SC - Spoiled meat: was "Mustard History"

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Terry Nutter wrote:
> 
> Hi, Katerine here.  Adamantius writes of the recipe in Markham:

> >Yes, Markham instructs one to make an ale/vinegar brine pickle, and let
> >the venison sit in it for twelve hours, and then parboil and bake in a
> >pasty. I suspect this has more to do with depleted supplies of venison
> >in late period than with any wholesale desire to eat rotten meat
> >disguised as fresh. You'll notice that mustard doesn't figure in
> >Markham's recipe.
> 
> Does Markham say anything about how far gone the joint is to allow this
> treatment?

He's not real clear on what constitutes "tainted". I suspect this is
mostly a matter of prevailing taste, and at what point venison stops
being gamey and starts being tainted, or, for that matter, stops being
tainted and starts being rotten, is open to considerable question. I
suppose it boils down to that point at which no amount of treatment will
recover the food from the present toxins even if the bacteria are
killed: then it is irretrievably spoiled, and not tainted. I suppose
"tainted", according to Markham, might well be that point at which the
meat stops having a pleasant gaminess, and starts being something that
is hard to choke down without help.

In other words, what I would have made escabeche out of, once upon a
time ;  ). 

  If there are only a couple of very superficial bad spots, the
> alcohol and acid in the pickle will kill the bacteria, and the parboiling
> will boil away most of the byproducts responsible for the taste.  It
> is far better to cut the bad bit away entirely (the visible bad bit, at
> least) first; does he suggest that?  Every earlier recipe I know of for
> salvage does.  If he does, and if the joint was only just starting to turn,
> then what you wind up with is not rotten meat.  Certainly not top quality,
> but not rotten either.

I think it's more like acid and salt; I believe the ale is boiled with
vinegar till it is as strong as the original vinegar. I'm also working
from memory here, not having immediate access to the book (although I
did earlier today). Since the "marinade" is cooked, I doubt alcohol is
really a factor, but acid and salt certainly would be. Most food in the
early stages of "spoilage" has some buildup of lactic and other acids,
and tastes sour. Those of you who have had the misfortune to taste
something to see if it's bad will probably attest to this. A vinegar 
bath would presumably mask this, while not exactly removing it.

One clue that what Markham refers to  is not heavy-duty spoilage lies in
the fact that he makes no reference to cutting anything off, unless it
is assumed you will do that anyway.
Another factor I consider significant is that the process described by
Markham includes cooking it, not once, but twice. In other words, one
should note that none of these recovery processes seem to be regarded as
a license to do anything either stupid or wasteful. The bottom line in
all cases I've seen is that the meat should be used immediately.
Retroactive preservation it may be, but there are limtis to its
effectiveness, which people knew quite well.

Adamantius