Mrs Beetons Sauces Revisited
Medium Stock
4.55lt (8 pints) plus 285ml (½ pint) Cold Water.
1.8kg (4lb) Shin of Beef
[or 1.8kg (4lb) Knuckle of Veal]
[or 900g (2lb) each; any Bones, Trimmings of Poultry]
[or Fresh Meat, 225g (8oz) Lean Bacon or Ham]
3 Carrots
2 Large Onions, each stuck with 3 Cloves
1 Turnip
1 Head of Celery
½ Leek
50g (2oz) Butter
50g (2oz) Salt
½ tsp Whole Pepper
1 Large Blade Mace
1 Small bunch of Savoury Herbs
Cut the meat and bacon or ham in pieces about 7.5cm (3 inches) square.
Rub the butter on the bottom of a large saucepan.
Add 285ml (½ pint) of water, the meat and all the other ingredients (except the remaining water).
Cover and place over a high heat, stirring occasionally.
When the bottom of the saucepan becomes covered with a pale, jelly-like substance, add the remaining water and simmer very gently for 5 hours, skimming frequently, do not allow to boil.
Strain it through a fine hair sieve.
This is the basis of many of the soups afterwards mentioned and will be found quite strong enough for ordinary purposes.
Time: 5½ hours.
MEDIUM STOCK
105. INGREDIENTS - 4 lbs. of shin of beef, or 4 lbs. of knuckle of veal, or 2 lbs. of each; any bones, trimmings of poultry, or fresh meat, 1/2 a lb. of lean bacon or ham, 2 oz. of butter, 2 large onions, each stuck with 3 cloves; 1 turnip, 3 carrots, 1/2 a leek, 1 head of celery, 2 oz. of salt, 1/2 a teaspoonful of whole pepper, 1 large blade of mace, 1 small bunch of savoury herbs, 4 quarts and 1/2 pint of cold water.
Mode - Cut up the meat and bacon or ham into pieces about 3 inches square; rub the butter on the bottom of the stewpan; put in 1/2 a pint of water, the meat, and all the other ingredients. Cover the stewpan, and place it on a sharp fire, occasionally stirring its contents. When the bottom of the pan becomes covered with a pale, jelly-like substance, add 4 quarts of cold water, and simmer very gently for 5 hours. As we have said before, do not let it boil quickly. Skim off every particle of grease whilst it is doing, and strain it through a fine hair sieve.
This is the basis of many of the soups afterwards mentioned, and will be found quite strong enough for ordinary purposes.
Time - 5-1/2 hours.
Average cost, 9d. per quart.
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