Composition

The juice of meat contains considerable protein, in addition to salts and extractives.

General Principles In Cooking

From raw meat we cannot obtain as much juice as is easily taken from the same amount of meat when previously heated.

1 Calculated without fruit.

The reason for this is that the envelope enclosing the muscular tissue is a tough substance, which swells and dissolves when heated, yielding gelatin, and the liquid portion of the meat is easily expressed. If cooked too long the protein largely coagulates and the meat loses most of its moisture and becomes tough.

A steak thoroughly heated through swells, and when cut the liquid portion flows out readily. One pound of meat yields about four ounces of juice.

Care In Serving

In administering beef juice great care should be taken in reheating not to heat it above 136 degrees Fahrenheit, at which temperature albumin coagulates in flakes.

Substitutes For Beef Juice

A solution of white of egg flavored with meat extract makes a cheap and efficient substitute for beef juice.

Prepared extracts of good make may be used to advantage with beef juice to add flavor and make it more appetizing.

Absorption

Beef juice is absorbed in the rectum to nearly the same extent as complete peptones and is an excellent article of diet where solid foods cannot be given.

Comparative Food Value Of Beef Juice And Beef Tea

Beef juice, although fourteen times as rich in protein as beef tea, is raw in flavor, and is rejected by many palates. In such a case, add a small quantity of beef tea or prepared beef extract for flavor.

Thus by the union of two bodies, one rich in protein and the other rich in flavor, we have a superior food. Prepare a small quantity at a time, as it does not keep well.

Beef Tea

Composition

Meat treated with hot water contains only a small percentage of solids and almost no protein except extractive matter and soluble mineral matter. The clear liquid which remains when the coagulated albumin is strained out of beef tea contains only extractive or flavoring substances with the soluble mineral matter of the meat. Therefore it should not be strained, and if properly prepared the albumin will not be coagulated to so great an extent.

Even in strong beef tea which is carefully made the amount of proteids present has been found to be less than 2 per cent.

Nutritive Value

Beef tea is valuable in the sick room not as a food, but as a flavoring; the liquid with the heat of the water acts as a stimulant.

Beef Extracts are prepared in both liquid and solid form. They have but slight nutritive value, containing but 4 to 5 per cent. of protein, but are valuable for their flavoring properties. They are used to advantage in combination with beef juice, adding flavoring and making it more palatable and appetizing.