Let's Cook Meat: Recipes You'll Like — A Reader’s Guide

Recipes Organized by Meat Type

The book’s primary organizational principle is the type of meat, with each section containing a mix of roasts, steaks, chops, stews, and leftovers. For example, the Beef section includes “Standing Ribs of Beef” and “Chinese Pepper Steak with Rice,” while Pork offers “Baked Smoked Ham-Buffet Glaze” and “Pork Chop-Potato Scallop.” Each recipe is paired with a “Menu Idea” listing side dishes and dessert, such as “Lamb Kabobs” served with “Mashed Potatoes” and “Deep Dish Apple Pie.” This structure allows a reader to quickly find recipes for a specific meat and plan a complete meal.

Emphasis on Leftovers and Economy

A notable feature is the dedicated “Leftovers” subsection within each meat chapter. For lamb, recipes include “Shepherd’s Pie,” “Lamb Croquettes,” and “Lamb Pie with Catchup Biscuits.” The instructions for “Shepherd’s Pie” combine diced cooked lamb with celery, kidney beans, carrots, and gravy, topped with mashed potatoes. Similarly, the Beef section offers “Leftovers Beef Puff” and “Leftover Treat.” These recipes reflect a mid-century emphasis on thrift and avoiding waste, turning Sunday roast into Monday supper.

Detailed Cooking Instructions and Timetables

The book provides precise cooking methods, often specifying temperatures and times. For “Leg of Lamb—Puffy Mint Pears,” the instructions direct roasting at 300°F for 30 to 35 minutes per pound, with a meat thermometer reading 175°F for medium or 180°F for well-done. The “Time-tables—Meat Cookery” section (pages 35–37) offers a quick reference for roasting, broiling, and braising various cuts. The “Meat Cookery Pointers” also advise browning pot-roasts slowly to retain color, and turning steaks only once during broiling.

Regional and International Influences

While the book is American, several recipes show international flair. “Chinese Pepper Steak with Rice” appears in the Beef section, and “Oriental Lamb Stew” uses curry or chili powder, tomatoes, and olives, served on rice. “Paprika Veal” and “Smoked Tongue Rarebit” suggest European influences. The inclusion of these dishes alongside traditional roasts and chops indicates a broadening of home cooks’ palates in the 1950s, though the core focus remains on familiar meat cuts and straightforward techniques.

Readers approaching Let's Cook Meat should note that the book assumes a working knowledge of basic kitchen skills—it does not explain how to truss a roast or make a roux. The recipes are concise, often listing ingredients without step-by-step elaboration. The timetables and pointers are best used as guidelines rather than strict rules. For a first reading, focus on the introductory pointers and the recipe for a cut you plan to cook; the menus offer a helpful template for balanced meals.

Leafing through Let's Cook Meat tonight, I paused on its careful notes about stretching a roast into tomorrow’s hash. It felt familiar, that quiet thrift, and I remembered another old volume on my shelf, Made-Over Dishes — Story, Setting & Ideas, which turns leftovers into something gentle and new, not desperate. Both speak the same patient language of making do with grace.