Mrs Beetons Meat Recipes Revisited
Potted Beef
900g (2lb) Lean Beef
110g (4oz) Butter
1 tbsp Water
Cayenne
Ground Mace
Black Pepper
Salt, to taste
Procure a nice piece of lean beef, as free as possible from gristle, skin, etc.
Put it into a jar (with a lid) with 1 tablespoonful of water.
Cover it closely and put the jar into a saucepan of boiling water, letting the water come within 5cm (2 inches) of the top of the jar.
Boil gently for 3-3½ hours, then take the beef.
Chop it very small with a chopping knife and pound it thoroughly in a mortar.
Gently mix with all or some of the juices produced by it and a little clarified butter.
Add the seasoning.
Put it in small pots for use and cover with a little butter just warmed and poured over.
If much gravy is added to it, it will keep but a short time, but if a large proportion of butter is used, it may be preserved for some time.
Time: 3-3½ hours.
Seasonable at any time.
POTTED BEEF
642. INGREDIENTS - 2 lbs. of lean beef, 1 tablespoonful of water, 1/4 lb. of butter, a seasoning to taste of salt, cayenne, pounded mace, and black pepper.
Mode - Procure a nice piece of lean beef, as free as possible from gristle, skin, &c., and put it into a jar (if at hand, one with a lid) with 1 tablespoonful of water. Cover it closely, and put the jar into a saucepan of boiling water, letting the water come within 2 inches of the top of the jar. Boil gently for 3-1/2 hours, then take the beef, chop it very small with a chopping-knife, and pound it thoroughly in a mortar. Mix with it by degrees all, or a portion, of the gravy that will have run from it, and a little clarified butter; add the seasoning, put it in small pots for use, and cover with a little butter just warmed and poured over. If much gravy is added to it, it will keep but a short time; on the contrary, if a large proportion of butter is used, it may be preserved for some time.
Time - 3-1/2 hours.
Average cost, for this quantity, 1s. 8d.
Seasonable at any time.
Email: The Foody UK and Ireland
© Copyright The Delineator 2000-2004. All rights reserved