MEAT PRESERVING.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1996, 28 September 1869, Page 2

MEAT PRESERVING.

The Colonial Agent-General of Victoria has forwarded to the Government the following communication received by him from Dr W. H. Taylor, a wellknown chemist, on a new method of preserving meat: —“ In any plan for preserving meat for export from our colonies, the following objects must be kept in view :—The meat must not only arrive in a sound state, but must be able to remain good for a length of time, and the process by which such a result can be obtained must be sufficiently cheap as will enable the meat to be sold at a price one-half or even less than that charged for freshly killed meat. All the salts and constituents of the fresh meat must be retained, and that in as unaltered a state as possible. It must be portable to save freight, the process must b« inexpensive, and there must not be any waste. To accomplish this project I would proceed as follows : The animal in being slaughtered should be well drained of its blood. Having removed the meat from the bones and separated all the fat, I would put the meat into a press, and by means of hydraulics, or other great power, press out all the juices of the meat till the residue forms a hard cake, which (if any moisture remains) should be placed in a position to dry. The pressed out liquor, containing the soluble salts of the meat, should be put in a vacuum or other pan, and evaporated down to a certain consistence, which should then, by the addition of a little salt, be preserved in suitable airtight vessels. Of the fat, some shpuld be clarified and run into bladders and gut, the rest salted and packed, the the bones and hoofs boiled down, and the gelatine dried. By these several processes all the nutritive portions of the animal would be retained, and there would be no risk of their; spoiling on the voyage, and they would also occupy very little space. The bones, after extraction of gelatine, would yield phosphorus, and the residue would form manure, so that every part of the animal may be profitably made use of. To prepare the meat for cooking, I would saw off a block of the present meat cake, and steam it for a short time to separate the tibi’es. I would then put it into a stewpan with a portion of the preserved liquor and some

of the fat. With a little seasoning, and the addition of some vegetables, presen ed or fresh, a capital and savory nutritious stew would be obtained; if for soup, some of the gelatine could be added. I believe the flavor of a dish of this kind would be superior, and it would be more sustaining to the system, than the meat preserved in tins. Of course it would not be equal to freshly killed meat; but it would give a variety of nitrogenous food not here obtainable at so cheap a rate. It would be most useful and economical for the navy, army, mercantile marine, and large institutions of every description, and would enable our colonists to find a profitable market for their sheep and cattle which they are now often obliged to slaughter for their skins and fat only—a proceeding which must lead to their speedy ruin.”