiffness of the joint: if limber and the flesh seems
clammy, and has green or yellow specks, it is stale. The
head is known as the lamb’s. The flesh of a bull-calf is
more red and firm than that of a cow-calf, and tliefat
more hard curdled.
Mutton. If it be young, the flesh will pinch tender;
if old, it will wrinkle, and remain so: if young, the fat
will easily part from the lean; if old, it will stick by
strings and skins; if ram mutton, the fat feels spungy,
the flesh close grained and tough, not rising again when
dented: if ewe mutton, the flesh is paler than wether
mutton, a closer grain and easily parting. If there be a
rot, the flesh will be pale, and the fat a faint white inclin-
ing’to yellow, and the flesh will be loose at the bone. If
you squeeze it hard, some drops of waterwill stand up like
sweat. As to the newness and staleness, the same is
to be observed as inlamb.
Beef. If it be right ox-beef, it will have an open grain ;
if young a tender and oily smoothness; if rough and
spunky it is old, or inclined to be so, except the neck,
brisket’ and such parts as are very fibrous, which in
young meat will be more rough than in other parts. A
arnation, pleasant colour betokens good spending meat:
the suet, a curious white; yellow is not good.
Cow-beef is less bound and closer grained than ox, the
fat whiter, but the lean somewhat paler; if young, the
dent made with the finger will rise again in a little time.
Bull-beef is close grained, deep dusky red, tough in
pinching, the fat skinny, hard, and has a rammish rank
